# 2000 F-450 diesel engine problem



## DodgeRam1996

2000 F-450 diesel 200,000 miles.

While driving at 55 mpg my truck started to slow down (pedal pressed down the whole time), I slowly came to a stop on the shoulder.

I could start it on the shoulder for a few seconds and it would blow a lot of white smoke. I had it towed to my shop. I've tried to run it, once I got the engine to run for about 1 minute, white smoke everywhere...

Someone told me it's the turbo, does that should right? I would think the engine would at least idle.


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## coldcoffee

If you think it's the turbo, you could pull the air intake to see if you can still turn the fan. My 97 7.3 did that several times, last time it was the IDM on the drivers firewall, the salt burned a hole through the case almost big enough to put your hand through. Best to pull the codes, to narrow the search.


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## DodgeRam1996

*Help with Ford 7.3l diesel (no action in Ford forum)*

2000 F-450 diesel 200,000 miles.

In general diesel technology is new to me, I'm hoping the engines have basic similarities. The engine in question is a 7.3 liter international (I believe). My question is not getting any action in the Ford forum, so I'd figure you cummings guys might be able to help (I figure there is a reason you didn't go with Ford ;-)

While driving at 55 mpg my truck started to slow down (pedal pressed down the whole time), I slowly came to a stop on the shoulder.

I could start it on the shoulder for a few seconds and it would blow a lot of white smoke. I had it towed to my shop. I've tried to run it, once I got the engine to run for about 1 minute, white smoke everywhere...

Someone told me it's the turbo, does that should right? I would think the engine would at least idle.

Other problems could be glow plugs, IDM module, what else?

Thanks


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## DodgeRam1996

coldcoffee;1016651 said:


> If you think it's the turbo, you could pull the air intake to see if you can still turn the fan. My 97 7.3 did that several times, last time it was the IDM on the drivers firewall, the salt burned a hole through the case almost big enough to put your hand through. Best to pull the codes, to narrow the search.


I'll try and pull the codes, what about glow plugs? I also wasn't the last person to fill the tank, what if that person put in gas?


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## towpro570

get injection pump checked


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## clark lawn

glow plugs are only for starting it, if someone put gas in it it would have probably blown up by now. doubt its the turbo. sounds like an electrical issue, haveyou had the recall done on the cam position sensor yet?


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## coldcoffee

I was going to mention the CPS, because that is common and an inexpensive place to start, but it's a crap shoot w/o the codes. I've replaced 2 on that engine, but the problem was intermittent when it was going bad, meaning I could get the truck to run again usually after it sat a while.


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## mnglocker

Bad lift pump gone un-noticed until it nuked the injector pump. Your symptoms desribe it to a tee.


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## sno commander

check the pressures on the hpop, may also be your injection pump or injectors. whens the last time the fuel filter has been changed or the cps?


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## OneBadDodge06

Could also be coolant leaking into the cylinder from the heads.


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## sno commander

yea we need more info could be everything mentioned here, i doubt its the turbo unless it blew a seal. pull the intake tube off and see if you see any oil.


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## mrv8outboard

Do you a check engine light on? If you do did you retrieve any codes? A good scan tool will be very useful so you can do specific tests.


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## Gumpy52

Before you start replacing a turbo or hi pressure oil pumps, I would do the basic 1st. Change the fuel filter, check the air filter, maybe a cps. Hookup scanner to see what codes are present.


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## ajslands

Gumpy52;1017774 said:


> Before you start replacing a turbo or hi pressure oil pumps, I would do the basic 1st. Change the fuel filter, check the air filter, maybe a cps. Hookup scanner to see what codes are present.


Yes and injectors too


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## DodgeRam1996

mrv8outboard;1017601 said:


> Do you a check engine light on? If you do did you retrieve any codes? A good scan tool will be very useful so you can do specific tests.


Batteries are dead, I've been charging the truck for about 6 hours, and I still get an error when trying to read the codes (OBDII). I'm going to trickle charge the batteries over night.

Before the engine died the truck was blowing white smoke while stopped at red lights....


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## DodgeRam1996

Gumpy52;1017774 said:


> Before you start replacing a turbo or hi pressure oil pumps, I would do the basic 1st. Change the fuel filter, check the air filter, maybe a cps. Hookup scanner to see what codes are present.


Batteries are dead, I've been charging the truck for about 6 hours, and I still get an error when trying to read the codes (OBDII). I'm going to trickle charge the batteries overnight.

Before the engine died the truck was blowing white smoke while stopped at red lights, does that info help identify the problem?


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## ajslands

Sounds like head gasket


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## ajslands

But hey your like James bond and can blow smoke out you a$$


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## rob1325

This happened simliar to mine. Mine had bad gas tank, was clogging intake. I first tried cleaning it, but ended up replacing it and ran great after. Hope this helps.


