<VV> Engine checking by the exhaust

[Tony Underwood]

At 10:11 hours 04/26/2005, Daniel Monasterio wrote:
>     I have been using, by many years, a rudimentary way to check the 
> condition of an engine by finger testing the deposits at the exhaust 
> pipe. Taking a sample with a finger I find:
>1.- If there are only grey traces (almost nothing on the finger), the 
>engine has a good combustion and no oil burning.
>2.- If the deposits paint my finger with a black and dry coating, the 
>engine is using excess of fuel but no oil burning.
>3.- If deposits are black and sticky, means oil burning.
>
>     I don't remember when started this way nor why but, would like to 
> know if I am right or wrong.



You're right on the money.   I've been doing this sort of thing myself for 
a long time, and it works.

By the way, a weathered concrete sidewalk works well for "polishing" off 
the gummy black deposit a worn engine's tailpipe will leave on a finger tip.


tony..