Shad9876

First time ecoboost owner. 2012 FX4 SCREW, 3.5l ecoboost, 94k miles.

Is it normal to have this black soot all over the back of my truck? This is about 60 miles of driving after cleaning it off.

2013_XLT

i don't believe it has anything to do with your engine. it looks like your tires are sticking out past the fenders and throwing crap up on to your truck. maybe look into some fender flares or a different wheel and tire setup.

Shad9876

Thanks for the quick reply to my post. That’s what I thought at first, but the specks are definitely some sort of soot, not dirt/road debris.

I can wipe it off, drive around a few miles and they’ll be back.

bassJAM

This

ztman

No that is not normal. Did you just buy this truck?

Shad9876

Bought it about a month ago

2013_XLT

if it was coming from your exhaust it would not be spread out in that pattern and it definitely would not be all the way up to your wheel area or as high as it is. everything would be concentrated around the exhaust tip and your pattern shows that it is being thrown by the tires and spreading out over the entire area.

if you want to find out for certain do this. tape a piece of cardboard into your wheel well sticking out, similar to what a fender flare would do. drive around for 5-10 miles and then see the results. my guess is the truck will be much cleaner and the cardboard will be filthy.

AHenry014

It is on the bottom side of the exhaust tip too, indicating that it is being spread from the tire? How does the inside of the wheel look? Could be brake fluid from a caliper/line, gear oil from an axle seal, or you are just driving the same span every time you are testing this out.

5.0nly

It’s your tires.

Shad9876

Checked underneath for any signs of brake fluid, calipers, or anything else leaking, etc. All looks dry, nothing suspect.

If it were the tires, what would be causing the tires to do that? The tires are brand new AND it was doing the same thing with the old tires. The old tires appeared to have even wear pattern, nothing abnormal.