blue smoke

2006moneypit · Feb 17, 2019

Hello all. Newby with first post. 2006 F350xl Srw, 4x4, manual transmission. Have had a few problems. Truck started running rough. Changed motor oil and added Rev x. Truck now blows blue smoke. Took to dealership, and committed 2 hours of diagnosis money. FICM was bad, and was replaced. Fuel conditioning module was replaced(stripped drain plug), and fuel filters changed. Fuel pressure regulator was upgraded to blue spring. Low boost code thrown. Back to dealership. New turbo installed, egr cleaned, ran great again. Blue smoke gone. Fueled up, and blowing blue smoke again. Smells like motor oil. Worse when cold. $3,600 in now, and getting worse. Wondering if it could be the fuel? Could the new turbo have already blown another seal? Truck is stock. I am original owner. Just shy of 80k miles. Thanks for reading!

2006moneypit · Feb 17, 2019

Additionally, the truck runs great! Shows boost on stock gauge of nearly 30psi. It doesn't appear to be using any fluids. When I checked the coolant level in the degas tank, the cap was holding pressure. It hadn't been run for 12 hours.

Hope you have some thoughts. Prefer to have a clue about things before I talk to the service tech about it.

Thank you!

2006moneypit · Feb 17, 2019

I checked fluid levels again this morning, and they all look the same. The Degas cap was holding pressure again, but I think that may be from running the block heater and the expansion of heated coolant? I plugged it several hours after I shut it down for the day.

2006moneypit · Feb 18, 2019

Drove the truck last night. Going to my destination, it smoked rather heavily. I would say the smoke is getting whiter. We had some icing while at my meeting. I started it up, and let it warm up for about 15 minutes. The ride home was more blue, with not as much smoke. I don't know. This think has me baffled.

6.0 Tech · Feb 18, 2019

Is it running rough or anything when it smokes?

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

2006moneypit · Feb 19, 2019

No. It ran rough at start before the FICM. I would have to say it hasn't ever run better.

2006moneypit · Feb 19, 2019

It seems like it smokes most when decelerating slightly. I have been revving my shift points up a bit, hoping it was some residual oil from turbo etc. It does clean up after you are above 1800 rpm, but lets the smoke roll as you back off at desired speed. It does smoke at idle, start up, and when I accelerate through the gears from a stop as well. Really concerned it may be deeper. $$$

03_PSD · Feb 19, 2019

I bet its burning oil the that was left in the exhaust from the bad turbo.

2006moneypit · Feb 19, 2019

Thanks, 03PSD.

Would you think that requires me to find a way to remove the residue, or will it take care of itself after a couple of hundred miles? Considered purchasing a catalytic converter test pipe in case it was plugged up with some old ash and oil.

03_PSD · Feb 19, 2019

Just drive it, I would think the hotter you can get the exhaust temps the quicker it would remove the residue. If in fact that's what's causing your smoking.

dmd · Feb 19, 2019

Is the engine oil level dropping?

2006moneypit · Feb 20, 2019

I am confused by how this thing is progressing. The truck has turned to blowing white exhaust in quantity, then back to blue, then no smoke at all. Took it to the tech, and it was blowing white if you let off the accelerator. By the time we were done, it had stopped smoking again. Thinking the egr cooler may have a small crack that changes shape as coolant temps change? She is under the knife again. sigh

2006moneypit · Feb 20, 2019

Engine oil level is constant, but coolant level is now going down.

BS Hauler · Feb 20, 2019

You have 2 things going on.
1. I think your EGR is going bad and causing the white smoke.
2. I think if you live in a cold area that you are not getting the exhaust warm enough to burn out the oil that the turbo left in it.

2006moneypit · Feb 21, 2019

We have a winner. Egr is bad, and the soot/oil residue is being liquified by the coolant and burning on the way out. I pull a flatbed full of round bales, and a cattle trailer more than I drive it. Would like to fix it better than stock. Have to replace egr and should do oil cooler. Going to check the sticky threads for advice on which short line product to use. Thanks for the help brainstorming!

Zeb · Feb 21, 2019

BS Hauler said:
You have 2 things going on.
1. I think your EGR is going bad and causing the white smoke.
2. I think if you live in a cold area that you are not getting the exhaust warm enough to burn out the oil that the turbo left in it.

I would agree with this diagnosis.
Typically if it is the egr cooler leaking you will loose coolant, with, or without, white smoke.
If it were a head gasket issue they typically don’t loose coolant until it barfs out the degas tank.
Oil in the exhaust can take awhile to burn out, especially if you have a catalytic converter and muffler.
Are you opposed to ******** the egr cooler? If not, I’d recommend the IPR Gen 3 egr ****** with the coolant filter, and an OEM oil cooler.

2006moneypit · Feb 21, 2019

concerns me a bit to ******, as dealership says they won't accept trade-ins with egr ******.

Zeb · Feb 21, 2019

2006moneypit said:
concerns me a bit to ******, as dealership says they won't accept trade-ins with egr ******.

Well, in that case your best bet is probably a Bulletproof egr cooler, and an OEM oil cooler, unless you plan on keeping the truck. Then I’d ****** it.

2006moneypit · Feb 21, 2019

I do plan on keeping it for at least a couple more years. If it ever gets to the sell it in the front yard condition, the ****** wouldn't be an issue. Just not sure I should spend money up front that needs to be taken back off and the full bill paid later to make it stock. Its a bit of a crap shoot!