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## rob_cook2001

You need to pull codes to get a Idea. There are so many possibilities. I have never seen a cam sensor cause a truck to smoke, usually they just stumble then die. And a 7.3 psd does NOT have a injection pump. Glow plugs will not effect the way it runs. If it was the turbo it should still idle/run but that is something easy to check. 
Robert


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## DodgeRam1996

rob_cook2001;1017868 said:


> You need to pull codes to get a Idea. There are so many possibilities. I have never seen a cam sensor cause a truck to smoke, usually they just stumble then die. And a 7.3 psd does NOT have a injection pump. Glow plugs will not effect the way it runs. If it was the turbo it should still idle/run but that is something easy to check.
> Robert


I'll try and pull the codes again. What about a bad injector or 2?


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## ajslands

ajslands;1017790 said:


> Yes and injectors too


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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## DBuilders

Your fuel filter needs to be changed. Loss of power under load and white smoke is probably water in the fuel.


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## rob_cook2001

DodgeRam1996;1017915 said:


> I'll try and pull the codes again. What about a bad injector or 2?


That is a possibility but you need to pull codes before you start throwing parts at the problem... I have done that before and it's no fun.
Robert


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## DodgeRam1996

rob_cook2001;1018084 said:


> That is a possibility but you need to pull codes before you start throwing parts at the problem... I have done that before and it's no fun.
> Robert


With the dead batteries I've lost the codes, I gave it about 12 hours of charge and it still won't start (it turns over). I probably need new batteries (I don't have the cash to toss at this truck yet). I'll keep the charger on the batteries for today and try to start it tomorrow. Do I have to drive it to get the codes or will the truck give me codes from just startup/idle?


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## sno commander

DodgeRam1996;1018211 said:


> With the dead batteries I've lost the codes, I gave it about 12 hours of charge and it still won't start (it turns over). I probably need new batteries (I don't have the cash to toss at this truck yet). I'll keep the charger on the batteries for today and try to start it tomorrow. Do I have to drive it to get the codes or will the truck give me codes from just startup/idle?


drive it untill the problem occurs and there might be a few codes that pop up.


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## DodgeRam1996

sno commander;1018217 said:


> drive it untill the problem occurs and there might be a few codes that pop up.


I don't think the engine is going to run long enough for me to drive anywhere. If I'm lucky I might be able to get the engine to run for 30 seconds.


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## DodgeRam1996

I'm not sure it will work, but is it safe to use some type of starting fluid to help get the engine running?


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## coldcoffee

DO NOT USE STARTING FLUID...Way too combustible. You can blow your air intake to pieces, and cause serious motor damage. I've heard of guys using WD40 on a rag letting the vapors creep in, but I can't attest to how well that works either. 

Their are a lot of possibilities as we have all mentioned. You may want to try powerstroke.org, that's where I've often found my answers. There are guys on their that can build/troubleshoot these motors in their sleep. But they will tell ya a lot of the same stuff, and to get the codes. I can tell you right now though, you will get nowhere until you have adequate cranking amps...these motors need a lot of them to start.


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## dieselboy

1) If you get it started listen for an engine knock. If its knocking it would be your injectors. They will also cause the white smoke. 

2)Check your coolant level, if it is low then its a head gasket. 

Is your engine at least cranking when you go to start? If its not cranking at all and the batterys are good it could be liquid locking and that would lead to injectors as well. this is a terrible noise to hear. a clank when ever you turn the key. Our 7.3 550 did this


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## DodgeRam1996

coldcoffee;1018530 said:


> DO NOT USE STARTING FLUID...Way too combustible. You can blow your air intake to pieces, and cause serious motor damage. I've heard of guys using WD40 on a rag letting the vapors creep in, but I can't attest to how well that works either.
> 
> Their are a lot of possibilities as we have all mentioned. You may want to try powerstroke.org, that's where I've often found my answers. There are guys on their that can build/troubleshoot these motors in their sleep. But they will tell ya a lot of the same stuff, and to get the codes. I can tell you right now though, you will get nowhere until you have adequate cranking amps...these motors need a lot of them to start.


Is there a starting fluid for diesels?


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## DodgeRam1996

dieselboy;1019362 said:


> 1) If you get it started listen for an engine knock. If its knocking it would be your injectors. They will also cause the white smoke.
> 
> 2)Check your coolant level, if it is low then its a head gasket.
> 
> Is your engine at least cranking when you go to start? If its not cranking at all and the batterys are good it could be liquid locking and that would lead to injectors as well. this is a terrible noise to hear. a clank when ever you turn the key. Our 7.3 550 did this


Coolant is low, if it is the head gasket, does the coolant get completely burned or does some of it go into the oil? The oil is black, no signs of coolant.

I've had this truck for only 2 years, is it possible the previous owner used some type of temporary head gasket fix and it has worn out?


