Was the reputation for belching black smoke unique to Alcos or was it common for all diesels of that era?
Assuming Alcos were worse than its peers, what was it about their design that caused that?
A single stage turbo charger, similer to the GE design. GE locomotives are smokers too and GE went to great lengths (with some success) to eliminate smoking. On the dash 7 a turbo speed probe did the trick, on later engines airbox MAp sensors do the job, preventing full load until the turbo catches up and suppls enough combustion air.
Randy
Welcome to the forums[^][^][^] glennbob
As mentioned above, turbo lag is the cause of the extra smoke in Alco’s, GE’s and Mercedes-Benzes. The engine is burning rich until the stronger exhaust speeds up the turbocharger, or something like that. EMD avoided the problem by using a mechanical clutch to drive the turbo until the stronger exhaust kicked in.
Welcome to the forums. [:D]
Alco diesels are called “honorary steam loomotives” by some Railfans
No less than George W Hilton invented that designation and applied it to NKP’s PA’s in his favorable review of “The Nickel Plate Story” by John Rehor.
and GM (Isuzu) Duramax pickups when you though more fuel with programers and not upgrade the turbo( not throwing enough air to compensate for increased fuel)
2 of them fogged out an intersection to where other traffic sat through 2 cycles of the lights before they moved agian! sorry, little of topic [:D]
Hey there Soo…
The Duracraps diesel aint the only one that can make smoke. The Cummins and good ole Powerstroker can give a steamer a run for their money. BELIEVE ME, I know. hehehehe.
Adrianspeeder
lol ohh yeah, i did mean to give props to the powerchicken and the cummins too, i hit post too soon. [^]
Kinda like this - a mild example, but an ALCo, nonetheless:
only thing I could add to Randy’s post is that turbocharged EMDs don’t smoke (at least as badly!) because they have a clutch arrangement which drives the turbocharger from the crank when the turbo rpm would otherwise be too low. Eliminates the smoke, pretty much, but introduces some interesting maintenance…
Here’s another example…but white smoke in this instance
The main reason Alcos smoked black is turbocharger lag which means the engine is reved up and the turbo has not caught up with denand for air.
Rodney
ex diesel mech
thanks for the info and the welcomes!
Smokin Cummins…
Awsome video…
http://www.logantele.com/~jshemwell/2004%20DHRA%20185.mpg
Powerstroker…
Nice Chebby…
Little bit sideways…
Adrianspeeder
What is all this about smoking diesals? I thought they were on the controled substances list. You guys want to go to jail?
Jay
Alot of it has to due with an Alco and GE,which both used the same type of prime mover,having a 4 stroke motor.The EMD use’s a 2 stroke.They all smoke because it’s only firing every other stroke instead every time like in an EMD.In other words it’s “loading up” the fuel more.The newer motors all have fuel injection and stops alot of this smoke.If you see an engine bello out fire or smoke it more than likely has been run out of fuel,and needs the fuel filters replaced,or has a electrical problem in the fuel injection system.I’ve had some engines that has lit the night time up with fire because of this problem.I’m going to try and add a picture of this.I changed this post after I saw I got the 2-4 stroke mixed up.I originaly had them the other way around.I checked my post with a 42 year vetran machinist who hired on the C&O in 1962,my Dad.He’s under the weather so I thought I would cheer him up with RR talk.
How the heck do you insert a picture from My Pictures ?[%-)]
Howdy,
The photo has to be “stored” or “hosted” somewhere online. All of us are unable, and you wouldn’t want us to come looking into your computer everytime someone looks at the pic. I use www.villagephotos.com
Adrianspeeder
mmmmmkay now children…smoking ALCo’s is bad…mmmmkay…