Too much smoke - would rather have power and efficiancy
 

I am new here, and to owning a Cummins 12 valve. I just purchased mine this weekend. It took me about a year, but I finally found a '98 12v Club Cab 4x4.

I looked through the threads and found some talking about wanting more smoke and some about fuel plates, etc. However, I am having a hard time determining exactly what I need to do to accomplish my goal of less smoke. Is there is another thread please provide the newbie slap and point me to it. I apologize in advance if I missed it.

I just got the truck, and I have not been able to confirm all of what I was told, but I do know it has twin turbos and that when first giving it throttle it produces a tone of smoke. The more throttle I give it the more smoke comes out, but there is always black smoke at first until the turbos spool up and the truck really gets going. The more throttle, the more smoke and longer it takes to clear up before really going good.

I was told by the seller the fuel plate was removed. However, based on what I have read on other threads, I don't think that is my problem. It seems the plate just restricts total fuel or the maximum the truck will get after boost kicks in. My problem seems to be before that. I have read some things about AFC and star wheels to tune the truck and that seems to be what I need to do, but I am having trouble finding how or what I need to do. What I would really like to do is take it to a very talented Cummins guy in the Dallas area to tune it. I don't want to loose power, but from everything else I have read the smoke is caused by excess fuel and it is n't burning it all and that by properly tuning the truck it should actually get more power, better efficiency and run cooler. And as cool as the smoke might be, it gets old cleaning it off the back of the truck and dealing with the dirty looks. Just not sure how to tune it. Any help would be very much appreciated.

I do LOVE the truck!!!

Sorry, edited thread to specify this is not a small amount of smoke. I had a 2002 Ford F250 Diesel and I programmed it for power and when I really got on it it would produce a pretty good cloud. I am OK with and expect that. What I am talking about with this Cummins is very different. I have to baby it just to get it to produce a small black cloud. If I give it even medium throttle it produces a big cloud. If I really get on it or floor it I am pretty sure there is acid rain falling behind me, but I wouldn't know as all I can see if a black curtain. It is a HUGE black cloud. The truck runs great.

there is a star wheel , it controls the pre-boost fuel ..... you will find it under a large allen head plug on top of the afc housing ..

turn twards engine for less smoke and twards fender for more,also the smoke screw is on the back of the afc housing and it conrols .... like an idle screw in a carb ... in a way ... it helps get the fuel/air right ..... may wanna start there ..... also ... need to find out if fuel plate is MIA ... a 100 plate might clear up a bit for that smoke by lessining the amount of fuel all together..

Thank you 4x4maonbroke for the very quick reply. After I saw your post I did a quick YouTube search and found how to adjust the star wheel you mentioned. It seems a like a very easy process to do. However, everything else I am reading ans seeing says towards the engine for more fuel/smoke. Is it possible you have it backwards?

Also, I have seen a lot of references to a #10 fuel plate, is that the same thing as a 100 plate?

no a 10 and a 100 are 2 different animals. you need a moderate fuel plate. #6-10ish
full cut DV's and .024's are 2 also different animals. if you have full cuts throw them away and get a decent delivery valve. and what size turbos do you have??? this will play a huge role in how your truck runs. also you have to small of an injector to feed 2 turbos well. ide run those injectors on a stock turbo.

Its all in the afc housing ... I can tune most of the smoke outta 150's with out touching anything else ....

turn the star wheel twards fender a little, get a fuel plate and go fro there ... if you go back to far it will lag bad .. the adjust the smoke screw to reduce the smoke from that point..:tu:

Actually, john has it backwards. Turn the star wheel towards the cab to turn down the fueling, and towards the radiator to increase the fueling.
And don't go with a 100 fuel plate, that is a VERY aggressive fuel plate. You'd be better off with a #10 fuel plate pulled back a little.

Where in the DFW area are you?

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oops ... thanks trevor ... my bad ..:ouch: