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What is wet stacking?

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  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: St. Paul, Minnesota
  • 2,116 posts
What is wet stacking?
Posted by Boyd on Friday, March 25, 2016 3:51 PM

I see a company called Hotstart has an ad in the April issue. What is wet-stacking?

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • 3,231 posts
Posted by NorthWest on Friday, March 25, 2016 4:51 PM

Wet stacking is when the fuel is not entirely combusted in the cylinder and is ejected out the exhaust stack. It can be caused by a variety of things, including inadequate oxygen, overfueling, or leaky injectors.

This causes the oily stain sometimes visible around locomotive exhaust stacks and the cloud of 'smoke' when accelerating or notching up.

The main cause is the prime mover cooling enough that there is incomplete combustion at idle, particularly in cooler weather. Thus the Hotstart heater keeps the block warm to avoid this problem.

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: St. Paul, Minnesota
  • 2,116 posts
Posted by Boyd on Friday, March 25, 2016 10:39 PM

OK now I understand. I know cars n trucks rather well but less about Diesel engines and locomotives. 

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

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