White smoke, hesitation when damp out!? - Diesel Forum

finchturf · 11-07-2008, 10:21 PM

Title pretty much says it all. Seems to do it when damp or raining. Truck has 58.5K miles on it. Pipes are still clean... Almost feels like the engine's "loading up". It hesitates and then when you look behind you - a smokescreen that KITT would be proud of! This happens when truck is warm, been running all day, not idling. Anyone else have this prob? Of course when I took it to dealer, it was dry out and no codes were ever thrown. Any help would be appreciated.

hkyplr · 11-07-2008, 10:57 PM

If you do a search you will find much info on this topic, but basically it is your truck starting a regen cycle when the DPF isn't up to temp so it is basically throwing all of the unburnt fuel out of the tail pipe. I would guess that your truck is a job 1 with the original computer program on it. This thing was addressed in future flashes.

goldfish1 · 11-09-2008, 08:42 AM

my truck does it. I have never had clean pipes. i have the most recent flash that tells when the exhaust filter is being cleaned. there is nothing on display when my truck stumbles and smokes. i took it in 6 months ago and they found a code and solved the problem for about 3 months this summer. It started back about the same time as the regular exhaust got blacker. no codes this time. it usually happens when i have been cruising along at 55 to 60 mph for a while, then if i slow down for traffic or to make a turn without coming to a stop, it will do it when i accelerate. it did it 3 days in a row last week. it would be bad if you pulled out to pass and it faltered. so now i make a test run before i pass on 2 lane roads. i do not know the cause.

dieselwhisperer · 11-09-2008, 12:41 PM

Goldfish, mine used to do that quite a bit but hasn't done it for a while now. Exact same thing, slow down to pay a toll or slow down for someone turning left in front of you and the truck would billow white smoke and spit and sputter. I did have the 08B07 flash done Oct. 23 and maybe that has some bearing on it. My pipes are also black and I can leave a trail of black smoke. I really think mine has stopped regening if that is possible. I've driven over 600 miles since the flash including 1 road trip to NC and havn't seen a "cleaning exhaust" light. Dealer says no code, no problem. In my opinion, it's a sad day when you buy a brand new 45 to 55K truck and have to worry about if the truck will go when you need it to! It just ain't right.

1/2tired · 11-09-2008, 02:12 PM

It sounds like you have a Job 1 truck, as mine does the same thing on cold damp days, when the truck is in a regen cycle. It usually occurs during acceleration though and doesn't last too long.
I would be careful with flash updates from Ford though... We seem to be having a bit of "technical difficulty" with those right now!
Do you have any way to actively monitor your regen cycles? It would let you know immediately if this reply was in the ballpark?

goldfish1 · 11-09-2008, 06:52 PM

i have had 3 cleaning messages about 500 to 600 miles apart since ford reprogrammed my truck with 08B07. so the display is working, my performance has stayed the same as before reflash. still have black pipes(since day 1) and black smoke when pulling the 10k trailer. last summer ford reflashed the truck and; fuel mileage increased, less regens and less black smoke. no stuttering or white smoke for 3 or 4 months. my truck will do this even on 80 degree day full of sunshine and low humidity. by the way
ford did reimburse me for my out of warranty radiator expense i incurred before the recall.

skippydoo · 11-10-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finchturf

Title pretty much says it all. Seems to do it when damp or raining. Truck has 58.5K miles on it. Pipes are still clean... Almost feels like the engine's "loading up". It hesitates and then when you look behind you - a smokescreen that KITT would be proud of! This happens when truck is warm, been running all day, not idling. Anyone else have this prob? Of course when I took it to dealer, it was dry out and no codes were ever thrown. Any help would be appreciated.

Mine has done this too. I have had several reflashes and even a new motor with the latest flash. The motor was due to the front cover leaking water into the crankcase. The motor is 100% new every senser etc. Still does it when it rains or very damp. Dont matter if its hot or cold out. I truely believe it in the fuel map or someting with the egr valve opening when it should not. Let off the gas and 90% of the time it goes away. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A REGEN. I have almost 84k

dieselwhisperer · 11-11-2008, 06:38 AM

skippydoo, I agree with you. It has nothing to do with regen. Mine hasn't done it in a while, but if it does, just back off the pedal and then back into it and it will straighten out every time.

