Hello, I'm new to this forum and I have a real problem. I have had my 2003 F350 with a 6.0 powerstroke for a 1year and a half and this problem has just gotten worse. The truck started with it was running rough lots of black smoke and had poor throttle response. I replaced the ICP sencer. It ran great. I live in new jersey so I took it for a good ride, I drove to harrisburg pa to a bass pro did fine. On the way back it started to run bad again and my fuel mileage got bad. When I got home i finally noticed that the coolant was boiling over from the degas bottle. After that it starts right up when its cold and idled fine but when it warms up it a hole different story. I took it to a mechanic and had it put on the computer. It said that injector 6 was bad. I replaced it. The truck idled much better but still have the same problems. I replaced the IPR thinking that it was bad. No change. I bought and EGR cooler delete kit and Im saving for ARP head bolts. I'm at a loss. I now have black smoke and white mixed in. Some times I will be at a light and when I go to leave I will put my foot to the floor and the truck barely moves but eventualy goes but there is a ton of black smoke. Any help would be great. I'm sure I forgot 1 or 2 things but that is it in a nut shell. HELP!!!!

 

Puking coolant and white smoke - signs of an EGR cooler failure. This is frequently initiated by a plugged oil cooler.

Run the engine up to temp, shut it off and park on a "decline". Pull the EGR valve and see if there is coolant in the intake manifold.

Also, check the smell of the exhaust smoke. Also, NAPA sells a kit to check the degas bottle for combustion gasses.

It is very possible that if you run w/ a bad EGR cooler for very long, you will need a head gasket change (and head studs).

 

I have done that but no coolant in the intake. I have been cleaning the EGR once a month cause it gets real nasty and stuck. I have the egr delete kit. I was affraid someone would say that. I've been going crazy, new map senser, IPR, ICP, Injector, Banjo bolts..... How hard is the head bolts to do, and should I have the heads shaved and pressure tested as well? Any sugestions on other things I can do to make the this 6.0 more bullet proof?

 

Always good to have the heads checked before installing studs - check for cracks and for flatness. There are limits on how much to take off though. You will get different numbers, but I have seen 0.005 to 0.007 range quoted by many as the upper limit. Ford does not support shaving the heads at all (BTW), but I think the majority of folks do.

As far as the work, that really depends on you and the equipment you have available.

 

Well. I have been working on my own cars for years but diesel is new to me so I'm sure I have most the tools. I've done heads on my old bronco and a couple of Honda's but this is probably more in depth right? Thanks for the help

 

Before you go crazy throwing "expensive" parts (and labor) at this a couple of things. First, the coolant. It is likely that your oil cooler is clogged and needs to be replaced. You need to have the ability to check your engine coolant temperature and oil temperature to determine if this is the case. The 2003's EGR cooler is fairly robust and is likely fine, but lack of flow may be producing flash boiling and puking out the degas bottle. Before you go and buy any more parts, get something to monitor your engine, you can't throw parts at this unless you're independently wealthy (in which case you would own a new 2011)

Next, since you have had a failed injector, has the FICM been tested? If not, do it. Your description could very well be a FICM issue but you can't tell unless you test. Finally maintenance. Fresh oil change? Fresh fuel filters?

 

I have a personal scanner that tells me all that stuff and tells me codes when the engine light is on (no soft codes) my temp never get above safe operating temp. I did have it put on a computer and the code for the EGR did come up the mechanic said it was not the EGR valve but the cooler. The coolant smells like exhaust and is off color.. I have the cooler delete lit to just get rid of it so there is no more chance of it going bad again. ( this is the first year of the 6.0) I'm sure I probably need to do the oil cooler too. I have done 3 oil changes since it has started with this problem and the fuel filters only have about 2000 miles on them but will b changing them soon. As for the FICM I did test it and I'm getting the right amps the injector was so cloged up from a tar like carbon debris that it was no longer working right. I replaced it and it ran better till it heats up.

 

If your temps never get above a safe operating temperature (that is < 15 degree difference between oil and coolant) then your oil cooler is fine and your EGR cooler is very unlikely to fail so you don't need to worry about that. Since the FICM tested 48V, the power side should be okay as well. I wasn't aware that there was a code for EGR cooler do you know the code that was presented?

Does your scan tool show boost pressure? Maybe you have a turbo issue?

 

When I get done work I will put it on the scanner and check the temps as for the boost my scanner and the edge attitude display say the same thing. Boost peaks at 56.8 lbs at 4800 or so rpm's my average 24 to 26 lbs at around 3200 rpm's. The code dos'nt specify that its the cooler but every the mechanic said that it was a code that isn't for any other part of the EGR system and in the past it always ended up being the cooler on other 6.0 s he has fixed

 

next time you clean you egr valve put back in but leave the electrical unplugged see if that makes a diference

 

Ya I tried that. No difference. I have only put 300 some odd miles on it since I cleaned the EGR I don't drive it Much any more. I put in a new vgt and map senser too.

 

58 lbs boost is way to high. I think the tar like carbon is also in your turbo and the vanes arn't moving. Having to clean the egr valve once a week indicates something is leaking into the system. Exhaust should be fairly dry carbon. Are you losing coolant or motor oil.? Myself I would start with the egr. cooler delete. And clean the turbo, intake and oil cooler or replace the oil cooler. Replace the thermostat too.
Gauges are your best freind in problems like this so you know what is out of range which will lead you in the right direction.jmho.

 

I have cleaned the turbo, replaced the vgt. I clean the EGR about once a month and I'm losing coolant not oil. My oil is fine. I have the EGR delete which I'm going to wait to do that when I do the head bolts. Since you suggest doing the oil cooler I will probably do that too. I don't know what was done to the truck prior to me getting the trick but I get 820 horses and about 1000 foot pounds of tourq

 

If your running a edge tuner and hitting 58lbs of boost. Your HG's have got to be grenaded.

 

58 psi boost and 4800 rpm's on a stock motor with an Edge tuner????? Please check your facts and figures sir as those numbers simply aren't physiclly possible or your Edge is reporting incorrectly.