What is the black smoke that comes out of trucks?

Question

When I see a dump truck or a tractor trailer and it has those "muffler smokestacks" that pump out black smoke, what is the result of that black smoke? What are those trucks burning that makes their exhaust heavier and more foul than car exhaust? I read that big trucks run on diesel - is that so? If the diesel was changed to biodiesel, would it change that black smoke coming out of the exhaust or would it still be the same?

Answer 1

They burn A LOT of diesel. Any vehicle that burned that much fuel at one go would emit smoke like that. Some do (ever seen a tractor pull?).

Answer 2

POLUTION!!!

Answer 3

Carbon Minoxide, which contributes to pollution too much!

Answer 4

deisel exhaust is much darker then gas

Answer 5

Soot.  Under heavy torque loads the diesel engine's fuel injection system will keep the injector open longer, which shoots more fuel into the cylinder.  That means more power, but also a rich burn condition that doesn't burn as completely as just cruising.

The vast majority of trucks on the road are diesel.  Pretty much any vehicle you see that is larger than the largest pickup truck is going to be a diesel - not a guarantee, but a safe bet.  The diesel delivers great torque at low speeds, and delivers more power from the fuel it burns than a gas engine.  As expensive as it is to operate a big truck, a gas engine would cost more - fuel price discrepancy notwithstanding.

Biodiesel soots just the same as petrodiesel.  The operation of the truck is the same.

The exhaust literally is heavier - it's soot.  It falls out of the air and then you don't have to breathe it - it gets washed away in the next rain.  And that Doesn't happen with gas engines, their exhaust stays in the air so we can breathe it over and over.

Answer 6

THE PLAGUE

Answer 7

That is the exhaust and if I'm not mistaken, that's oil being burned in the cylinder.

Answer 8

It's unburned carbon.  Soot is the common term.  Particulates.  They're very inert (not poisonous), but they do get into your lungs.

Read up on the current work on particulate filters for new diesel exhaust.   It's coming out on both cars and trucks.   It's very interesting new technology.

P.S. This has got to be the worst string of answers I have ever seen on here.  Good grief.

Answer 9

the difference between gasoline and diesel fuel is the amount of refining the oil goes through.

Gasoline goes through a lot of refining to get it to be usable in the spark plug enviroment of your car.

Diesel fuel goes through less refinement, meaning there are more things left in the fuel to burn. The interesting thing about diesel though is that the engines were originally designed to run off peanut oil. I think if we all used peanut oul (biodiesle) we would do less damage to the enviroment.  

Answer 10

its the Diesel, and no Bio Diesel won't change a thing, you're still burning something.. jsut like the native americans and their campfires.. burning stuff makes smoke, and its natural, don't go hatin' on the big trucks, they move this country, and until we implement a more powerful alternative energy, we're going to keep using those big ol trucks. instead of forcing the big corporations to change their ways, do your own part, buy the new fuel Cell Chevy Equinox and show the world that that technology does hold promise as a clean, efficient, and viable means of transportation  

Answer 11

Its an elf smoking to many cigarettes.