I have read so many threads my brain hurts! I just bought an 05 F250, 6.0, Auto, 4X4, 4" down pipe, no cat, K&N intake and as far as I know, otherwise stock. 80,000 miles. I started getting sporadic white smoke when driving. Also on occasion after leaving a stoplight it would start to run rough and blow lots of black smoke. If I stopped, put it to the floor and "ran out" what ever seemed to be choking it, it would run fine again for a while. I unpluged the EGR valve and those problems both seem to have gone away, for a while. Oh, and no CEL either. The white smoke started to re-apear. Then the smoke started turning to a greyish/blue color and LOTS of it. I took out the EGR valve and it was real sooty. Looked inside and the same, sooty. No sign of coolant or "steam cleaning". I have been loosing coolant to somewhere since purchase. No sign of leaks anywhere or film around degas cap. White smoke had kind of a sweet, coolant smell, but was hard to tell because it only would do that when driving. Greyish/blue smoke has a different smell, not like normal diesel exhaust, but it didn't burn my eyes like I have read. I have tried repluging in the EGR valve after cleaning it, but still lots of smoke. It seems to still run strong other than the smoke. I don't want to just haphazardly start replacing parts. I can't aford it! And being new to diesels, I don't know of any shops around where I live and I don't trust the stealership. HELP! Any thoughts?

 

EGR Cooler. very common! or possible head gasket, also not uncommon on a 6.0.

seeing soot in your egr valve is normal, after all it is an exhaust gas recirculator. and only seeing smoke while driving makes sense, at idle the valve should be closed. driving down the road it should be open, which then flows to your egr cooler which could be bad, in turn re-burning it. would explain the smoke and coolant dissapearing.

 

x2

 

My 04 F350 did the exact same things you're describing at 200k miles...had to get half injectors replaced, new oil cooler and egr delete...

 

the sweet smell makes me think its a coolant issue, especially losing coolant

 

i dont know what it smells like and it is not loosing coolant

 

i know, thats why i said test your ficm

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I was telling Dreamer it sounds like they have the coolant issue

 

what exactly are you talking about? im reading your info it says you have a 7.3?

if your having an issue post a new thread, we'll gladly help you

 

Thanks for the thoughts. I figure the coolant loss and white smoke is the EGR cooler, but what about the blue/grey smoke its dumping out constantly right now at idle or under throttle? I guess I will go ahead and do an EGR delete, oil cooler replacement and a coolant filter for starters. I planed on these mods all along, but like I said, right now I just need to fix the problem. I would hate to do these mods and find out it is something else that will just have to wait untill I have the money.

 

the blue/grey smoke can be directly related to the burning coolant. coolant in the cylinder can cause incomplete combustion of the fuel resulting in your smoke.

but if your doing the delete, chances are you'll find whats giving you the headache. also if your doing the oil cooler, look at the screen going into your hpop, guarantee youll find some crap in it