O5 F250 Diesel smoking - Montana Owners Club

Cyrus · 09-25-2009, 12:58 AM

Drove about 75 miles yesterday to help my brother. When we finished I started for home and went less then a mile in town and noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. No smell or indication of any problems. Called my dealer service and was told it is the EGR valve and bring it in next week. He said I could drive it but keep an eye on the water temperature. Drove the 75 miles back home and once up to highway speeds never saw the smoke anymore even after slowing for lights or at home. Have not started it this morning.

Anybody had this problem?

IAMontana · 09-25-2009, 01:51 AM

I had a friend who had a case like yous but his started to smoke almost all the time and the dealer said it was either the head gaskets or the egr valve it ended up being a new motor it started with the egr then led to head gaskets which lead to piston and cylinder problems and all along he had no idea anything was wrong untill it started to blow white smoke. I'm not trying to scare you but with white smoke it most times is not good.

Cyrus · 09-25-2009, 01:52 AM

It was not smoking when I cut it off yesterday after driving the 75 miles. Started it up this morning and no smoke. Drove abou 5 miles and still no smoke. Can the EGR valve fix it self if that is what it is?

IAMontana · 09-25-2009, 02:03 AM

not very often the egr is in the exaust system and gets plugged up with oil and soot and does not clean itself it can cause higher water temps and all kinds of problems I took mine out and a bypass kit in after I put a new motor in my 05 but mine was not caused by the egr. mine was the return tube for the turbo that melted and dumped all the oil.

8e3k0 · 09-25-2009, 06:26 AM

With the 6.0 liters, the first item I would look at is head gaskets as this was a common problem especially when pulling. White smoke is moisture (water/antifreeze) at high volumes getting into your combustion system somewhere. My friends 6.0 liter was pushing oil into the antifreeze from the head gaskets whenever he pulled heavy 5th wheel loads. Ford relaces head gaskets on that engine something like 4 or 5 times with no success, this was a new 06 at the time and he finally dumped the truck. Any amount of antifreeze that gets into your oil or into the cylinders, and valve train on the combustion side chews up that metal pretty quick. Not a good lubricant at all!! Hopefully yours could be something as simple as the EGR. Try the Ford Powerstoke Forum and I am sure you'll get specific help from the experiences on that board.

BB_TX · 09-25-2009, 07:35 AM

I had an '04 F250 that the EGR valve went bad. But the symptoms were different. Normal driving there was nothing noticeable. Even towing a 5,000# trailer on flat highway, nothing. But towing that same trailer up a hill, it would start sputtering and blowing black smoke. I had to hook up the trailer, take it to the dealer, let the service tech hook up his computer, and take him for a ride to show him what it was doing. EGR replaced and fine again.

trukdoc · 09-26-2009, 03:34 PM

It is not the EGR valve but rather the EGR exhaust cooler. It is a booger to change just did one this week. Unless your are quite mechanically inclined leave it for someone else. Not a lot of special tools involved just hard work.
The easiest way to tell if it is the EGR cooler or head gaskets is to remove your oil filler cap. Being it is the high point in the engine moisture will collect here. Touch the water with your finger and taste it. If it tastes like antifreeze it is likely head gaskets. If there is no condensation it likely is the EGR cooler. The only way to confirm this is to loosen the X- over pipe and pressurize cooling system to about 15 psi. Do not start engine,and wait. If the cooler is leaking, after a few minutes it will be leaking out the exh pipe where you loosened it.
As for check engine or ECM codes, if will not set any codes so computer diagnostics will not help.

Cyrus · 09-27-2009, 02:33 AM

Rick,
Thanks for all the information. I take it to the dealer Tuesday. I will look at the things you are telling me in your post before I take in so I can ask better questions.

Checked the oil filler cap and no moisture. Ran the engine and still smoking. Cut it off and checked the oil filler cap again and still no moisture. Sounds like the EGR exhaust cooler.

trukdoc · 10-03-2009, 04:25 AM

How did the truck come out.

Cyrus · 10-03-2009, 07:53 AM

I thought it was going to be done Friday since they were working on it. I was told it is the EGR exhaust cooler and they have it in stock. I called about 5pm Friday and the guy I deal with had left, he had told me the mechanic was working on other trucks also. I hope it will be done Monday?

I know they have cut back in the service department because they don't have the work load like they use to. Biggest Ford dealer in area. I guess people are not getting cars & trucks serviced.

Cyrus · 10-08-2009, 01:48 AM

I got my truck back and all work was covered by 100K mile Ford warrantee on the 6.0L engine. I did pay $100 deductable. They flushed the cooling system and changed the oil along with other things, as they say, to numerous to mention. I purchased a 75K mile extended warrantee when I bought the truck but the engine had it's own 100K warrantee. Put about 175 miles on it yesterday, not towing, and it runs great. Feels like it has more power and smoother shifting?

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