OK, so you may want to print this out and read it when you have some spare time because I just posted this and realized how long it was. Please don't not read it because it is so long though, because I really need to get this issue figured out. Thanks in advance for putting up with the super long post.

First off, the issue...I recently traded in an '04 6.0 with 144k miles with a cold air intake and straight pipes for a '03 6.0 with the sames miles, and the dealer said that he wanted to keep his trucks stock, so if I wanted he would let me exchange my '04s straight pipes and intake with the '03s stock exhaust and intake. So now my '03 has straight pipes and a cold air intake but no other mods. On a side note, now that I've driven this '03 and some of my other friend's 6.0s, I think my '04 was chipped and the guy I bought it from didn't tell me, because it would move so much faster than any other stock 6.0 i've ever driven, especially my new '03, and it also idled a lot louder. Another difference I noticed was in the exhaust sound. My '04 with straight pipes sounded like it was putting out a ton of air at the tail pipe when idling, and when you get on it real hard, the exhaust would start that popping noise like any V8 does with straight pipes, but the whistle from the turbo wasn't as noticable (but the turbo was working fine). On my '03 however, there is a little less of the air sound at the tail pipe, but for the most part it's the same, but the whistle is a whole lot louder when you hit the gas, and if you stomp it there is no popping from the exhaust, just a loud rumble almost like my '04 would do right before the popping. Also, not near as much pick-up as my '04. I know this is getting longer than I had planned, but please just bear with me...my '04 also would not put out hardly any black smoke at all, no matter what, it would only put out a quick little bit right when you hit the gas, but only if you floored it. This is my main issue right here....my '03 is a completely different story. I just noticed this the other day when I was getting on it pretty good going up a hill, I just happened to glance in the passenger side mirror, and smoke was POURING out, thick and solid black and steady as you please. At first it was kinda cool because I was always somewhat disappointed that my '04 couldn't do any at all, so I would play with it around town, punching the gas when a car was tailgating me and just gassing them. But then I started noticing some things...if I floor the gas, it doesn't smoke right off. The smoke starts very thin at the high rpms of 1st gear, then when it shifts into second it is thick and heavy black smoke and barely thins out as the rpms get higher, then when it shifts again it's thick and black again and again barely thins out as the rpms get higher, and does this for ever gear until the last gear it will finally quit and the truck is taking off pretty good. But then I noticed another thing...if I stomp the gas real hard and it shifts down into 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gear, or even when flooring it from a stop, it will start taking off real hard like it's supposed to, and of course the smoking starts as usual, but then all of the sudden the throttle will start bogging down for a few second and then pick up and then bog down again and then pick up again. Also, when it boggs down, i've noticed that the smoke is EXTREMELY black and thick at these times. Now up until this weekend the smoke has been fun because I could control when it did it and it wasn't too big of an issue. But then this weekend on I was on some steep mountain roads heading up into Asheville, NC and if I tried keeping the truck up to speed, everyone knows how it will sometimes downshift if the hill is steep enough and run some high rpms, and it did, and the smoke was uncontrollable. If I let off the gas enough to keep it from smoking, I couldn't keep up my speed on the hill. Also, like I mentioned before about the throttle bogging down, if I tried hitting the throttle just enough to keep up speed on the hill, the smoking would start, and the throttle would pulse in and out, almost as if I were flooring it and then letting completely off over and over. This is kind of concerning me because I am a broke college student who can't really afford any huge repair bills (which I know diesel engines can easily dish out), and I have always done my routine maintenance myself regularly to keep from having any big issues like this, but I have a feeling this issue was present in the truck before I bought it. The only problem is that I bought it from a used car dealer "as-is" so there's really nothing I can do about it as far as the dealer is concerned. But does anyone know what my issue could be? I know that was a super-long description of the problem, and I'm sorry for that, I just wanted to make sure that I got all of the details in there to keep from having a ton of questions about other possible symptoms. So anyways, if anyone knows what my issue would probably be, I would really appreciate any input.

Now for my question, but don't worry, it's short and sweet unlike my issue. Does anyone know where I could find some install instructions for a engine block heater? I know my truck already has the element in the engine block, I just need to get the cord from my dealer and install that part. Is it very hard to do? I have a Haynes Repair Manual for my truck, and tried finding the info in there but couldn't, so if anyone knows where I could find some info on this, that would be great.

Again, I really appreciate any input that anyone may have for my issue or my question, and if you've made it this far in my post, Thanks a ton for putting up with my super long post.