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## naturalimage

CHeck for tank delaminating and cloggin fuel pump will loose all power and die


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## DodgeRam1996

I had the engine turning over a few times. But not anymore.

I checked the fuel filter and it looked clean. It's full of diesel, (the diesel in it is old) I did add an anti-gel additive to the tank and another product by the same people into fuel filter holder (50%/50% diesel/additive mix - I think it's by Kleen called 9-1-1 or something).

I think I might have to invest in 2 new batteries, is there an easy way to drain the fuel tank?


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## ajslands

DodgeRam1996;1021572 said:


> I had the engine turning over a few times. But not anymore.
> 
> I checked the fuel filter and it looked clean. It's full of diesel, (the diesel in it is old) I did add an anti-gel additive to the tank and another product by the same people into fuel filter holder (50%/50% diesel/additive mix - I think it's by Kleen called 9-1-1 or something).
> 
> I think I might have to invest in 2 new batteries, is there an easy way to drain the fuel tank?


Check injectors
I checked around for you and some said punch a hole in it and put a plate over it and do sone welding so it won't leak, but iam think since diesel is flamable, that would not be a good idea, 
mjd will probaly kick my a$$ for saying this, but I'd check thedieselstop.com or net something like that, it might say in your manual too


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## TGM

You always look at the smoke on a diesel:

-White smoke is raw, unburned fuel (or lack of fuel such as when you run out of fuel it will puff out white smoke). white smoke can also possibly be coolant in the combustion chamber, but you will smell it if is.

-Blue smoke is oil or fuel. if it kind of burns your nose and eyes, it's fuel. if it doesn't, it's oil.

-Black smoke is semi-burned fuel/"rich" fuel condition (you can't run a diesel "lean").




Sounds like for whatever reason you aren't burning fuel, yet it's still being injected into the cylinder. IDM? CPS? (dunno if the cps will allow white smoke or the truck to just shut off)


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## deicepro

ajslands;1021575 said:


> .....diesel is flamable.....


diesel is not flamable, its combustable


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## SteveR

Any skipping?? I think I recall a smoking issue in a problem we had that ended up being the plug under the valve cover unplugged. Truck did some strange stuff when it was unplugged or I guess making poor contact


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## DodgeRam1996

right now the starter won't engage, so I will probably change the starter and the CPS and see what I get after that.


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## mrv8outboard

Even with a dead battery you will not loose the codes. What are you using as a scan tool? What have been the problems you have been having with it? Did you have the cam sensor replaced under the recall?


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## DodgeRam1996

mrv8outboard;1024089 said:


> Even with a dead battery you will not loose the codes. What are you using as a scan tool? What have been the problems you have been having with it? Did you have the cam sensor replaced under the recall?


I'm going to do the CAM sensor myself when I replace the starter. I used a $90 auto part store OBDII scanner.

The main problem was while driving at 55mpg the truck started to smoke (white smoke) then slowed to a stop (I had the pedal pressed to the floor). Until recently the engine would run for about 10 seconds then die (with massive clouds of white smoke), now it doesn't start.


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## mrv8outboard

That scanner is not going to be good enough. Make sure you use a Ford cam sensor.


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## mrv8outboard

Well ? How is it going? Have you done the sensor? Did you check to see if it was under the recall? Keep us up to date. Thank you.


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## DodgeRam1996

mrv8outboard;1027525 said:


> Well ? How is it going? Have you done the sensor? Did you check to see if it was under the recall? Keep us up to date. Thank you.


Thanks for asking. I haven't done anything yet, I don't have the funds right now (I need 2 new batteries and 1 starter). I will keep you updated and I will probably have more questions.


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## damian

rob is correct,charge batts,first pull codes,next key on engine off scan,check oil,check fuel pressure over 40 key on,it is not turbo or head gaskets or glow plugs or all injectors.my guess is fuel starvation or high pressure oil system fault,none can be efficiently or cost effectively guessed at,get somone who is a good 7.3 guy there are lots of wrenches who know this engine well, a no start 7.3 is the kind of job we love at our shop,the ecm has good diagnostics and we can usually have a diagnostic solution in less than an hour.good luck.


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## 7.3 Plower

Your best bet is to find someone in your area with an Auto Enginuity Ford Bundle that is willing to read your codes and help you out.

A cheapo scanner WILL NOT pull codes from a Powerstroke. 

With an Auto Enginuity you can monitor your high pressure oil, which is what drives the injectors in a 7.3 Powerstroke. A 7.3 does not have an injector pump because, unlike a Cummins or 6.4 Powerstroke, it is not a common rail system and utilizes a heui system which is fired by high pressure oil, not fuel. 

