New to posting in forum (other than my introduction that I just posted), though I've been watching for a while... Sorry this is a long post with some repeat info from my introduction. I want to be as thorough with my history on the truck as possible. I purchased a 1996 F350 XLT 4wd Centurion Conversion some 8 months ago, now sitting at 197000 mi. Maintenance history on this vehicle is questionable, the previous owner thought himself a mechanic and did some really bonehead things (like replacing the stock clutch fan with an electric not only half the diameter, but also mounted backwards). Shame on me for the purchase, but the body is fairly clean and the price and mileage were right. Of the many problems i have been hunting down, one is the most frustrating, with the symptoms listed in the title of this post- hesitation, stutter, miss, trans. doesn't know what gear to hold with hard shifting back and forth, intermittent flickering of check engine and flashing of OD light, as well as a loss of power. This all leads the truck to feeling like a drunk cheerleader is trying to work the clutch (despite being an automatic). I should also add that these symptoms sometimes seem to worsen with wet weather, better with dry (again, sometimes, very inconsistent), and generally to worsen as it runs longer (heats up) over the course of hours. This lead me to bet on an electrical issue, but I've been unable to track it down with my volt meter.

In fact the trans burnt up on me some months ago and i replaced it, as well as the turbo, HPOP, and most recently the injectors. Also since Dec. the truck nearly refuses to start, vomiting unburnt diesel from the exhaust in a cloud of white smoke, and pouring out a steady cloud of pitch black smoke under load (wouldn't worry about some smoke but this literally lays a smoke screen so thick that I feel it's a danger to those behind me. This seemed to directly follow my own bonehead move of dropping a ratchet on the glow plug relay after reconnecting the batteries...looked like a firework fountain of sparks. I replaced the GPR, UVCH, glowplugs, and charging system after this with some improvement. Then the trans. burnt up and I replaced it, again with some improvement. I then replaced the injectors with Swamps 160cc stage 2's with custom tunes on my TS 6-position and everything seemed perfect, drove like a dream, power like I've never felt from it. Ran it through the mill for 200mi with no issues, then 4 hrs into my 1250mi trip to Colorado with camper in tow the symptoms began creeping back bit by bit. Shortly after I developed a fuel leak in my fuel pulse dampener (Bosch 9 401 240 169​). I replaced this but with no effect on the rapidly declining performance. Am I correct that this part is only found on the Cali models? If so I don't think the original PCM or the new one I installed are Cali computers-( OEM PCM#'s DPC-202 NAW6 F6TF-12A650-AYG *G0CS5350MG5P* G NPF 6H302 )... could there be a conflict here? I now need to crank the truck 5-10+ times to start, plumes of white unburnt diesel smoke, and it runs like hell at low RPM's with light but steady black smoke, sluggishness, and all of the earlier described symptoms. At 2000+ RPMs I at least have some amount of responsiveness in the accelerator, but still with some intermittent hesitation followed by flashing CEL and OD light, and sometimes a sound like two pieces of metal clapping together. I'm stumped, considering ripping out the injectors and checking them again. Any advice or input would be appreciated

list of all ugrades; a 3in downpipe, Swamps 160cc stage 2 single shot injectors, 6-position TS Performance chip with custom tunes by Dave at Swamps diesel, 2 in. lift, a Jasper trans. with billet torque converter and a larger intercooler. It also at some point (for some reason) had what I believe to be a 97 E350 engine thrown in, though it seems to be the same as original. New PCM with updated programming, HPOP, new Garrett turbocharger, new UVCH, glow plugs, glow plug relay, charging system, starter, brakes (rotors, calipers, etc.), fuel pulse dampener, and load range E tires by Michelin. I am now considering suspension upgrades, turbo wheel upgrades, and an upgraded HPOP. I am a contractor and an archaeologist, I am more or less constantly on the road for work hauling the 36' fifth wheel that I live in. Thanks for any input, and again sorry for the length of this post.

 

Update to issues...

Now I have a no start as well. Ignition in the on position the truck seems to operate correctly- wait to start light and everything else powers up correctly, but when I try to crank I hear only a faint click. Assuming a bad starter, but I just replaced that in December. I'm going to bridge the starter relay to see if I can rule that out as a possibility. I know that the various auto parts store starters can have a reputation for not working, but I fear that there may be something causing these starters to fail (the something possibly causing all the symptoms in my previous post). I hate to throw another starter in only to have it fail. All other symptoms continued and worsened before the no start. I am also considering replacing the IDM.