Sooty exhaust pipes

My exhaust pipes are really black with soot, and I couldn't help noticing some other Porsche's with clean pipes.....is my engine running rich, or are there lots of Porsche owners with pipe cleaners in their garages?[ ]

I think you'll find plenty of pipe cleaners in here, along with tweed jackets !!! [ ] I use SILVO (used to be Dualit) to clean the outside and rim of the pipes, don't bother with the insides, as they get black real quick. P.

I've seen the insides of many cars pipes spotless....there's a guy with a Turbo LE in PCGB that says he never cleans his pipes but they are spotless.....he thinks my engine is running rich [:-]

Hi Rodney, Is the sootiness anything like here http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/photo_view.asp?file=0;242384 Rgds John

Or more like this? http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/photo_view.asp?file=0;242385

Exactamundo John, just like your second picture, solid black all over.....looks awful....any ideas?

There has been quite a lot written on Rennlist about 997 sooty tail pipes, for some reason mostly evident on the left hand side. In at least one instance this was linked to excessive oil consumption and was eventually (after protracted OPC investigations and warranty claim) found to be due to scored bore(s?).

Hmmm....I have an even balance in both tail pipes tho. Didn't think it could be that serious..[:-]

Sorry didn't mean to be alarmist, I did a quick search on Rennlist, take a look the picture posted in the link below to see if the condition discussed is more severe than yours. http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=301467&page=3&pp=15 Also the following link gives a bit more info on the experience of Drmark (UK Cotswolds - perhaps he's here and would like to comment) http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=302938&highlight=sooty+tailpipes

Hi Rodney, Don't want to sound any alarm bells, but if you see near the bottom of my first entry on my topic Mis-fire Problem, you will see that part of the symptoms I describe relate to sooted exhaust pipes. I'll leave you to read the rest of the topic. If I remember correctly I only observed the extra sootinesss when the misfires started, first from the nearside exhaust and then from the offside. As part of the diagnostics that followed all leakdown tests were normal. It seems like the rennlist threads indicate it's something worth reporting and getting investigated. Are you under warranty? Rgds John

Hi John, I've read your thread already...sorry about your problems, hope they find out the cause........ And thanks Snarf, I've had a good look at the Rennlist thread now..... I have a warranty, so not worried either way.....I'm sure I'm not alone in having sooty exhaust pipes...and my oil consumption is very low, and both pipes are equally sooty (and have been since I bought the car 10 months ago), and there are no untoward engine noises (certainly no slapping noises)....but I never knew about the 997 problem, nothing on PCGB forums to indicate anything.......real shame.... Anyway, I'll be taking my car to the OPC to have a look at it sometme soon for some other work...see what they say...[:-]

Hi Rodney. My pipes are just the same. What's your MPG like? I'm lucky to see 23 on longish m/way runs - the best ever was 26.7 on a fairly gentle m/way & A road run to Cornwall & back (800 odd miles). On an 80 mile thrash on A & B roads the other week it went down to 18 so to my mind that indicates I have a drinking (fuel!) problem.

Hi Nick, We have the same problem! I dream of 20's MPGs! On a thrash I'll get sub 15s, after a good 30 mile mixed drive I'll get low 18s, and for the past 1.2k I've averaged 17.1. The other day I tried driving like a granny....late night, no traffic (but no motorways) getting into 5th asap, crawling away from the lights.....I managed 23.1! It's a combination of tip/cab/C4 and my driving style that kills it for me. But I still can't get my mind off the sight of that Turbo LE (among others) with spotless pipes, whos owner never cleans them (all his pipes not just the ones for the turbo waste gasses) [8|]