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1994.5 - 1997 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel  

idle issues

Old Mar 15, 2009 | 11:45 AM
  #1  
turboftw's Avatar
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idle issues

95 psd with 330,000 on the clock. new fuel filter, new oil change, diy intake, 10k mod. other then that entirely stock.

this is the first time it has happened to me but yesterday when i was driving for about a half hour on the highway and finally got to where i needed to go in stop and go traffic, everytime i came to a stop my idle would cut down to about 300rmp and act/feel/sound like it was only running on half its cyl. and then climb back up to about 600rpm and would idle nice and smooth and fine.

now occasionally when i start it up it'll jump and shutter and puff white smoke like its missing a cyl, but i attribute it to being cold and an old truck cuz it smooths out after a minute. the falling idle and lurching/bucking like it was missing is bothering me. i put it in neutral and it seemed to idle just fine, but in drive at a stop it would act all weird. al i have are factory gauges right now cuz im poor so i dont know what my egt's were or anything but i was just normal driving with no load.

anyone have any input on what might be wrong? i dont really have any diesel diag tools nor the time to really pull anything apart right now cuz this is my daily driver, so im hoping that its a simple fix (but i doubt it). any info/people in indy that wanna help is greatly appreciated.
 
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 05:15 PM
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When did you last change the oil & filter? Dirty oil will cause your trouble.
Same for the fuel filter. I change mine every 17-12K miles
 
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 10:16 PM
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changed oil, filter, and fuel filter on the same day about 2 weeks ago. again this is the first time it has happened to me so i dont think it is connected with that.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 08:25 AM
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Did you use diesel rated oil? Have you driven very far since the oil change?
It can take 20 or more miles to get the air out of the fuel.

You might be able to it scanned for free at Autozone or similar. It's a crap-shoot on getting it right though.

You could try a CPS. They are pretty cheap at the dealership. ~$30. Even if it doesn't fix it you will have an extra one to carry. They can go bad suddenly and leave you stranded.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 11:39 AM
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yea i used valvoline premium blue heavy duty diesel 15-40. pt # vv70509. says it exceeds API services cj-4, ci-4 plus, ci-4, ch-4, cf-4, cf/sm.

maybe im not understanding but air can get in the fuel from the oil change? or would it be from the fuel filter change? i am really dumb to diesels at this point so im sorry if i sound retarded lol. like i said at the beginning though i get puffs of white smoke upon cold start up, so maybe an injector goin bad or something? do you HAVE to take the valve covers off to check those harness things? i hear they go bad but im not sure if they cause this. thanks for the help so far. im just diesel dumb.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 02:08 PM
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Originally Posted by turboftw
yea i used valvoline premium blue heavy duty diesel 15-40. pt # vv70509. says it exceeds API services cj-4, ci-4 plus, ci-4, ch-4, cf-4, cf/sm.

maybe im not understanding but air can get in the fuel from the oil change? or would it be from the fuel filter change? i am really dumb to diesels at this point so im sorry if i sound retarded lol. like i said at the beginning though i get puffs of white smoke upon cold start up, so maybe an injector goin bad or something? do you HAVE to take the valve covers off to check those harness things? i hear they go bad but im not sure if they cause this. thanks for the help so far. im just diesel dumb.

you do not have to take of the valve covers to check the uvc harnesses. between the valley and the valve covers you will see two connectors per side. unhook them carefully because the tabs on the sides love to snap off. when you pull apart the connectors you will see the pins. check for melting and/or a burnt electrical smell. it's usually pretty obvious when they melt. they smell terrible too.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by turboftw
would it be from the fuel filter change?

i am really dumb to diesels at this point so im sorry if i sound retarded lol. like i said at the beginning though i get puffs of white smoke upon cold start up, so maybe an injector goin bad or something?

do you HAVE to take the valve covers off to check those harness things? i hear they go bad but im not sure if they cause this. thanks for the help so far. im just diesel dumb.
Yep, I meant air in the fuel. Drive it like you stole it to get all the air out.

Don't beat yourself up, we all need to start somewhere...you came to the right place

White smoke is common for cold starts.

If you don't find bad connectors from allisonmo2 suggestions then taking the valve covers off might be your next move.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 04:00 PM
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ok thanks your guys. you've been a real help. i'll update after i get that stuff checked.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 08:30 PM
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hey turbo i live in indianapolis as well what side of town are you on
 
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