Moved from Tennessee to the Colorado Rockies about two weeks ago... since I got to my new house (about 7500 feet elevation) I've been backing in to where I park, which leaves the truck nose-down a relatively steep driveway. I had previously parked nose-up a VERY steep driveway in Tennessee, though I did periodically back into that driveway as well. Anyway, be it a cold start (50 degrees around 7:30 am) or a warmer start (80 degrees around 4 pm, but still not driven since the day before), the first time I start the truck every day it runs pretty rough for the first 3-5 seconds and I get a large puff of sweet smelling white exhaust. Is this a problem, or normal when parked like that at a high altitude on a slope?

 

sweet smellin white exhaust usually means coolant. u might have an egr cooler out, or it could be something else.

rough start could be a bunch of things. any mods to ur vehicle? it could be icp sensor, it could be ficm, it could be injectors, it could be bad batterie(s), it could be bad alternator, etc etc.

check our tech folder on how to test to pinpoint closer to the root of ur probs. hang in there. i'm sure the rest of the guys will chime in soon.

 

Egr' cooler leak, big problem. Will lift heads blow head gasket. $6,000.00 repair if it gets that farther

 

With the truck parked nose down, pull the EGR valve and look for coolant in the opening below it. If your EGR cooler has indeed sprung a leak...I'd check your oil cooler as well. About 90% of the time if the EGR cooler fails, it's because the oil cooler is clogged and starved the EGR cooler of coolant.

 

Ugh... not what I was wanting to hear! I was told that if I ever had either the oil cooler or the EGR cooler go out, to replace both at the same time... and I was told to stick with the factory oil cooler, but to go with the Bulletproof on the EGR cooler, and to go ahead and replace the tube running from the high pressure pump to the branch tube while everything was open. You guys agree?

Let's say it is the EGR cooler and/or the oil cooler... there's a Bulletproof mechanic about 90 minutes from me. Would it be safe to drive it there or is there a lot of risk of damaging it even more?

Thanks!

 

I am happy w/ the combination of stock oil cooler and BPG EGR cooler.

Personally, I wouldn't drive it w/ a leaking EGR cooler.

DO the proper maintenance to keep the oil cooler (coolant side) from clogging. This is flushes every 50k miles on the Gold or switch the ELC coolant and go 100k miles (some go longer, but I don't plan on it).

 

Chilton is steering you right, pull egr' valve and see if it's wet ( 2 bolts )

 

Ok, so I tried to pull the EGR valve, but it wouldn't come... i mean, not even a little bit. Pulled both bolts and though it moved back and forth about a millimeter or so, it wouldn't come upwards at all. Finally gave up and bolted it back down.

I did check my coolant levels, and I don't seem to have lost any coolant, nor is there oil in it, nor has the pressure built enough to push that gunk through the seal as I've seen talked about. Could there be something else causing the white smoke?

Also, while it runs roughly the first time it's started in the morning, it can then sit all day and it will start smoothly with no new white smoke. I did try parking nose-in last night, and there was still white smoke in the exhaust when I started it, though less of it.

 

Sorry... double post

 

To get egr' valve out, turn back and forth side ways until bolt ears clear threaded holes. Take a 18" length of 1/8 " curtain cord, ty wire, coat hanger, put one end thru each hole and tie together. Slip broom stick thru cord and rest one end on alternator. Lift other end straight up. And it will pop right out. Your hope is it's dry. Remove the two blue Orings- and clean with brake cleaner. Hope this helps. TIM

PS. Look in hole with flash light. To re install lightly coat o rings with oil,(anti freeze, trans fluid, cooking oil) it will make reinstall easier

 

Really is that tight, huh? Ok... I'll give it a shot again tomorrow most likely.

 

There is an egr valve o-ring kit u can get from Ford or ur international truck dealer. U have to replace both o-rings and the flat gasket.

Remove both bolts, turn the egr valve around while in hole, so that one side of the ear is sticking out. Use a pry bar n rest it against the alternator, then pry tat egr valve out by tat ear. It'll pop out.

 

Ok, so I've not had a chance to try again at pulling the valve to check it... been a busy day! However, I parked on a flat spot last night and noticed no rough running and no white exhaust when I started the truck up this morning... could that mean the EGR cooler isn't bad after all? Perhaps with the cold nights there's condensation building somewhere and then pooling when parked on a slope and the white exhaust is steam from that condensate burning off?

Also, have not had any coolant loss, nor am I getting the over pressure and there doesn't appear to be any oil in the coolant, either. Am I getting my hopes up that I don't have a really expensive fix needed? I guess I really just need to pull that valve and look, huh?

 

Park your truck nose down tonight and in the morning pull you egr valve out and look down into the intake manifold. If there is no sign of water you may be right. There is always the possibility you could also have a head gasket issue but I would not jump to any conclusions at this point.
The egr can be tough to pop out but it will come either by how Fal308 said, or myself I use a 90 degree screwdriver a couple of regular blade style under each bolt ear and pop it up. Look there first in the morning.
If that is dry start the truck and see how exhaust looks, take for a 20 minute or so drive and see how much pressure you have on coolant recovery bottle cap. If you are blowing exessive air out of cap you have problems. If not keep eye on coolant level as well as your oil level in crankcase. If everything stays the same you have nothing to worry about.
Take it one step at a time, cool heads prevail.

 

No offense guys, but considering tat the egr valve is hard to come out, I believe it is easier to come out at an angle than vertically by coat hanger or with a couple of screwdrivers.