Started my 03 F250 6.0 up tonight after sitting for about 18 hours in temps around -2 and wind chill at about -18. Sluggish to start but it did. Let it run for about 10 minutes and drove off. Soon as I hit the road it was really slugish almost as if it had a miss. Few miles down the road it died. Let it set for a few minutes and it started back up. Let it run for 15 more minutes and to idle it was pretty much ok til I got to a small grade and speed dropped to 10 mph with it to the floor. Got on the flat and it picked up speed but not much, maybe to 40 mph. Seemed to get a little better but not much. Made it up a few larger hills with the no power issue. Down hill I could get to 70 mph but with hesitation. Finally died agian after 10 miles. Same thing sat a few minutes, start and drove on. Died again after 2 miles (going down hill). Same process. Got about 3 miles and died again. Tried to start it sounded as if out of fuel and started after some cranking normal idle for about 2 minutes then RPMs started to bounce and then died. At this point called for tow truck. I had just added NAPA anti-gel to the tank. Hoping I'm just froze up some where. Seems to be blowing white smoke maybe a little more than normal at start up. Could the fuel gel while driving? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

Could be it is diesel and it is a cold mother outside. Get some power service diesel additive to help gelling. By your description that what it sounds like. If it's not your normal place you fill up at try a different place they might have water in their tank. I have run into this with my equipment.

 

I agree with scraprat
you are describing a Gelling situation. It happens just like that in a semi.

I switched to "Polar Power" brand in my semi and never had a problem again. (brand I use)

When you get the truck in a warm envirement for a while. (garage) it should stop but I would reccomend swapping out the fuel filter, and adding polar power. You may have perefin build up or crystals on the filter element

 

Put the truck in the garage for about 10 hours at 74 degrees changed both fuel filters and no change. Will idle rough for about 3-4 minutes then shuts off. Head gasket maybe?

 

I bot 14 gallons of diesel fuel at a local EXXON station. My normal supply station had new people and too cold to do the prepay thing. So I went and filled up at this EXXON. Maybe a bad move. After about 5 minutes, I had put in maybe 4 gallons of ULSDF. The manager came out, it was chilly, and he laid the pump on the ground for a couple minutes. He said EXXON would not change the fuel filters, yeah right! I continued to fill up. My point is I probably got crap from their clogged filters to my tank, and I will change the filters.

Parts and Labor fixed price I have is $150.00. Too cold for me to do it. Seems fair, and my bet is the original thread poster has the same problem.

Good luck, to you and me both...