We can sit and guess about the cause of this issue all day but without some real data, like the amount of pressure your high pressure oil pump is producing, we cannot truly know what is wrong with the truck. With an Auto Enginuity Ford Bundle you can also do an injector buzz test. I don't recall at the moment the exact order it buzzes them all in but I believe it either buzzes all at once or each bank individually then buzzes each individual injector. It should emit a loud buzzing type sound and they should all sound pretty much the same. If one sounds more weak than another you have a bad injector. 

That being said I highly doubt it is a lack of drive oil pressure causing your issue. 

Change out your fuel filter and drain the fuel bowl. There is a little yellow valve on the back of your fuel bowl you'll want to just swing it open and let the bowl empty out. After you've let the bowl drain you'll want to cycle the key to the on position 2-3 times without cranking. These trucks have an electric fuel pump and cycling the key a few times will fill your fuel bowl back up. 

As much as this does not seem to be a CPS issue it is only $18 for a new CPS from Ford so it's a cheap thing to try before you try anything else.

DO NOT!!!! buy a CPS from anyone but Ford or International. It will cause you issues. I've seen enough people have problems with sensors from Autozoo, NAPA, Advanced, etc. that it makes me cringe every time I hear of people buying real parts there.

Pull the intake off the truck and check the turbo for any signs of dusting. If the turbo wheel has a "sandblasted" look to it or you can see anywhere that it's been rubbing the housing you've got an issue. It should have no side to side play and very little play in and out. A dark rectangular mark on the turbo wheel is normal. It is just a reference mark used by the manufacturer when they balance the compressor wheel and is nothing to worry about. 

As far as welding the tank don't even worry about it because you can't. These trucks use a plastic fuel tank, not a metal one, and unless you know how to weld plastic you can't do that. 

The only other thing I can think of for a fuel delivery issue would be either a weak fuel pump or the other thing is the screens in the mixing chamber on the fuel pickup foot inside your fuel tank could be clogged up. 

It will narrow things down a lot if you can tell us whether the truck loses power, stumbles, and dies or if it's just like someone shut the key off.

Other little random facts that will help you along the way:
Fresh oil is your truck's best friend. As I said earlier the injectors are fired by oil.
The injectors will not fire unless the injector driver module (IDM) sees 12.5 volts so you're not doing yourself any favors with weak batteries.

Another thing that's free and easy to check but I really doubt is related is the ICP (injector control pressure) sensor. It is located near the lifting eye on the drivers side head. There is a plug that comes out the top of it that has a purple gasket thing on it when you pull it out. If it has oil on it you've got a bad ICP if it's dry it's good.


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## DodgeRam1996

Replaced one battery and the starter, now the truck starts and will idle, but it does billow out white smoke. I will look into the scanner and see if there are any codes. 

I'm not sure why it wouldn't start before, I did add some diesel 911 and their cetene additive. The diesel is kind of old, should I replace it or just fill up the tank?

Next steps would be the, oil change, CPS and code check.

White smoke could mean an injector is stuck open, right?


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## TGM

yes, likely and injector problem.


white smoke is unburned fuel (or lack of fuel such as when you run out of fuel)

black smoke is semi-burned/rich fuel condition

blue smoke is oil or fuel depending if it burns your nose or not


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## DodgeRam1996

I got the truck to run and idle (still blows white smoke). I tried to drive it but it would only crawl (no power). I'm starting to think it's the turbo, I've read it could turbo blow-by (white smoke). I haven't had the CPS recall done yet, I will probably do it myself, it's cheaper to buy the part then to have the truck towed to the dealer (then maybe towed home).

I did change the oil, about 2 gallons of extra "stuff" (water and oil?) came out, this freaked me out. 

I don't have access to a scanner yet, is there anyway to test the turbo?


Any other thoughts?


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## TGM

the turbo doesn't cause white smoke. the turbo would cause blue smoke if it was leaking and burning off oil.

white smoke is from a couple cylinder not firing. you either had diesel fuel or antifreeze in the oil. sounds like either a headgasket or injector failures (unless raw fuel is being injected at the wrong time). worse off could be a stuck injector that put a hole in a piston. we need some more info... what exactly was the other stuff in the oil?


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## 7.3 Plower

Pull your intake off directly at the turbo. Try to move the wheel. A little up down left right movement is ok. Very very little. Any in and out movement is BAD. 

If that doesn't solve your problem you'll want to pull your valve covers. There is a wiring harness under the valve cover that has a tendency to work itself loose over time and has been known to cause the engine to run rough and smoke not run at times basically everything you're describing. 

If I was closer to you I'd stop by and help you figure the bugger out. I highly suggest you check out the forums at ford-trucks.com and go to the 99-03 7.3L diesel section. Some of the most knowledgeable people you'll ever deal with regarding 7.3L Powerstrokes.

Edit: I re-read my post from a few months ago and I realized I was wrong in that post about play in the turbo. I've rebuilt a few since then and learned far more about them. In and out is very bad rebuild the turbo immediately. It's only 80 or 90$ to do so. Up down left right play is ok but it should be very minimal not enough to contact the housing at any point.


