Alright, now I'm pretty sure that I DIDN'T buy a diesel, but I have some black soot in my tailpipe.
Its is of a rather chalky texture, not oily, chalky. Like diesel soot.

Is this some sort of blow-by (oh God please no) or is it just running rich?
I have only noticed it recently.

 

that is normal. First truck?

 

First "older" truck.
I was a little worried cause my dads truck didn't have any, and my sisters 97 (360) didn't have a lot.
Thats a relief.
What causes that anyway? Improper burn? Would changing the (platnum lol) plugs help any?

I will be changing the plugs anyway here soon (I hope). Its got platnums and idles weird.

 

THe only platinum plugs that work with our trucks are pulstars. Cmckenna did a comparison with them and NGKs.

But for the most part, our trucks like the copper electrodes.

I think the soot is caused by the sheer amount of fuel that our trucks guzzle coupled with the fact that carbon monoxide is 50% CARBON.

If the soot is chalky, that is because the carbon is sticking to your tailpipe. Sometimes using seafoam while opening up the throttle body to make it sound like repeated high revs (like douchebags at stoplights). Sometimes you can see a lot of carbon go through the tailpipe. It did that when I had sidepipes (shorter exhaust and no cats).

I really would not worry about that. Keep the platinums unless they make you drive weird.

 

I'd pull the plats and go get some $2 cheap good old Champion Copper plugs..

 

+1, and I'll assume you did your research here about the plenum. At the very least, if the precat o2 sensor has never been changed, I'd think about it.

 

They make it idle like a stroker. I don't want that since its not a stroker.
They are worn weird anyway.
Planned on it.
My plenum is fine right now. There is a bunch of oil junk on the passenger side of the pan by the PCV. I would presume the PCV might need changing.

If it does it would explain why when I started the truck up after school I got a huge cloud of blue smoke.
I'm just glad the lot was mostly cleared out and the time.