# Smoke for exhaust when trunk is heavily loaded

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-for-exhaust-when-trunk-is-heavily-loaded/44333>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mercury\
**Created:** [February 12, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-for-exhaust-when-trunk-is-heavily-loaded/44333 "2010-02-12T18:15:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aqasir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@aqasir](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aqasir)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-for-exhaust-when-trunk-is-heavily-loaded/44333/1 "2010-02-12T18:15:12Z")

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I own a 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis LS with a 4.7 L V8 engine and 162,000 miles. I am the second owner of this vehicle and i have kept it in pretty good condition. I recently started to notice that when my trunk was loaded with a lot of weight (200-400 Lbs) and I would stop at a red light and then begin accelerating slowly that a lot of black smoke would come out of the exhaust. This happened a few times and once it happened after I had removed the weighty object from the trunk and started to drive off. What could cause this condition when there is a heavy load in the trunk? I plan on towing a small light boat and don’t want to have the same smoking problem especially since I was pulled over for the smoke once before.  
  
  
  
 P.s. Beside the occasional smoke the car runs like a champ !! Excellent acceleration and no engine hesitation. I guess the only thing I can mention is that the fuel ecconomy is slightly less then what I would expect. I think i am getting about 17 MPG.

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**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-for-exhaust-when-trunk-is-heavily-loaded/44333/2 "2010-02-12T18:48:52Z")

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Engine under strain…mixture rich/oil = black exhaust? That’s my guess.

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**Author:** ![aqasir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19adc/32.png) [@aqasir](https://community.cartalk.com/u/aqasir)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-for-exhaust-when-trunk-is-heavily-loaded/44333/3 "2010-02-12T18:54:09Z")

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Thanks for the quick response. What can I do to fix the problem? (Other then not towing heavy items in the trunk). Change plugs, fuel injectors, fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump, MAF? Or Do i have to adjust the idle air some how? To achieve a better fuel/air mixture?