I've been reading the threads in the form about the white smoke & I figure mine will be like most.. I'm just curious since I didn't see anything exactly like mine.

2005 6.0 & noticed on Friday there was white smoke coming from exhaust that started when I'd turn on truck then aster 1st light or stop sign it would be a cloud of white smoke. Once I start to drive it stopped & I didn't see it again that day. I noticed the same thing again on Saturday & Sunday but the smoke was thicker on these days but would stop like the day before.

I had a code come up a month ago which I believe was P404 but read something about EGR valve. So I replaced the EGR valve 3 weeks ago & light never came back.

Today I had a Dr's Appointment and had usual white smoke in morning but once I got to the Dr's appointment the truck sounded like the turbo got louder then usual and started to see cloud of white smoke again. While sitting in parking lot I check to see any codes but nothing came up but the cloud of smoke started.

When I left my appointment, the turbo sounded louder still and noticed white smoke every single time I stopped at a light or stop sign.. Then the coolant level was high with the engine giving me the warning of over heating coolant or something like that.

I came home & noticed that there wasn't anymore coolant in degas bottle... I'm reading all the posts that everyone has on here with the white smoke & sounds like EGR is out & worried about the overpowering turbo sound.

I was off of work for almost a month with walking pneumonia so I had 0 income from work during that time. I returned to work last week and still waiting on disability check for the time I was off.. So right now I can't do anything until I get paid either by disability or my paycheck from work at end of week.

I'm trying to see what my best option is and hopefully the Ford Guru's can give me advice or help me in figuring out. I'm clueless to any of this!

My neighbor down the street has almost same exact truck with color, year, etc & he told me a few months back he had glow plugs go bad??? He had everything cleaned up inside from all the old coolant & removed his EGR but not adding a EGR delete kit but by them flatten something to seal it? Remember, I'm clueless to this but LOVE my truck & when I first saw smoke thought I had wrong radio station on...J/K

Neighbor told me Delete kit is illegal in here (I'm in Cali) so what they did with his truck will cause sensor light to go on but gave the truck so much power.

I'm hoping to catch my neighbor to ask him what he did to his truck since I'm looking at repairs but hoping somebody can help me here??

 

When you had the EGR valve out, did you notice any wetness down inside the intake manifold? If possible, try to get a WIF of the smoke. If it smells sweet with a hint of coolant smell, the EGR cooler or (hopefully not) headgaskets will be the likely suspect. The loss of coolant pretty much confirms this already. To tell between headgaskets and EGR cooler, pull the EGR valve back out and look down in the hole for moisture. If it's wet EGR cooler confirmed bad. If it's bone dry and sooty it's likely headgaskets.

I believe what you're referring to on your neighbor's truck is a "stealth delete" the EGR cooler is removed and plugs are welded in each end to block off the flow of exhaust gasses. This will also stop the flow of coolant into the intake manifold and stop the steam out of the tail pipe and coolant loss (if the problem is the EGR cooler). Many owners have posted they passed smog "sniff" checks with a stealth delete. With the plugs in place and the cooler reinstalled there's no sign anything has been modified so it passes the visual part of the inspection also. There is a posibility, depending on the software (flash) version in your truck that it could throw a code for no EGR flow however. I don't have a list of which versions are sensitive to that code.

Another (more expensive) option is to simply replace the EGR cooler. I'd suggest using an upgraded unit. You'll find the inside of you current cooler has exhaust gas going through the main body of it and in the center of it is a cooler made similar to a radiator or heater core. Small thin tubes with thin fins zigzagging between them. The upgraded units have thicker stainless steel tubes and no fins. Much stronger and in the case of the BDP unit, has a lifetime guarantee. Less expensive options for a similar unit are available on eBay but quality is unknown and guarantees vary.

Driving the truck with it getting coolant in the intake is a big gamble. Coolant in the cylinders expands to a much larger degree than air/fuel (12 times its origonal volume) this makes a lot of pressure in the cylinders and could cause head gasket issues if you continue to run it. I know you said money was tight right now but it's important enough to borrow a vehicle or what ever option you may have available. Replacing headgaskets is MUCH more expensive than doing an EGR cooler.

One last thing, some type of monitor is almost a requirement on these trucks. In your case(right now) you need to know the difference between the coolant and oil temperature. If it is high you'll also need to replace the oil cooler while its apart. The reason is, the oil cooler is often the reason the EGR cooler cracks inside and leaks coolant into the engine. It only adds a little more work to replace them both at the same time, this saves money in the long run. Several options are available for monitoring devices, smart phone apps, software for tablets and laptop computers if you have any of those devices, and stand alone devices like ScanGauge, or edge insight ECT. are another popular option. If that is out of the question maybe you could borrow something long enough to make a test run, but you really need that info to make an informed decision on which repairs to make. Fixing what is broken without spending $$ for parts you don't need.

Good luck with the truck

 

Rusty,
Thank you so much for this information. You explained everything perfect and gives me a better idea what I'm dealing with. I'm hoping it's not the headgaskets & it is called stealth delete. I will remove EGR valve tomorrow & actually I'm hoping it's wet & not dry

 

Having similar issue. I'm a little versed in these trucks and have moderate mechanical experience. I have a 04 f250 with about 195,000 mi on it. I've been doing mine repairs on it since I bought the truck like a new alternator new fuel pressure regulator coolant flush every so often and keeping up with oil changes using premium oil. I run Arch oil fuel additive every Philip and I keep Arch oil friction modifier in the oil. I'm out right replace the EGR valve a few years ago and have since then taken it out and cleaned it whenever I've had an issue with smoke or low engine response. this morning I started getting some steam because you could definitely feel the moisture it wasn't so much smoke. Park the truck on the hill and took the EGR valve out and of course it's dry but it's full of carbon. I do have an engine monitor in the truck and my oil to coolant Delta has never been more than 10° on a hard run. Normally the engine oil is around 4 to 5° over the engine coolant on typical running scenario. Like I said I've been very religious with the oil and fuel additives and I just put a brand new set of motorcraft fuel injectors a few months ago. Since the EGR valve is dry and I am having some overspill from the Degas bottle, what do you guys think?

 

I’d start with a new cap and a careful inspection for cracks on the seam of the bottle. It it still overflows its time for a pressure test.