Blue smoke

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Mar 24, 2007 | 10:55 PM

IronHeaDCanada

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Blue smoke

Help a diesel noob out.....

I bought a 2002 Ford F350 7.3 powerstroke in the fall. All winter it blew blue smoke, especially while it was cold. When it warmed up, it was a little bit better. I just thought it was because of the cold weather and such.

Anyways, it just got nice here in Alberta, Canada, and it is still smoking blue. It blows the blues at idle and puffs it out when I first take off. When I have the pedal down and revs are around 3000, the smoking stops, however returns at idle.

I took it in to a stealership in Jan. and they told me my blowback or blowby was high and I needed a new engine.

Could the cause of the blue smoke be the blowback or could it be injectors or injector pump? Or maybe its something else altogether.

Oh ya....I just changed my air filter from a filthy K&N to the KWIK filter system....thumbs up so far!!

Any help would be appreciated...thanks.

Mar 25, 2007 | 12:40 AM

jtharvey

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From: Columbia, MO

To me, it sounds like the turbo is going bad, like the ring seals on the turbo are going out or gone - particularly the exhaust side. My turbo went and it had the same symptoms - puff at idle and when I first took off.

There were no other sympotms that the turbo was going bad, no noises and it made normal boost. But, when I checked endplay on the turbo shaft, there was way too much.

Check your turbo shaft end play first, you could be doing damage that will require a whole new turbo if there's too much play and the turbo wheels are hitting the housing.

Mar 25, 2007 | 12:49 AM

Tenn01PSD350

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From: Middle Tennessee

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronHeaDCanada

I took it in to a stealership in Jan. and they told me my blowback or blowby was high and I needed a new engine.

How did they diagnose that? Check yourself by pulling the oil filler cap off and start it up. If it puffs like a steam locomotive they were on to something. A real quick check. Also, when checking the turbo, just pull the intake tube off of the housing and grasp the nut on the impellar. Try moving in and out and up and down. Should be almost imperceptable play either way. Do not touch the fins, but inspect them for dusting. Good luck

Mar 25, 2007 | 12:51 AM

rollerstud98

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From: Airdrie Alberta

what happens if you touch the fins? oil from skin deteriorate them?

Mar 25, 2007 | 01:01 AM

Tenn01PSD350

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From: Middle Tennessee

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollerstud98

what happens if you touch the fins? oil from skin deteriorate them?

LOL, you would think so the way I posted that. Actually it is more critical on the turbine than the impellar due to soot but there may be dust on the impellar and yes, removing that dust and or adding oil from the skin may upset a balance that is critical at the 10s of Ks the turbo spins. Your mileage may vary. It may do nothing, and the turbo may head south.

Mar 25, 2007 | 11:07 AM

IronHeaDCanada

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Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

I'm not sure how the stealership diagnosed the blowback, but they insisted I spend $14K on a new engine. I told them I'd do some more checking myself first!!

I'm gonna check the turbo...sounds exactly like your symptoms jtharvey.

Mar 30, 2008 | 08:24 PM

BlackJeep

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From: North Branford, CT

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but (Mike) my 2000 7.3 PSD puffs out of the oil filler when idling. Does this indicate a serious problem?

Thanks
John