2011 Justa seems to run well enough, but the chrome tail pipe tip gets coated with thick, heavy black sludge in less than 2K miles. I never notice any clouds of smoke in the mirrors.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

 

Just carbon, all cars get this. If it's too much maybe mixture issue but very unlikely because you didn't mention CEL, so nothing to worry about.

ug.

 

Get a good chrome polish and it will be easier to keep clean, just a wipe with a damp cloth when it becomes annoying!!

 

I'm used to good running cars having a light grey color on the inside of the tailpipe tip. Black usually means overly rich mixture.

How can this be "normal"?

DOC

 

A wet or oily deposit in the tailpipe is a bad thing, but beyond that, you can't really tell much about the condition of the engine by looking at the color of the tailpipe deposits. It *used* to a be a good indication back in the carbureted/pre-smog days, but if your car has a catalytic converter or air pump, the color of the tailpipe deposits doesn't mean what it used to.

 

I was under the exact same impression, and my 2011 justa does the exact same thing. Actually, I'm glad you posted this because I've been wondering about this for a while. As a matter of fact, my grandfather even noticed the abundance of buildup on the tailpipe and suggested I get it checked out, which I haven't yet. Also, speaking of the "wet" or "oily" deposit in the tailpipe, I've noticed (and idk if it has anything to do with it being summer and really hot), but after I take a drive, the tip end of the tailpipe does look somewhat wet and/or oily, not just dried on soot. Any thoughts/should I be concerned?

 

One of the byproducts of the catalytic converter's operation is water vapor (often a bunch of it), so that may be the "wet" you're seeing. Check the tailpipe again a few hours after the drive is over to see if it's still wet. If it's truly an oily deposit, it'll stay wet.

 

ok good to know, because I did notice that it is "dried" up a few hours after the drive, so that puts my mind at ease. Otherwise I guess the build up is rather normal then for these cars? I can't help but notice now every time I'm behind another cooper, or I see one pass me, to catch a glance at its tailpipe (haha that sounds dirty), to see if theirs has the same issue.

 

My 2011 Justa has the same black residue on the chrome exhaust extenstion. I agree with the previous responses, you can't get usefull informatin from the tail pipe deposits with the new catalytic converters. I had the same concern with my last car. I drove it for 21 years, averaged over 35 MPG, and got a minimum of 3000 miles before needing a quart of oil. I never saw anything but black in the tail pipe.

2011 Justa, pepper white, sport seats, manual transmission