Blue smoke when idling

[tmanscrew]

Ok, here's the deal, I started noticing blue smoke while idling Friday! I first noticed this going to work Friday morning when I left a stoplight and happened to look in my passenger mirror and saw a big cloud of blue smoke when I took off. I started watching the rest of the way to work and I noticed that whenever I stopped and my truck was idling, it was blowing blue smoke. The smoke would stop whenever I took off and got the rpm's up, but would start back whenever I stopped and idled. Here are some other facts to consider, my truck very seldom smokes at all, even when I start it first thing every morning and this blue smoke does not start until the truck reaches normal operating temp. There is no missing or rough idling while it is smoking, it purrs like a cat, in fact. This issue just started all of a sudden, the best I can tell, because I have never noticed it before now. I just changed my oil 8 days ago, along with fuel filters, and everything looked fine. Could this be injectors? Should I check for codes while letting it idle and smoke, or is it likely to throw a code on this?

[chadow427]

Mine started doing that too about a week ago, I think I've got an injector hanging. When mine warms up or I rev it up, the smoke goes away.

[6.0DSLPWR]

Ive noticed the same thing from my truck a few times. But its been awhile since Ive noticed it lately. My buddy at work has a 04 and his truck does the same thing. Wonder what causes this?

[Mike Hickman]

Guiys I have A1 H11 studs EGR castrated it's cooler out now thats all it is unburnt fuel Mine did this in 70's yesterday..

[tmanscrew]

Mike, I hope you are right about it being upburnt fuel. I had someone tell me it was a bad head gasket. I am thinking how can it be a head gasket when it starts all of a sudden and only does it while idling once the truck warms up. While I bought my truck used, I am not rough on my truck and don't tow a lot of heavy loads over long distances, it is a daily driver. This guy also told me that it is smoking the whole time, I just don't see it once I accelerate and the rpm's get up. I sure hope he is wrong about the head gasket! Also, if it were a head gasket, wouldn't I be seeing more symptoms, ie. coolant in oil, white smoke or higher ECT?

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Last edited by tmanscrew : 11-02-2009 at 08:34 AM.

[psd_va]

i have a similar problem but mine only dose it first start up when cold dosen't do it anythign over maybe 65 or 70. and only dose it for about 5 sec or so. there was maybe 2 times that when it did it i have a few bad cylinder fires. (hard to explain in writing) but wouldn't consider it a rough idle. cause it would only do it a couple times then idle fine.

[tmanscrew]

Just got back from the service dept at the dealership and it appears my problem was a clogged EGR valve. The tech said he tested the it and it failed. I saw him undo something, then start the truck and floor the pedal and it made the worst rattling and knocking you have ever heard and smoke was going everywhere. I guess he disconnected the old one and did this test. He then replaced it with at new one, which was covered under the Ford ESP, so that didn't cost me a dime. However, I did wind up paying $108, and that was for a reflash on the computer($65) and three gallons of Premium Gold coolant($36) plus tax. I am hoping this has me all fixed up. I also talked to the tech for a few minutes when he was finished about general 6.0 stuff. He said one of the worst things for the truck is just puttin' around. He said if you do that you need to run it like you stole is at least once a week to keep it blown out. Just thought I would pass this info along and maybe it will help someone in the future.

[fiveton]

I just changed my oil and fuel filters and now I have blue smoke coming out of my exhaust also but before I changed my filters I had notta zip no smoke at all. What's going on here.

[psd_va]

^^i have a similar problem but my egr is deleted.

^ i have read that we should run syn 5w30? with and may help with the smoke. gonna try it next oil change but i still have like 3k before im due

[tmanscrew]

Yeah, it looks like I may have spoken too soon. Noticed yesterday evening and this morning that the blue smoke is still there! This really ticks me off. Well, at least I have a new EGR valve and we know that is not the problem. Fiveton, I am like you in wondering if the changed fuel filters has anything to do with it. That is the only thing new I have done to my truck lately. I don't think that would cause blue smoke, though, would it? I thought blue smoke is oil. The tech said it would be a few days before all the smoke disappeared. I am going to give it until Monday and I am going back. Sure do wish one of the techs on here would chime in and give some insight on this issue. It is kinda embarrasing when you pull up at the school to let your boy out and you fog the duty teachers up with smoke from your truck!