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## damian

dont do anything until you scan it with a good scan tool,im warning you to be carefull of the advice in this forum there is only 3 people replying to you here who know what they are talking about.good intentioned folks are leading you down dead ends,never start ripping into a powerstroke or any electronicly controlled engine without a proper scan tool,you need test results and data;codes if any, running icp,injector balance/short open inj circuit,fuel pressure,ecm power,etc.you need to know which codes to ignore like kam error codes from dead battery,back pressure codes,and harmless idm feedback codes.your problem seems like many things to many people which just adds confusion.i know you are probably doing the best you can with the resources you have but try to save some money and have a good diag man look at it.you will save time and money in the end.good luck.and if you do get good accurate data,post it and i will help you interpret it .good luck, Damian from Damian diesel avon ma.


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## mrv8outboard

Damian said it best.


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## 7.3 Plower

Again: Find someone with not just a code reader but a program like Autoenginuity that is able to perform tests on the truck as well as read codes.

here is a link describing what I believe is wrong with the truck but you can't be sure without codes and tests.

http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articles/article-05-10.php


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## DodgeRam1996

Should I look for a qualified diesel shop in my area (there is no way I could afford a dealership) or maybe check/post on craigslist looking for a mechanic?

I'm in northern VA, does anyone know of a good shop?

Also, how much is the recommend code reader going to set me back?

If the choice was between fuel and antifreeze in the oil, I would lean toward diesel. 

I don't know if I mentioned this, the truck was scanned once by a dealer when the problems started and the dealer told me the truck needed a new turbo and all the injectors were staying open (but this could be a result of the bad turbo) I'm not sure I believe them...plus the repair bill was somewhere around $5000, so of course letting them fix it was not an option.


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## TGM

DodgeRam1996;1046754 said:


> Should I look for a qualified diesel shop in my area (there is no way I could afford a dealership) or maybe check/post on craigslist looking for a mechanic?
> 
> I'm in northern VA, does anyone know of a good shop?
> 
> Also, how much is the recommend code reader going to set me back?
> 
> If the choice was between fuel and antifreeze in the oil, I would lean toward diesel.
> 
> I don't know if I mentioned this, the truck was scanned once by a dealer when the problems started and the dealer told me the truck needed a new turbo and all the injectors were staying open (but this could be a result of the bad turbo) I'm not sure I believe them...plus the repair bill was somewhere around $5000, so of course letting them fix it was not an option.


http://www.trediesel.com/

i'm not sure of where in virginia he is, but Tim Barber has a good reputation


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## DodgeRam1996

Can I just pick up a rebuilt turbo and install it, is installation pretty straight forward?


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## 7.3 Plower

Check your turbo before just throwing money at the truck. A turbo is no big deal to someone who has done one before. To a first-timer it can be pretty intimidating and there are a number of places you can go wrong.

Pull the intake and check for up/down/in/out play in the wheel as I told you earlier. Also look for signs of turbo dusting.

I am thoroughly, thoroughly convinced it is NOT a turbo issue however you can feel free to check it just to get that thought right out of your head.

Do not take it to a dealership. Dealerships really aren't as great as they're cracked up to be and they are expensive.

The code reader I am recommending is $360 and you need to run it on a computer so you need the truck and computer close enough to plug into each other. I use a laptop for it.

http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/mm5/m...D&Product_Code=AESP03&Category_Code=F731-MISC

That is likely the cheapest you will find the program and you NEED the Ford enhanced bundle to do anything with a Powerstroke. Like I said go over to ford-trucks.com and post in the 99-03 7.3L forums I'd guess someone there would be willing to come help you and run an AE on your truck for very little or free. Were I closer I would come run mine on your truck and help work you through this but CT to Virginia is a little far.

Edit: If you are getting fuel in your oil it is probably just bad injector cups not bad injectors. You will still need to pull the valve covers and injectors to get to them but it is a far cheaper fix than new injectors. I'd recommend getting an oil analysis done on the truck. $22.50 is cheap compared to just throwing parts at the truck hoping to get the problem fixed.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php

Just fill out the form they will send you a kit follow the instructions on their website so you don't get strange readings and it should tell you a lot.










That is a picture of a turbo with the compressor housing pulled off. That compressor wheel is showing early signs of dusting. You can see along the leading edge of each blade that it is dinged up. It should be straight and feel sharp to the touch. A turbo wheel like that will not cause you this type of issue but it is something to be aware of.


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## DodgeRam1996

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to pull the intake and check the turbo soon. I will probably buy the scanner when my finances improve. Can the scanner and software be used with other vehicles?

As I start to dig into this engine, what do you think could be the reason(s) the truck doesn't have any power (2 miles per hour max speed) and if there is an injector problem is diesel leaking into the oil every time I start and run the engine?

