Soot from Hurricane Exhaust Pipe

[Michelle Jensen]

We have a 1998 Patriot and are now experiencing soot blowing out of our Hurricane exhaust pipe.  This started after our motorhome was in the shop for several months.  Prior to that we had someone come out and do a regular maintenance/service job and it was working great.  We're thinking it might be a clog in the pipe or perhaps the nozzle???  Has anyone ran into this problem and if so, how did you resolve it?

Thanks for your help.
-Michelle

[Fred Brooks]

      Michelle,
 I would start with cleaning the nozzle and changing the fuel filter on the backside of the compartment. Another thing we have discovered on coaches of that era (including mine) is where the hurricane exhaust pipe after muffler transitions into the rectangular exhaust pipe, the inside rust builds up and plugs up the pipe. Unfortunately, you can't see the restriction unless you remove the muffler to look inside. Fred

[Eric Maclean Co-Admin]

Michelle
If your getting black sooty smoke at the exhaust your unit is running rich this could be one of two things too much fuel (bad nozzle) or not enough air this could be anything from partially blocked intake ( mud robber next) to exhaust blockage as Fred mentioned or even the bower assembly getting weak.

My bet would be on a partially blocked intake or exhaust

Hope this helps
Eric

[Fred Brooks]

    Michelle, I think Eric's "auto spelling correction" meant to say "mud dauber nest" may have blocked the air intake which would cause a rich condition. Please advise how it turns out. Merry Christmas! Fred

[Michelle Jensen]

Hello gentlemen -just want to let you know what the issue was.  The nozzle had been cleaned when we had it serviced a couple months ago and so it was fine.  But, the fuel filter underneath the coach behind the Hurricane was filthy.  We replaced that and ran it for an hour and there was no soot.  It has since come on and off and still nothing.  So, turns out that is one more thing that can make it run rich.  Thanks so much for your help!

[Michelle Jensen]

Well I thought I'd update you.  It was doing good but our hurricane is blowing soot again.  So it's back to the diagnostic stage again. We should have known that changing the filter would be too easy of a fix
 I'll let you know what it finally ends up being. 

[Fred Brooks]

    Michelle,
 You may want to check and see if the compressor is operational or the inlet filter to the compressor may be plugged. The compressor is responsible for pressurizing the combustion chamber with air pressure for the complete burning of the atomized mist of the nozzle. Sometimes when servicing the unit, the technician doesn't tighten the cover or damages the cover seal and causes a leak so it can't pressurize properly. Fred