i apologize up front for the long message!!
here is the history - 2005, F350 6.0, EGR delete

so, started having MAJOR cold start issues a while back. cold as in lower than 45 degrees. long story, but decided it was FICM.

before getting to replace the FICM, it started randomly stalling. drive fine for a week or more, then start just acting like it ran out of gas. lose power, and die, not a lot of time in between.

okay, got FICM replaced (FICMRepair.com), and shop said i had a fuel problem cleaned it all out, tank, lines, new filter.

good for, wow, almost two whole weeks!! tried dying today. but, not like before, just sort of major hesitations. i stopped and filled up, thinking if it was bad fuel, maybe being at 1/4 tank, it was still getting some garbage. made no difference.

oh, and a couple of last things. STILL MAJOR hard start at 45 and below, unless plugged in, then starts like a dream. hard start and blueish smoke, and LOTS of gas smell. which, coincidentally, i had today too. when i went to unplug it this morning, (it was not running) i smelled fuel. and every time i got out of it, very strong.

SO....shop says "you need a new turbo."

long way to say, does this sound right? all the turbo signs i've read were very different, odd noises, etc... none of which i have had.

thanks in advance for any advice!!!

 

Read the codes. Hard starts as you describe are caused by glow plugs normally and do set a code. Above 60° and plugged in uses them less.

 

Does this happen when at 1/4 tank or close to it? It's possible that the tank foot on the sender in the fuel tank has broken or fallen off. Did they shop drop the fuel tank and clean it? Need to check your fuel pressure at WOT.

 

The turbo has little to do with starting... You need a different shop that knows diesels. Get a way to read data before you spend another dime.

Richard

 

If you block the turbo oil feed tube,, the truck will start with no turbo on the truck. It doesn't need it to start. Get a different shop.

 

thanks, everyone! i think the shop is going after the random stalling problem and then will check the hard start problem. that is what i understand. they do not think they are related.

i will ask them if they did that with the tank. my impression was they did that the FIRST time. that is what i was thinking about the strong fuel smell the past few days, and then stalling. that maybe something was broken or leaking. it just doesn't sound like the turbo, from the stuff I've read on here about the signs of turbos failing.

 

Over the 10 years that I had my 6.0 I had four turbos fail and never once did it stall. It did cause a limp mode condition on one of the turbos. I also got a P0299 code on all of them.

 

Okay, been doing more reading, and perhaps it is the turbo. Not the cold start, but the stalling. I do get the limp mode light often, no one (not this shop, but others) has been able to come up with a reason. Nothing happens at all when I get the limp mode light, but now this stalling, I do not get any lights at all!
So, if I must replace, should I just go stock, or PowerMax? I've read some stuff that says that is better?

 

Have you checked fuel pressure at the secondary filter test port or did the shop that cleaned the fuel system do it after the repair? Also have you looked over all the basics with a live data monitor like TorquePro or Forscan?

 

I don't think even a seised turbo would cause a stall. It won't have any power, but unless it's completely blocked (easy to check for), I don't think it can cause a stall.

Get some data otherwise you are just throwing parts at it and wasting money. If you have a computer or a smartphone you can get into torque pro or forscan for less than $40.

Richard

 

Even a completely blocked turbo won't cause a stall. It will cause no power.