I bought an '04 F350 a couple of months ago. First time I had this problem it was towing a lightly loaded trailer up a fairly long but not steep grade. It was very regular with a buck in power and the "cough" every second or so. I also noticed a puff of smoke when it would cough.
I am currently on a family vacation with a 10' camper (no trailer) and at altutides. It seems to be getting worse and I am blowing WAY more smoke then it has before. Does this match with what others are seeing, that it can get worse?
Also, has anyone tried putting in full Banks kits? (replacing turbo or turbo internals as in their more complete kits)? I had good luck with Banks in the past on my '91 didn't figure I needed to upgrade this truck this soon, but I don't like the smoke its blowing and the coughing and loss of power...

 

This is the same problem I had with my '04 F350. I took it back to dealer and he replaced the turbo. I have not had any more trouble yet...

 

Same symptoms as I had, cough, shudder, smoke. Try disconnecting your EGR valve and see if it stops. A very easy test. Good pictures and directions in some posts above. Replacing my EGR valve solved my problem. But after reading some of the above posts, I decided to disconnect my EGR valve just to see what would happen. Seems to run better. And I got an immediate 1/2 mpg improvement.

 

I had the same problem with my 04 F350 Crew Cab. The dealer replaced my turbo and so far it has not happened again.

 

I towed TT all the way from <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Huntington Beach</st1lace></st1:City> to the <st1lace>Grand Canyon</st1lace> last week and the truck ran perfect. I also noticed that after the computer re-flash that the clutch fan turns on much sooner that before.

 

resurrecting an oldie

This explains my issue about loaded under throttle turbo cough. However it never happened until installing a powermax. I also just swapped the vgt silenoid, no fix. This thread was years ago so hopefully someone has some input.

 

I fixed mine by biyi.g a 2011. Do 't hzve any of yhese problems anymore. The other irritating one' was yhe hi pitched squeal under load.

 

This popping noise is annoying. Only under load. Never, ever did this before the powermax. I've cleaned the ebp sensor and tube, map hose, and replaced the baro sensor, and swapped the vgt silenoid for a new one. No egr n the truck, new air filter. Could the vanes already be sticking? If it wasnt summertime and me finishing my boat remodel, I was gonna buy a stock turbo and see if that fixes it, wonder if I ought to push for a swap out with another powermax.

 

If it is like a coughing noise replacing the turbo fixed my issue.

 

My truck did this to once. Cleaning the turbo fixed it. Whats your boost at when it pops?. My vanes would stick when full boost was applied.