white smoke and dying issue

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

Got an 00 7.3 with 275 on the clock, havomg issues woth it bogging down and smokimg and back firing after awhile. Then complety dieing. Cleaned the fuel tank cleaned the sending unit and changed the lift pump. All with no help. Will run amazing for like 20 min then start to hesitate and smoke white n bog down. I neeed help!!!

POWER-STRUCK · Jul 1, 2013

Have you done any diag? ODDTC'S actual fuel pressure? Oil condition?

Arisley · Jul 1, 2013

Check the alternator.

always-strokin · Jul 1, 2013

Backfiring? A diesel shouldn't backfire. If that happens, I bet it means fried valves, but hopefully others have some input.

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

Well the oil is a little thin but still pretty clean. Hooked it up to a scanner not throwing any codes or any saved codes. It sounds like its back firing it just might it getting a spurt a fuel all of a sudden and firing. Ive replaced the lift pump and dropped the tank completly cleaned out and put fresh fuel in. Old fuel was real dirty and i could bairly get it to light off even adding a straight flame. Originally it was the dirt in the tank due to it being an old logging truck. Guy i got it from cut a hole in the bed to acsess the sending unit to clean it out when it started running like ****. First time he pulled it out there was grass and all kinds of **** in the prescreens. Then it ran fine till it sucked **** up again. He could never get it to run good so he sold it to me. Every time it acted up before i dropped the tank i would just tske the sending unit out and clean it. Then it would fire up again and be fine for awhile. So a buddy who os real good with the 7.3 told me to just drop the tank n clean it.

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

What would the alt have to do witg the way it runs? Its got two brabd new batterys

Lethalthreat7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

Sounds like a fuel flow issue but as Arisley stated what is the alternator charging at?
I worked on a truck that would act up intermittently after it had been running after 30 or so minutes. New batteries and cables. If I hadn't caught it myself i would have never believed it was an alternator problem.
The truck sitting read 12.9v on just batteries. The alternator would discharge 13.9, good right. The truck started acting up again so I had two meters out as I swore it was electrical. Tested with the truck off- 12.6v on the batts. Started the truck and only had 12.3v indicating a bad alternator when suddenly it jumped to 14.3v and was charging. Tested the damn thing for what seemed like a thousand times with no problem, charging great then Bam, it dropped again then suddenly started charging. Anyway, replaced alternator and problem hasn't returned.
Weird as they normally just quit charging but I caught it by a fluke.
Still thing you have a bunch of crap in the system.
Have you thought about back-flushing all the fuel lines?

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

i did back flush the fuel system when i had the tank out. i took a gallon water jug and filled it with clean fuel. stuck the positive fuel line into the jug and caught all the old fuel in another jug from the return line. another thing theres two looks to be ball valve ports. one on the front and one on the rear of the fuel tank. now i do believe they should be connected as there was a rubber hose coming off each one going to a metal line that connected the two, that metal line had rusted away and broke apart and was no longer connected..... i connected the two with a high pressure rubber line..... anyone know what exactly those two little ball valves do? if that would have been and issue too or not?

How exactly does the alt make the truck run like **** if its not getting enough power?
sorry im new to the diesel world......:/

mandkole · Jul 1, 2013

Was the CPS changed, or has it been changed? Youd see a code for it, but I saw a 2 foot flame/backfire out the pipe when it acted up at 70mph on the FILs 97.

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

honestly i dont know what that even stands for so most likely no. so far ive changed the lift pump and the fuel filter......

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

im assuming crank position sensor?

mandkole · Jul 1, 2013

cam position sensor - it did everything that you described and then some. I chased fuel issues for awhile (filters, verified no water in fuel, pressure, etc) then found the evo to read the code even though the CEL was not on. Replaced the sensor and all was good.

patoka7.3 · Jul 1, 2013

i just drove it for about 75 miles tonight and not a single issue since i dropped the tank yesterday and scrubbed it all out fresh fuel in and added water remover...... im almost 80% sure there was junk watery fuel at the bottom of the tank. i pumped 15 gal out then the remaining 1-2 gal i dumped into my fire pit..... then out of interest i tried lighting it on fire and just as i suspected..... it would not burn...... that could be where the realllllly big white clouds of smoke from the exhaust could have been coming from..... water=coolant coolant=white smoke... idk if im right here but im hoping thats the issue. how expensive are cps ?

POWER-STRUCK · Jul 1, 2013

patoka7.3 said:
how expensive are cps ?

free-$30

Big Angry Hillbilly · Jul 1, 2013

Did you take the sending unit apart and clean the two internal cylindrical filters in if?

patoka7.3 · Jul 2, 2013

Ya i took it all apart blew it all out got every tiny bit out. How is a sensor free to 30 bucks lol

Arisley · Jul 2, 2013

patoka7.3 said:
How exactly does the alt make the truck run like **** if its not getting enough power?
sorry im new to the diesel world......:/

These trucks are very critical on power. If the voltage drops, it will run like $hit. I had a weak alternator once, with the headlights off, it would run fine. Turn the headlights on and within five minutes, it would start missing, smoking like crazy and would eventually die.

However, I no longer think that is your issue.

Upon further explanation, you need to do this modification.

http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/hutch.php

Also, you say the oil is thin. Unless you know how long it has been, I would also do an oil change.