Im gonna try my best to explain this..2000 f350 7.3 dually...doesnt happen all the time but heres the issue..Start up the truck and she will idle fine..as soon as i give it the fuel it may surge at times and even sputter. sometimes the surge continues as a high/faster idle..the service engine light will come on and go off but I never get any codes. It will on occassion surge and sputter while idling..Mainly surge though, kinda like a quick burst of a fast idle.(during idle). I will also lose power and at times it will stall..It will then start up immediately and idle fine but put some diesel to the engine and the fast isle /surge/sputter will happen. This does not happen all the time. Eventually the issue appears to correct itself and it will then run fine for the duration of my drive. Im on the thought of injectors but a ford parts guy ..who is a friend of mine told me there is the possibility of a faulty gas..Or should I say diesel pedal as it is an electronic pedal. A customer with the same condition had a bad pedal and that was the problem..... Im just not sure where to start...almost had the impression at times or the feeling like there may have been water in the fuel but thats been checked and numerous tanks of diesel have been burned....I really dont wanna start changing injectors yet unless im pretty sure.

 

If the engine light came on you have codes. You just need to find a scanner that can read them.

 

As stated, you have a code stored. First impressions are IPR related. In order for the pedal assembly to be at fault, there would need to be 2 failed components the TPS(Throttle Position Sensor) and the IVS(Idle Validation Switch) to get any kind of surge or improper resistance at idle.

Start by getting those codes.

 

Check the UVCH plugs. I had a similar issue with mine about 3yrs ago. I just replaced my harnesses but if one of the two connectors is coming loose, it will throw a code and light up the CEL light. But when it makes contact, the light goes out.
The sooner you do this the better. If it is the connectors on the UVCH and with the bad connection, it could be arching and this will cause it to burn a pin on the pass-through connector that is a part of the valve cover gasket. Then you will need to replace that.

 

What weight oil are u running, any additives to it, and have u checked it lately?

 

I have a cheap code reader that doesn't show any codes when my service engine lights on. does anyone know which reader will pull these codes for my truck? I though the code readers were all similar? I use the 15-40 diesel oil and it's been full to proper level.

 

In order to pull the codes, you have to have a little more advanced unit than a generic OBDII code reader, something along the lines of AutoEnginuity or a SnapOn, Mac, Higher end scantools. The code readers are similar it's the engine that is not.

Riffraff Diesel: AutoEnginuity Total Ford Enhanced Bundle

Maybe someone near you could pull the codes, or you might look into a shop, not a dealer($100) that may just pull codes for $20 or so.