Do these trucks have a "limp" mode like some cars that limit speed/RPMs because of a problem?


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## 7.3 Plower

I've never heard of a limp mode on a 7.3 PSD. Bad injector cups can cause fuel in oil but I'm not entirely sure it's an injector issue. An injector buzz test will let you know about any weak injectors but you must listen and determine for yourself whether the injectors are ok or not. The AE (Auto Enginuity) will only tell you that it completed the test successfully. It is up to you to determine the results. All the injectors should sound pretty much the same. None should be noticeably weaker. 

The Autoenginuity can be used to pull generic codes like any other run of the mill code reader. It only does testing and such on Fords though if you only buy the Ford bundle. At least to the best of my knowledge. 

The trucks do their best to tell you what's wrong with them you just need to listen.


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## DodgeRam1996

7.3 Plower;1047327 said:


> I've never heard of a limp mode on a 7.3 PSD. Bad injector cups can cause fuel in oil but I'm not entirely sure it's an injector issue. An injector buzz test will let you know about any weak injectors but you must listen and determine for yourself whether the injectors are ok or not. The AE (Auto Enginuity) will only tell you that it completed the test successfully. It is up to you to determine the results. All the injectors should sound pretty much the same. None should be noticeably weaker.
> 
> The Autoenginuity can be used to pull generic codes like any other run of the mill code reader. It only does testing and such on Fords though if you only buy the Ford bundle. At least to the best of my knowledge.
> 
> The trucks do their best to tell you what's wrong with them you just need to listen.


Thanks for the help. I came across a thread on a powerstroke forum were some dude had white smoke and oil leaking from the muffler, he ended up replacing the turbo and everything is good now. I also have a few black slicks under the truck, I'm going test the turbo next week.

I don't think I can buy a turbo and the Autoenginuity at the same time, so I guess it makes sense to order the Autoenginuity first.


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## Kelsey

rob_cook2001;1017868 said:


> You need to pull codes to get a Idea. There are so many possibilities. I have never seen a cam sensor cause a truck to smoke, usually they just stumble then die. And a 7.3 psd does NOT have a injection pump. Glow plugs will not effect the way it runs. If it was the turbo it should still idle/run but that is something easy to check.
> Robert


Thank You! People saying it mite be the injector pump was starting to bother me

I have seen them do that when the turbo goes. some just start leaking then just blow altogether and flood the intake with oil. take the tube off that goes from the turbo to the intercooler and see if its full of oil, if so you will need a turbo and I would recemend a ebv delete kit and having the intercooler and tubes flushed. Best of luck!


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## 7.3 Plower

DodgeRam1996;1047870 said:


> Thanks for the help. I came across a thread on a powerstroke forum were some dude had white smoke and oil leaking from the muffler, he ended up replacing the turbo and everything is good now. I also have a few black slicks under the truck, I'm going test the turbo next week.
> 
> I don't think I can buy a turbo and the Autoenginuity at the same time, so I guess it makes sense to order the Autoenginuity first.


Yeah that would be a failure of the oil seal on the exhaust side of the turbo. That could, if gone un-noticed, allow the bearings in your turbo to go out.

Check the turbo and if you feel any in/out play plan on rebuilding the turbo. You'd have to work pretty hard to wreck a turbo to where it isn't rebuildable.


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## DodgeRam1996

7.3 Plower;1046855 said:


> Check your turbo before just throwing money at the truck. A turbo is no big deal to someone who has done one before. To a first-timer it can be pretty intimidating and there are a number of places you can go wrong.
> 
> Pull the intake and check for up/down/in/out play in the wheel as I told you earlier. Also look for signs of turbo dusting.
> 
> I am thoroughly, thoroughly convinced it is NOT a turbo issue however you can feel free to check it just to get that thought right out of your head.
> 
> Do not take it to a dealership. Dealerships really aren't as great as they're cracked up to be and they are expensive.
> 
> The code reader I am recommending is $360 and you need to run it on a computer so you need the truck and computer close enough to plug into each other. I use a laptop for it.
> 
> http://www.riffraffdiesel.com/mm5/m...D&Product_Code=AESP03&Category_Code=F731-MISC
> 
> That is likely the cheapest you will find the program and you NEED the Ford enhanced bundle to do anything with a Powerstroke. Like I said go over to ford-trucks.com and post in the 99-03 7.3L forums I'd guess someone there would be willing to come help you and run an AE on your truck for very little or free. Were I closer I would come run mine on your truck and help work you through this but CT to Virginia is a little far.
> 
> Edit: If you are getting fuel in your oil it is probably just bad injector cups not bad injectors. You will still need to pull the valve covers and injectors to get to them but it is a far cheaper fix than new injectors. I'd recommend getting an oil analysis done on the truck. $22.50 is cheap compared to just throwing parts at the truck hoping to get the problem fixed.
> 
> http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php
> 
> Just fill out the form they will send you a kit follow the instructions on their website so you don't get strange readings and it should tell you a lot.
> 
> That is a picture of a turbo with the compressor housing pulled off. That compressor wheel is showing early signs of dusting. You can see along the leading edge of each blade that it is dinged up. It should be straight and feel sharp to the touch. A turbo wheel like that will not cause you this type of issue but it is something to be aware of.


