'04 6.0 liter black smoke/rough run now won't start
 

This is long, forgive me, hoping to give most information possible.
My 2004 Ford 6.0(built Oct. 2003) has 161,000 miles on it and recently underwent an EGR- and oil cooler replacement (about 3000 miles ago/Aug. '09). The symptoms then were white smoke and no power once it heated up, but once it cooled down, I could re-start and drove it over to the garage where it was repaired by my son.
Fast forward to last Wednesday: I was under a quarter tank of fuel, and started up, let it warm up, then drove away. Upon acceleration,I noticed a rough "stalling" sensation and thought I had better get some diesel in it really soon, thought that the hill I had parked on might have exacerbated the low tank. I idled down the hill (no noticeable stalling on the way or anything) to the nearest station, bought 50 bucks worth and went about my business. The truck ran perfectly.
I drove about 50-60 miles that night, shut off and re-started the truck four times in all.
The next morning, (cold out so the block heater was plugged in) I unplugged the truck, started and let it warm, then headed off for town (about 15 miles away). Halfway there, I was rolling along at about 55-60 not accelerating just maintaining speed when it started to shake and stall, noticed it was smoking but not what color.
Once I let off the pedal, it smoothed out and we eased our way into town. It was fine unless I asked for speed or encountered a hill when it would start to rattle loudly and shake. I parked it.
I called my son (who usually repairs the vehicle) is away fishing with his father (for work, not play) and he asked me to re-start the truck and notice if it ran ok. It did, although when I stepped on the pedal it started to rattle, shake and refused to go above 1500 rpm at which point clouds of black smoke came out.
I turned it off.
The next day, my son was back in from fishing so he tried to start it. It would not start and eventually he drained the batteries trying to get it to run. His theory was that we might have gotten some bad fuel and he got some fresh diesel and poured it directly in, but it wouldn't fire although it came close a few times.
After charging the batteries for 15 hours, same story. It will not start anymore.
Would the EGR be bad again already (another tech told him they go bad pretty often, but wow?).

Thanks for any input....this is our work/play/life truck at this point and I need it back.
Son should be back in again tomorrow sometime and the last thing he wants to do after tinkering with the boat's Cummins and Isuzus is dink around with the truck, but jeez!
Some direction would help greatly.
Son's more of a car/gas engine mechanic at this point, but he's learning diesel mechanics out of necessity. *LOL*


Liz

What part of the country you live in?? If it's been in the teens to below 0 the last few days, chances are your gelled up and the filter is plugged off from wax crystals. Only remedy is to add Power Service 911 to the tank, change the fuel filter, and add some PS 91 to the filter bowl. When you get it started, keep the pedal to the floor to run the PS through the engine and suck the treated fuel to it (going to run like crap for a couple minutes). Don't let off the throttle till it runs normal, otherwise your back to cranking on it again. Next chance you get, top off the tank with #1 diesel and a cetane booster.

We are in the NW, it has only been in the 20's.
Another tech mentioned the cetane booster as the only way to keep from going through EGR problems with it. Cetane booster is kind of spendy isn't it?

Depends on who makes it. Can get Power Service Diesel Kleen for $6 (treats 40 gals) or $9 and treat 100 gal. Amsoil makes a cetane booster for $6 (treats 100 gals I think), Diesel Power is about $7 and it treats 100 gals (made by Sta-bil and Heat).

Thanks, wildbill, Iwill text him this info...hopefully get it started tomorrow.
I feel like a member of the family is ill/ and I hope it's not a deathbed!
Enjoying reading the other threads...I would like to keep this truck and grab up another diesel for our work truck, so we need good resources like this.

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We don't think it's gelled fuel.
The Bio Diesel content of the fuel we have gotten is 2%, I dont' think it would have gelled in the 30-45 degree weather we had over those two days.

Best guess is another EGR.... Gets OLD!

Ordered another EGR, it will be here tomorrow.

Let us know if it was it.

Please update.

Sadly, no, it was not entirely the EGR.
the new one seemed to encourage the truck to start, but it runs poorly.
The new sound has a "vroom" rev, accompanied by black smoke cloud when it makes the rev.
Won't run over 1000 rpm, dies/stalls if it is given any pedal.
It was towed away Saturday. Son thinks it could be a fuel injector, have also had a guess of a fuel pressure regulator?

A diesel tech is going to look at it hopefully tomorrow night.


I'll update!


Liz

I don't suppose there are any codes or a check engine light or anything? Could be a few different things from a bad MAP sensor to a bad injector, bad lift pump, bad HPOP, ect.

my truck is having the same issues...
 

hey Nootka,
I am having the almost identical problems with my truck. My truck is a 2003 Ford F-250 6.0 Ltr.

My truck idles real bad like its missing and sounds like it wants to die and when I get up to about 45 mph the truck starts rattling real bad! I think my teeth are still rattling! I took my truck yesterday to a small "mom & pop" shop and they put it on a machine to pull codes and it came back with the codes P0261 (Injector Circuit Low Cyl. 1) and P0263 (Cyl. 1 Contribution/balance fault). They said they could not accurately diagnose the issue and that the repair was out of their realm of expertise. So I picked up the truck last night and still have the same problem.

I took the truck to a diesel mechanic and he is currently looking at it for me. I will let you know if I get any news and if he can fix it. Me personally, I think it is the FICM. I did a bunch of research and the codes it pulled are codes that come up when you either have a weak or bad FICM. The FICM is my bet on the problem, but I am not for sure as I am not a mechanic. I called the dealership to find out how much a new FICM was and it was $985 installed and programmed. So Im not about to spend that kind of money on what "I think" it is. I need to know 100% that this is the problem. Hopefully the mechanic can pinpoint the problem and fix it for me for a reasonable price. I'll let ya know what happens. I'll look at your posts as well, maybe you can give me some insight on your problem. Maybe we have the same issue. :scare2:

Updates??

Here we have the "official" diagnosis from a very reliable source:

It is the Fuel Injector Control Module and we're picking it up for about $600.
I believe I will have my truck back this evening!

Thanks everyone for the input.


Liz

Please update.

Hey guys IM not sure if this might help but here it goes,

I have a 2005 f-250 6.0 and around 50,000 miles (while on a long road trip) i ran inot the same problem (while pulling a heavy trailer croos country no less) any ways It turned about to be the egr, 2 days later same problem, brought it back ot the fors dealer where it was fixed, thay had informed me it was again the egr as they had recieved a bad batch , ok problem fixed, no biggy, or so I thought well while heading back home same thing , turned of to be the egr cooler, so when back in ny the dealer put in a new egr and a new egr cooler and i havent had any problem since (thank god keep my fingers crossed) now i have 110,000 miles and i havent had a problem since then,
AS for treatment in the summer times I run the red cap bottle from ford ceaten booster (and i have notice impressive fuel millage gains) and in the winter i run the black cap bottle from ford its a anti gel plus ceante booster, there both fors products for good for bid the dealer cant say the treatment made my injectores or pump , or anythign else go bad

Hope this helps please lets us know GOOD LUCK

Closing the thread down for now.