finchturf · 11-11-2008, 11:19 AM

I have a Job 2 w/ the latest flash (message center updated). I don't think it has anything to do w/ regen either. It does it as described above, when you slow on a highway, pay a toll, etc... It feels like the carb is loaded up. I am using this for reference only - I know that the truck doesn't have a carb, etc... That's just how it feels when its stumbles and smokes. I'll keep you all posted if the dealer can come up w/ anything. No codes and clean pipes though...

skippydoo · 11-11-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finchturf

I have a Job 2 w/ the latest flash (message center updated). I don't think it has anything to do w/ regen either. It does it as described above, when you slow on a highway, pay a toll, etc... It feels like the carb is loaded up. I am using this for reference only - I know that the truck doesn't have a carb, etc... That's just how it feels when its stumbles and smokes. I'll keep you all posted if the dealer can come up w/ anything. No codes and clean pipes though...

I just had a new complete motor installed and the most current flash. I swear it does it more now than ever when its raining or real humid. I have had dirty pipes from day one. I know its not a bad senser since all is new. This one will take a very good tech to solve. To me it feels like the egr valve is opening when it should not, but thats just my opinion.

4link40 · 11-11-2008, 09:13 PM

Same deal here, I only get it when its raining. If I roll into it slowly nothing happens but if I dump the pedal it "loads" on fuel and pumps white smoke out the tail until I let off. It feels stumbly and like its overloaded with fuel. I brought it to the dealer and they found nothing. ? Makes it really hard to tow when it rains!

Stalwart · 11-12-2008, 01:38 PM

I have noticed EVERY regen my truck has had in 24,000 miles. Since the latest flash, I have not noticed one . . . yet. On the older tune, the white/light blue smoke happend ONLY at the start of a regen, no other time! If the truck was up to full temp and pulling any load there was never any smoke (only the black type during rapid acceleration) but if the truck was still cold or it was wet out I would get the smoke at outside temperatures of up to 60 degrees.

HMTR · 11-18-2008, 09:58 PM

My truck does this as well. It seems to do it worse when it's damp out, but I've had happen on dry days as well. The temp is usually around 55-65 outside when it does it.
I was merging in front of three lanes the other day in Tulsa and it did it! Blowing smoke, and NO power. Had to come clean back to idle to get it to clean up. People were p*ssed..

The strange thing about this problem is that it didn't show up for a long time. I had over 25k on the truck before it happened. Have 36k on it now. Pipes have always been black, got the latest greatest flashes as well. Never any codes.

I'm going to have to agree with the other poster in that I don't think my truck regens either. I only actually seen the cleaning exhaust filter message flash for about 1 second since I've got the flash that enabled it

When this occurs, I still have tons of boost. I've even just held it to the mat to see if I can make it set a fault, or blow the heck up. Just get tons and tons of smoke, no power, and I've never got it to come out of it without coming clear off of the pedal.

I do drive the truck hard and hardly ever tow with it, although the first time I seen it happen was when I was towing with it. Thought the engine blew!

We have tried to contact engineering on it, but they seem to be at a loss. Can't even suggest anything to look for. I'm going to buy an interface so at least I can start trying to log something.

shawnl · 11-19-2008, 02:12 AM

90,000 miles on my truck now and I had been having the same problem since the day it was new. It would start "stumbling and sputtering" when getting on the throtle after extended consistant speeds, nothing major but deffinatly there was something wrong. several trips to the dealer and never a solution, no codes and could 'nt get it to do the same for the mechanic. Well after taking it in when the EGR valve stuck for 2-3 minutes while driving it was replaced and worked fine. A few days later I put about 250 miles on the truck during consistant rainfall all day. Now normally the truck would have acted up several times during the day with the amount of rain that was falling but it did not do it at all, in fact it has not done it again during several days of rain. When I told my mechanic that has known of this from when the truck was new could not explain how the new EGR valve and the mixing bowl replacement "due to the valve being stuck" could cause these wet weather issues. Maby this is just a fluke but after 90,000 miles of the same rain issues and then there gone I have to believe it's related to the valve or the mixing bowl. Good luck!

CooperDog · 11-19-2008, 06:43 PM

Finally I get some relief. I posted about this about 2-3 months ago and got very few responces. Finally I feel vindicated and as if I am not Crazy. It has been to the dealer numerous times and even had a flight recorder installed on two different ocations....no codes.

I also have never seen the regen display in 15K miles but I get out and do notice the exhaust is a little hotter and I can smell a difference in the heat if that makes sence. Truck is now starting to surge while backing a trailer and slowly pulling forward. I'm going to print this page and take it to the service manager to show I am not the only one.