White smoke
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White smoke
I have a 2004 F250 with a 6.0L Powerstroke, I noticed today that I am blowing white smoke out my exhaust. After I got it home I had to add some coolant to the reservoir. From what I can gather I am looking at replacing my head gasket at best and the heads themselves possibly. Really don't have a lot of money to spend to take it to a shop I think I can do it myself with a little help from some mechanic friends. Hoping not to pull the cab if I can help it just due to lack of knowledge in this. If anyone has some advice or helpful hints I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,372
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From: West Cornwall, CT
Check out the information available in the 6.0 Forum. Everything about these engines is covered there.
Since you are seeing a coolant loss, I'd pull the EGR valve and see if there is coolant in the intake manifold. If so, a new EGR cooler and oil cooler might be all that is needed.
This is covered *in detail* in the FAQ section of the 6.0 forum. I would go there first before starting work on your truck.
Lou Braun
Since you are seeing a coolant loss, I'd pull the EGR valve and see if there is coolant in the intake manifold. If so, a new EGR cooler and oil cooler might be all that is needed.
This is covered *in detail* in the FAQ section of the 6.0 forum. I would go there first before starting work on your truck.
Lou Braun
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Stuttgart, Ar
Sounds like an EGR cooler (and most likely oil cooler) is in your very near future. Park your truck nose down over night, pull the EGR valve, and check for traces of coolant in the intake. It could be sticky and wet from oil from the CCV system, but that's pretty normal. The coolant should be separate.
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Thanks for your help, I just pulled the EGR Valve this morning(was at work all yesterday) and took a look at the valve. The truck hasn't ran for about 2 days but I did have some moisture on the valve(kind of looks like a paste). Just wondering if this still sounds to you like the EGR or if I need to look into heads more.
Also After some looking around at products online for EGR and oil cooler I think I found 2 in my price are:
1- Bullet Proof Diesel EGR with Ford OEM oil cooler.
2- Sinister Diesel EGR and Oil cooler with a coolant filter kit.
Any suggestions to go with or against one of these products. From what I understand even an EGR delete won't fix the problem it just puts a bandaid on the problem and the true fix is in keeping contaminates out of the oil cooler.
Also After some looking around at products online for EGR and oil cooler I think I found 2 in my price are:
1- Bullet Proof Diesel EGR with Ford OEM oil cooler.
2- Sinister Diesel EGR and Oil cooler with a coolant filter kit.
Any suggestions to go with or against one of these products. From what I understand even an EGR delete won't fix the problem it just puts a bandaid on the problem and the true fix is in keeping contaminates out of the oil cooler.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
Headgaskets don't normaly cause smoke cause the cylinder pressure is too high to let coolant in
Maybe smoke at First start but that should burn off after some miles and Be Puking More then
HG usually have LOTS of PUKE
Is your EGR Cooler Square or Round???
Maybe smoke at First start but that should burn off after some miles and Be Puking More then
HG usually have LOTS of PUKE
Is your EGR Cooler Square or Round???
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It should be the square style, I checked the VIN which shows that it is a later '04. When I was taking the truck out to my father-in-laws to start working on it I noticed that going down the road I didn't notice the white smoke but at slower speeds or an idle it was still there. The other thing that bothers me is that a couple days before this started I had issues starting, thought I maybe had a starter going out but looking back maybe wonder if I had coolant in a cylinder.
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Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Stuttgart, Ar
Just remember that typically this type of EGR cooler failure, if that's what it truly is, is usually cause by a plugged engine oil cooler starving the EGR cooler of coolant. You need a way to check the delta between the ECT and EOT to confirm that.
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Yes, I did pull the EGR valve and found what appeared to be a wet black putty about the consistency of drywall mud.(truck hadn't ran in about 2 days)
I am planning on doing an oil cooler along with the EGR and one of the kits I found also has a coolant filter along with the oil cooler.
I am planning on doing an oil cooler along with the EGR and one of the kits I found also has a coolant filter along with the oil cooler.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
Yes, I did pull the EGR valve and found what appeared to be a wet black putty about the consistency of drywall mud.(truck hadn't ran in about 2 days)
I am planning on doing an oil cooler along with the EGR and one of the kits I found also has a coolant filter along with the oil cooler.
I am planning on doing an oil cooler along with the EGR and one of the kits I found also has a coolant filter along with the oil cooler.
YES Get a coolant filter
Is the kit your looking at the Oil Cooler relocate with 100% Filtration??
or just a OEM oil cooler with coolant Bypass filter??
On cooling system Flush its Best to flush Before you install new Oil Cooler BUT yours leaks so you have to be careful Don't hydrolock it
On systems that leak to bad the flush may need to be Done after new coolers are installed!! This SUCKS but it is what it is!!! You can stick a hose in a Varity of spots to flush that way Like the thermostat Hole and radiator and like the Heater Loop undo by Alt and stick hose to push water threw
Theres a TON of ways to FLush
Get some VC-9 2 qts and use to flush
The flush is the Key to Success
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This is the kit that I am looking kit that has a coolant filter, there is another one very similar to it that has an EGR delete instead(debating between the two)
Basic Solution® for Ford 2004-07 6.0L Powerstroke With Sinister Upgraded Square EGR Cooler and Coolant filter
This is the other possibility I found that does not have a coolant filter but it is from Bullet Proof Diesel which I have heard a lot of good things about. From what I have gathered on this project though is the oil cooler and clean coolant are the key to the whole thing working and that the EGR is just the victim of oil cooler issues.
Semi Bullet Proof Package
Basic Solution® for Ford 2004-07 6.0L Powerstroke With Sinister Upgraded Square EGR Cooler and Coolant filter
This is the other possibility I found that does not have a coolant filter but it is from Bullet Proof Diesel which I have heard a lot of good things about. From what I have gathered on this project though is the oil cooler and clean coolant are the key to the whole thing working and that the EGR is just the victim of oil cooler issues.
Semi Bullet Proof Package
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If anyone knows of a better kit to get let me know I'm just going off what I found from ads in Diesel Power Magazine, my available budget for parts right now is only around $1,000 or else I would be doing much more.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Saratoga Springs,UT
Ya those kits have what you need
I used MKM and got my stuff No Problems
You could reuse intake gaskets if your careful but IDK if it worth it to order things separately
Figure in about 100.00 bucks for Coolant you need 4 gallon Full Strength
I used MKM and got my stuff No Problems
You could reuse intake gaskets if your careful but IDK if it worth it to order things separately
Figure in about 100.00 bucks for Coolant you need 4 gallon Full Strength