Well I hope you can help nobody else can not even the Ford dealer. I have a 96 powerstroke, automatic trans, when it starts it has an irractic idle until i give it some gas to raise the rpm's. It does not matter if it is hot or cold. It has a bluish white, eye burning smoke all the time. It start's right up so it can't be the glow plugs. It has a rattling sound when started, like bolts in a can, it has no power. When given gas the rpms stall out at 2500 and go no further. Everyone I have taking it to their computers will not communicate with mine. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Check the IDM for water in it I had that problem once very costly though. Can purchase new one at Auto Computer Exchange !-888-664-8787 selling them on Ebay 395.00 New

 

injector orings.
check the cig lighter fuse under the dash to see if its there or blown.

 

How many miles?
May be a combination of bad injectors and o-rings.
I had a similar problem. Changed injectors and of course new O rings...Problem gone.

Rattle is good indicator of bad injector.
Ford scan tool can detect bad injectors. It runs an individual test.

Analysis of oil probably will find some diesel fuel in it from bad o rings.

(Not sure why the word OIL will not show after "analysis of". It shows in edit, but not in post)

 

sounds really like injector o-rings, just went through a simular sensrio

 

Remove fuel filter cap and check filter,if the injecter orings are bad the filter will be very dark or black.If the filter is a tan color then the orings are probably ok.
Check the connecters going into valve covers for burnt pins as it sounds like you could have burnt wiring harness under valve covers,you can sometimes smell them through the oil fill spout.
Cheers Ed