Thanks for all the info it's a lot to process. I pulled the intake side of the turbo there is no play in the wheel. The turbo fins are black (the edges are silver and look like they are in good condition). There is a little oil in the housing, but not much, should I try and pull the intercooler side and look for oil?

The truck is still hard to start I think there is a short and I need to replace one battery.

My next move (aside from the reader and oil analysis) is to start looking at the injector cups. Would an injector or injector cup problem zap the trucks power?


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## 7.3 Plower

DodgeRam1996;1048941 said:


> Thanks for all the info it's a lot to process. I pulled the intake side of the turbo there is no play in the wheel. The turbo fins are black (the edges are silver and look like they are in good condition). There is a little oil in the housing, but not much, should I try and pull the intercooler side and look for oil?
> 
> The truck is still hard to start I think there is a short and I need to replace one battery.
> 
> My next move (aside from the reader and oil analysis) is to start looking at the injector cups. Would an injector or injector cup problem zap the trucks power?


I believe bad injector cups would just lead to fuel in the coolant. And on a stock truck some oil in the intake is normal. I forget that not all trucks are modified like mine is sometimes. On a stock truck the crank case vent (CCV) is routed into the intake from the drivers side valve cover near the firewall. On my truck I got 2 new o-rings and some oil rated hose and ran it down to my frame rail making sure it maintained a steady drop of at least 1" down per foot with no low spots that could freeze up and terminated it near my transmission crossmember. It does drop a little oil and there are oil vapors coming out of it. Some people say it smells I don't smell anything. It is technically illegal as it violates emissions laws but so does me blowing black smoke everywhere. It keeps oil from seeping out of the intercooler boots. It does no harm it just gets things dirty and looking bad and that's likely the oil you are seeing.

An injector being bad would cause rough running conditions and it could cause a lack of power but an AE is a whole LOT cheaper than saying maybe it's injectors and throwing money at it.

I'm sure you've already covered the bases but make sure you've got good, fresh 5w40 synthetic or 15w40 regular oil (I personally use Rotella in my truck and our work trucks) obviously a new oil filter and a fresh fuel filter right? Those are just cheap things to try before you throw big money at the truck. (new injectors = 1200$ at the very very least and that's if you install them yourself)

You really do need to get an AE. The truck wants to tell you what's wrong with it you've just got to have the proper tool to talk to it.


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## DodgeRam1996

7.3 Plower;1048984 said:


> I believe bad injector cups would just lead to fuel in the coolant. And on a stock truck some oil in the intake is normal. I forget that not all trucks are modified like mine is sometimes. On a stock truck the crank case vent (CCV) is routed into the intake from the drivers side valve cover near the firewall. On my truck I got 2 new o-rings and some oil rated hose and ran it down to my frame rail making sure it maintained a steady drop of at least 1" down per foot with no low spots that could freeze up and terminated it near my transmission crossmember. It does drop a little oil and there are oil vapors coming out of it. Some people say it smells I don't smell anything. It is technically illegal as it violates emissions laws but so does me blowing black smoke everywhere. It keeps oil from seeping out of the intercooler boots. It does no harm it just gets things dirty and looking bad and that's likely the oil you are seeing.
> 
> An injector being bad would cause rough running conditions and it could cause a lack of power but an AE is a whole LOT cheaper than saying maybe it's injectors and throwing money at it.
> 
> I'm sure you've already covered the bases but make sure you've got good, fresh 5w40 synthetic or 15w40 regular oil (I personally use Rotella in my truck and our work trucks) obviously a new oil filter and a fresh fuel filter right? Those are just cheap things to try before you throw big money at the truck. (new injectors = 1200$ at the very very least and that's if you install them yourself)
> 
> You really do need to get an AE. The truck wants to tell you what's wrong with it you've just got to have the proper tool to talk to it.


Could something like the CPS or another sensor malfunction and open all my injectors at the same time?


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## 7.3 Plower

DodgeRam1996;1049436 said:


> Could something like the CPS or another sensor malfunction and open all my injectors at the same time?


Simply put... No. All a bad CPS will do is cause the truck to stumble, lose power, and die or cause the truck to shut off completely. It won't do anything like that.

You really need to get the codes pulled.


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## J&R Landscaping

ajslands;1017825 said:


> Sounds like head gasket


Sounds like the head gasket to me as well. Has the truck been getting hot at all?


