Well a folloow up to this whole episode. This issue popped up again yesterday morning and there was no more fooling around with this. I took the truck to a Ford dealer that turned out to be less than 6 miles from my destination, Junge Ford, Center Point Iowa.

I did have bad fuel, there is evidence left but it is all but cleared up. The real problem was the EGR Valve had suffered some previous "Cold Stacking" of carbon, and the tube I was talking about was the CAC Tube. It was indeed scored and perforated.

The damamge was not caused by this particular issue but the blocked EGR valve was causing back pressure and was blowing carbon and residue through the damaged tube, hence the black residue on the hose. Additionally the EBP (Exhaust Back Pressure) Tube had carbon build up as well due to the EGR Valve.

Junge Ford did a greatjob with the repair and took the time to show me and explain to me what was happening.

No damage to the injectors or other components... That is a big relief. I did find out that driving with this condition would have caused other "Bad Stuff" to happen so I am glad.

Had a block heater cord installed as well. I used it this morning and noticed a difference with the time the engine took to warm up. I used it for 30 minutes. Tomorrow I will use it for an hour.

Thank you again for all the info, suggestions and input. My heart was in my throat and quite frankly i was pretty scared. Thanks Guys!

Eric

 

didn't your water in fuel light come on?

 

Sandman, No I didn't get a Water In Fuel Light. I was led to believe that it is possible to not get that indicator. After the repairs, EGR valve etc, I began to question what I was told and I am in the process of tracking a few people down that assisted me on the road so that they know what happened. If nothing else they will know better what the problem was and what needed to be looked at.

I saved the fuel that came out of the primary filter and put it into a Glad container. It has been in the back of my truck since this whole fiasco went down. When I looked at it yesterday there was stratification. Specifically it looked like 2 layers. The bottom being diesel. The top was pretty clear but had the consistancy of Baby oil. If it is water it is mixed with something. Perhaps one of the additives I put in the tank.

But I am not sure what it is. I am looking forward to another empty tank of fuel so I can put fresh diesel in again and some motorcraft additive I got from the Ford Dealer here in Center Point Iowa.

In the end I don't know what went into the tank other than the additives and the diesel I have put in it. That part is frustrating. Honestly I can't say for 100% that I know that I got a bad tank of fuel.

I know that I had carbon stacking on the EGR Valve. I know that the EGR valve stuck and was fouled. I know that I had blow back caused by the EGR valve that caused soot and residue to build up in my CAC tube at the Turbo Charger. At some point the CAC tube had been scored or damaged to a point that it needed to be replaced, and the EBP (Emissions Back Pressure) tube had become fouled with residue.

I would certainly like to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen again. I have down loaded some of the Tech manuals and will be doing periodic checking of the EGR valve, at least.

I am due for an oil change and I will have the Primary and Secondary Fuel filters changed again as well. I want any hint of what ever junk was in there gone! Regardless all of you ahve been very helpful. Thanks.

 

If you have white stuff on the top of diesel it can't be water or water emulsion. That would be heavier than diesel and set at the bottom.
My first guess would be that you got some bad biodiesel. The solid fat separated from liquid and clogs the system. I suspect we get bio added to our diesel for some time. I did run bio couple years ago and know the exhaust smell. For some time the diesel #2 has similar smell.

 

Kajtek1,

Nope its not white. Its clear. Moves like baby oil.

Now, what is really interesting is that you bring up bio-diesel. And that is interesting. A TA I stopped at told me that the 18 wheelers filling up at the pumps were filling with a 10% Bio-Diesel mixture.

I did not fill up at that TA but a BP that was at the same truck stop. The BP did not have Bio-Diesel because after talking with the Diesel techs at the TA they suggested that I NOT put the TA fuel in my truck, to use the BP station. And I did ask the BP attendant specifically about bio-Diesel content. He said there was no Bio-additive to the fuel they were pumping.

BUT, here's a kicker, when I filled up in Rochester, NY I did not fill at the regular pump. I filled at one of the truck pumps near the regular service station. Now that has me wondering if that pump had Bio-Diesel in it.

That could explain some of my pain if in fact the 6.0L does not like Bio-Diesel! You may have hit it on the head! Any one else have experience with Bio-Diesel like this?

 

My 7.3 runs on biodiesel just fine, although with noticeable drop in performance. But we don't experience low temperatures.
Now thinking about your jar, maybe what you descirbe as baby oil is actually diesel and the stuff at the bottom dirty water? Would be worth to do a test.

 

If the bottom of the Glad container was water than I got a huge amount of water out of the primary filter. The bottom layer is 1/2" the top maybe an 1/8".

 

if you can! take a turkey baster and a little of each layer out,see if both burn.

 

I will try it tonight if I can. I am staying at a campground so using the fire pit would work.

 

I was looking through some of my posts and I forgot to answer this one. The fluid did not burn. Or at least not readily. I believe it was a mixture of something. I ditched all of it and put it behind me.

I did though, a month after this episode, once I left iowa and got within an hour of home, lose my Oil coller and EGR Cooler.

Good Sams is a Road side Assistance that we have and they were very good. Unhitched my camper, they flat bedded the truck and towed my Outback 31RQS to my home.

McFarland Ford in Exeter NH replaced the Oil Cooler, EGR Cooler, Flush etc, etc, They were very thorough and the laundry list of items they checked and serviced was impressive to say the least.

It is now August 2011 almost a year later and my new-to-me toy is still running like a top.

I wanted to say that this forum gave me a great feeling of support being so far from home and people/places I knew.

It was a good learning experience! Maybe a bit expensive too! But never the less, I am Happy.

Eric

 

Thanks for updating Eric. Glad it all worked out well.

 

Great follow up, someone searching one day might find there answer to there problem. Live free or die!

 

Since your problems started very soon after a fuel fill up, if you have replaced the fuel filter you may need to change it again. If it were not for the fact of just filling with fuel, Black smoke means to much fuel or to little air. If the problem seems to be getting better I would not be doing to much, just see if it clears up. The blue rubber hose sounds like the boots that are on the intercooler tubes. The black residue is pretty much normal. Comes from oil vapor sucked from the engine vent. Just be sure that the are not broken.

 

You are correct. Once reaching Iowa from NH, with those issues, the EGR valve was replaced, as well as tubing. Additionally I had an Oil Change done and Fuel Filters changed out. The EGR Valve was coked up pretty bad. Junge Ford offered to clean it up and test it, but knowing there were newer ones out there that replaced the original and were more reliable, I had it changed.

It was all good things to have done. I really do love that truck, and am very happy with it. Unlike many other vehicles, this one requires you to pay attention to it and do the maintenance that should be done. Yes, there are vehicles that have had multiple issues for one reason or another. I can not speak to them, I have far less knowledge than many others here on this forum.

But from my experience so far, an ounce of medicine (maintenance) is worth a Pound of Cure (repair)!

Eric