 

Are you sure you don't have the cord? It could be hiding. Mine was, took me a bit of searching to find it, actually went to where it plugs into the engine and saw it there, then followed it forward. Pretty sure all 04's came with it.

As for your issue... Separate that into paragraphs. It's unreadable as it is. Collect your thoughts, put each in it's own paragraph. That way people can read it, and you'll get the help you're looking for.

 

JFC!!! That was a long one man. To answer your block heater question:

Diesel Technician Society

I will keep reading your first part. LOL

Edit: read your first part a few times. I am new with the 6.0. Black smoke is too much fuel/bad atomization or not enough air. Turbo??? Could really be a bunch of stuff that causes that. I am sure a 6.0 expert will chime in with a better answer.

 

I understand. When I get a little more time later this afternoon I'll definately do that. But if anyone could just try and get what you can out of it for now that would be awesome. Thanks for the help so far guys.

oh and i guess i didn't make it very clear in my long paragraph, but I HAD and '04 and now I HAVE and '03. So did those come with a cord? Sorry for the confusion.

 

First of all (other than hard reading the post), you really don't want that CAI on the 6.0! It will dust your turbine it will cost you more than you have to repair it.

The black smoke is UNBURNED fuel. If you don't have a lot of $, the price of diesel fuel is too high to be throwing it out the tailpipe.

As the truck was sold in PA (it was, wasn't it), it probably does NOT have the cord for the block heater. The cord is much cheaper from an International dealer than a Ford dealer...International made the 6.0 for Ford.... so you can save by buying one there.....BEFORE you go to buy it, do as the others above say and LOOK for it first. The previous owner may have already installed one.

 

I will second that and also add that the OP is getting for all intents and purposes no performance value from the intake. Stock, when it comes to the air filter on the 6.0, is actually very good until you really start doing the performance mods and just tuning/chipping it isn't going to be enough to qualify.


That's true, however, with the issue of bogging down and lack of power, I would also have him look for an EGR related issue. Crack in the up-pipe(or y-pipe) or a problem with the valve itself.

 

check for cracks in the ic boots, stuck turbo veins etc on top of that. with it being loud at idle that could be less insulation in the engine compartment or sticky spool valves as well. i would start with the ic boots first and clean the egr valve and see where that leaves you. with a search you should be able to find a few writeup on egr removal and cleaning.

 

I looked 5 years for the plug for the heater and could never find it. I found it wrapped up tight behind the bumper, pass side, right behind the tow hook. I bet I looked there 10 times before and never saw it.

 

how can I tell if I have a block heater? where do I look?

 

I have an 03 and it does have the block heater but like the others have said it is really burried. I had to follow the the cord out of the element in the block to find it. The plug is located just inside the right frame rail behind the fog light. My truck is bone stock and the only time it smokes is when I really let it have it and even then it is not much.

 

Ok, so my prayers have been answered. I called a few friends that just know a good bit about diesels in general and told them about my issue, and they referred me to an amazing mechanic at our local Ford dealership. I took it up there to him and told him what was going on, he took a look under the hood, told me what my problem was but still wanted to drive it to make sure...he pulled out and opened up the throttle and sure enough, the smoke went EVERYWHERE! About a quarter mile up the road he pulled over, popped the hood, unplugged the EGR, and NO MORE SMOKE and no more loss of power. The throttle is so much more responsive now and no more bogging down at full throttle. I also had a pretty huge hole in the IC boot at the turbo, which was causing a loud blowing sound where the hood meets the windshield when the throttle was opened up, but I had never really thought anything of it before.

And yes, I had heard several times before that the factory intake on the 6.0 really had it together, and actually performs better than a CAI. The only reason I had not taken it off was because I bought the truck from an individual who had had the intake put on. It's not something I had done, because I do research and try and get all my facts together before I do any mods to my truck. I hate wasting money on useless mods. Does anyone know how much a stock intake costs from the dealership? The mechanic at the Ford dealership told me about a local diesel performance shop that would probably have several laying around from intakes they'd installed and would probably either trade me for my CAI or sell it to me for dirt cheap.

I also found the block heater on my truck. It was right where Egmonster's Diesel Tech Society site said it would be right between the fog light and the tow hook behind the bumper. I had tried looking there the other day but it's almost impossible to see back in there. I just reached back there and felt it and yanked the hell out of it until the zip ties broke loose (probably not the most recommended way but it worked out pretty well).

So the moral of the story is...keep your factory intakes, and get those EGRs the hell out of there. Preciate all of the help everbody.