I have an E-450 cube van 6.0L diesel with about 50 000km on it. It gets regular service every 5000km at the dealer. We have an issue with it stumbling off the start, it seems like it is going to die, you really have to peddle it to get it moving. It blows out ALOT of black smoke when this happens and a lot of the time when you have it at full throttle. Some times it drives just fine.

No check engine lights or anything as of yet. I have it booked in to the dealer but they are a week and a half away as they don't have enough diesel techs to keep up.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

Buy some gauges

what year vehicle

 

Sorry I forgot to put that in, its a 2004.

 

Pull and Clean or Replace the EGR valve

sounds like it may be getting stuck

 

ahh, never thought of that... We just had the EGR cooler system replaced/fixed a while ago. Probably right before this started happening. Would the cooler being screwed up cause a problem with the valve?

 

It might cause the EGR valve to Rust and stick

 

Turned out to me a bad Mass Air Flow Sensor.

 

ugh... never mind. Stumbled, loss of power and a huge black smoke show out of the exhaust again last night I guess (one of my guys drives it). Maybe in a couple of weeks it will go back to the dealer if this continues.

 

Did you pull and clean the EGR valve as suggested? Can't tell from your responses ....... It would probably be adviseable to pull the MAP sensor hose (clean if plugged and check for leaks). Do the same w/ the EBP tube.

I don't think an EGR valve (valve components) will rust because I believe it is stainless, but it can go bad or plug up.

Did you try to see if any codes are stored? You do know that you can have codes without a CEL?

 

Sorry but I do not have the vehicle or a scanner to check codes. It's used as a cube van for our company, we work out of it but another worker drives it. Because of the need for the vehicle (for use of the tools in it) going without it creates some planning - which is why it goes to the dealer for all servicing. Gives me time to move things over to my back up - a 1999 E-350 cube van 7.3L. But then I have to arrange rides for the workers.

I'm hoping that this goes away but if not it will have to go back to the dealer when we have time, not to mention that the dealer has been running two weeks away for any diesel related appointments...

 

I guess I don't understand what you are looking for then ..... since you don't plan on troubleshooting it yourself.

Couldn't you have the driver just stop by Autozone and ask to read the codes?

I have rarely seen these issues just resolve themselves,

 

Mark I didnt even think of the EGR valve being stainless Im shure you are right thanks for the heads up

to the OP did you pull the egr valve and clean it Im not shure how hard it is to access in a van but worth a shot

 

To tell you the truth I am somewhat new to diesels, we have a 1999 7.3L, this 2004 6.0L and a 2011 6.7L but because these are company vehicles they go to the dealer for all services. We tend to not have too much time to check on things ourselves, I would for this van but I do not have it with me.

Update - was really bad when my employee was driving it home last night, lots of black smoke, no power, feels like it is going to stall, mainly at low rpm. He made it home, I am going to get it this weekend and drop it off at the dealer again. They will work on it first thing Monday morning. Hopefully they will fix it right this time... Fingers crossed.

I will update this when I find out more about it. My main reason for the original post was to see what I am dealing with for this issue and see what resolves it. Just creating something to talk about, for myself and others to learn from.

Trust me if I had the vehicle all the time I would have taken things apart to see / clean for myself, but it is not the case this van, someone else drives it and needs access to it to get to and from work. We don't have Autozones up here in Canada where I live, no one checks codes for free. Minimum $100 charge, even to replace the mass air flow sensor was about $500, 210 for the part, over 200 for labour, plus fees and shop charges... They are a stealership for sure!

 

no updates yet, dealer can not find the problem so they can not fix it... frustrating to say the least. If I pick it up we will start looking at things and pull the EGR (once I find out where it is on a van).

 

same place as on a truck engine. only differance is its deep up in there on a van