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## DodgeRam1996

When I start it up now I've got grey and white smoke now (instead of just white smoke).


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## DodgeRam1996

I've been told the fuel pump might not be pumping enough fuel and/or it could be a fuel tank issue. Tough to diagnose, any advice?


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## mrv8outboard

Pull the codes or get them pulled. There is a great place for info "International Automotive Technicians Network" or iatn.net. They have a great archive of repair info, must be a member to search. Also need the codes that are stored on the power train control module in your truck. Please do your self a favor and have it put on a diagnostic scan tool, a good one no bargain basement ones.


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## DodgeRam1996

mrv8outboard;1052620 said:


> Pull the codes or get them pulled. There is a great place for info "International Automotive Technicians Network" or iatn.net. They have a great archive of repair info, must be a member to search. Also need the codes that are stored on the power train control module in your truck. Please do your self a favor and have it put on a diagnostic scan tool, a good one no bargain basement ones.


I'm going to order a scanner next week. Until then I'm going to drain the fuel and replace the fuel filter and try to test the fuel pump.

What's the best way to empty the tank? What can I buy to suck the oil out, I've tried a 5 quart "top-sider" device I use to change oil, but it can't get into the tank far enough. Should I disconnect the engine side of the fuel pump and pump it all out? 10 year old fuel tank, should I be worried about contaminates?


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## 7.3 Plower

DodgeRam1996;1053703 said:


> I'm going to order a scanner next week. Until then I'm going to drain the fuel and replace the fuel filter and try to test the fuel pump.
> 
> What's the best way to empty the tank? What can I buy to suck the oil out, I've tried a 5 quart "top-sider" device I use to change oil, but it can't get into the tank far enough. Should I disconnect the engine side of the fuel pump and pump it all out? 10 year old fuel tank, should I be worried about contaminates?


Sorry for taking so long to answer... Does the truck have a dumping bed on it? If it does it's an easy solution. If it doesn't your best solution is to drop the fuel tank out or take the bed off. Either way you'll want to access the top side of the tank.

This is my best picture of the top of a tank. There is a plastic ring that threads on and off there. You un-plug the wires and undo the lines and take the ring off and the assembly in there lifts right out. From there you can pump out any old fuel directly from the tank if you want to and you can look for any crap in the tank.

There is a "mixing chamber" on the pick-up foot inside your tank. What you'll want to do is measure from the plate on top of the assembly to the bottom of the pickup foot. From there you'll use a steel tube to replace where the mixing chamber was after you've pulled it off. A brake line type material will work. Those screens could be clogged up and that can cause issues later. It will not cause the issues you describe but it's another thing to look at if you want.

This set of directions is far more thorough than I could ever be in one post.
http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/hutch.php
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...6_349061551358_603666358_3793195_332520_n.jpg


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## Silverstreak

yeah guzzle is the man when it comes to that stuff


injector cups is what it is IMO the hard to start is cause coolant is getting into the cylinder

be careful you dont break a piston, water doesnt like to compress. because of the hard start and the white smoke its injector related

get yourself a rebuild kit for 650 from pensacola diesel if youre a quick learner and cheap (like me)

otherwise take it to a good shop

the whole head gasket thing is much more rare 

and guys, if your tach doesnt move while cranking, then you can suggest CPS


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## 7.3 Plower

Silverstreak;1058092 said:


> yeah guzzle is the man when it comes to that stuff
> 
> and guys, if your tach doesnt move while cranking, then you can suggest CPS


I've been lucky enough to meet Bob (Guzzle) in person and he is a stand-up guy.

Also the tach trick isn't 100% accurate. I forget at the moment which years it works on but it only works on 1 or 2 model years.


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## SDPlowman

Could be an injector stuck WFO. I've seen it...
Fuel dumping in there can give you smoke. 
Raw fuel poors into the cylinder then runs past the rings while it sits=x-tra oil. 
We've had tow-ins that completely locked up from it. 
I'm not the diesel tech, but that's my 2 cents. Good luck.


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## DodgeRam1996

I'd love to fix this truck, but I don't have the time or money...I might sell the truck as is, based on what you have read and other info about the truck [2000 f450 210,000 miles, 12' utility body in good condition other than the engine], what do you think it's worth?


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## Kelsey

DodgeRam1996;1067879 said:


> I'd love to fix this truck, but I don't have the time or money...I might sell the truck as is, based on what you have read and other info about the truck [2000 f450 210,000 miles, 12' utility body in good condition other than the engine], what do you think it's worth?


any pic's ? 4x4? XL ? That all makes a big difference.


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## DodgeRam1996

Kelsey;1068148 said:


> any pic's ? 4x4? XL ? That all makes a big difference.


F450, 2x4, I don't think it's an XL (does not have power windows, etc)

I'll post some pics soon


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