PLEASE HELP! sluggish with no power when cold

[jframe]

I am a first time diesel owner,and I'm not a tech by any means,so I need you guys help to diagnose the prob.
04 f-250 sd fx4 cc sb
6.0 w/edge juice w/attitude
140,000 miles

Here is the problem,my truck is the most cold hearted sluggish thing I've ever seen.It has to be plugged in overnight starting at 50 or so degrees ,and then let warmed upfor about 10 mins.If I don't let it warm up long enough it will not accelerate at all and has absolutely no power.It doesn't smoke bad and once warm it runs and idles great w/ excellent pickup and power.

The jobsite I'm working on right now lets us park in parking garage,that is a little warmer than the outside temps (about 60-65 inside the garage),friday after work I start my truck and let it idle for 5 mins, and then took off,there is a slight incline to leave the garage (about a 20 degree) and my truck couldn't make it up so I had to back down and wait for it to warm up some more.I could understand if it was 10 -20 degrees but it was 65 degrees and had only sat 8 hours since I got to work.

I don't know if it's the injectors or glow plugs or what,It has done this since I bought it 2 yrs ago,before it had a programmer on it .And I don't have any problems in the summer ,wich is good cuz in st louis summer is 5-6 months long.

please help,
JASON

[quequeg37]

i have the exact same cold start-up problems. if you don't let it warm up for 10-15 mins. it will barely move on flat grade. when mine starts up it sounds so loud and will not idle up like it used to. the sound is like a knocking sound. when it runs for a while it runs just fine; poiwer idle acceleration engine sound. its like a doctor jeckle/ mr.hyde truck. it an 04 SD 6.0L diesel 4x4 4 dr. lwb duelly. i pull a 32' rv all across the country in all conditions and that motor or truck has never failed . it has ran for days an pulled tons endlessly. it was made to work. i have keep clean fuyel in it and changed oil and filters religiously. i guess they all have to have a little something go wrong. i read about these egr problems. i wonder if that could be problem. i also took and changed the flex fit rubbers on the cold air induction and found black oil(not much) but a trace in the pipe coming from turbo. What is that? That can't be normal. i'm having problems with dealers. evey one i go to doesn't fix problem or they say its not covered under warranty. i have 60k miles and it shouldn't run as horrible asit does now. ANY HELP PLEASE. Im near palm springs, ca

[BLT2SPD]

BUT THIS IS OK. SHE IS IN A SAFE MODE UNTILL SHE REACHES THE CORRECT TEMP. MY TRUCK DOES THE SAME THING IN THE MORNING. REAL SLOW UNTILL ABOUT 5 MINS ON DRIVING THEN THERE IS NO STOPPING THE BEAST!!! I HAVE A DIESEL FORD TECH BUDDY THAT TOLD ME THE OLDER ONES DO THAT UNTILL THEY WARM UP. ALSO HE SAYS TO CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3000. I KNOW THAT SEEMS MUCH BUT THEY GOTA HAVE GOOD CLEAN OIL, OR STUFFS GONNA BRAKE.

[jframe]

thanks,blt2spd, i wish there was a clear cut ,cheap remedy.ttyl

[fordmugg]

take it to the dealer and see if it has been updated with the new flash ......mine did the same till i took it in and they re flashed it with the new stuff and its great now

[jframe]

thanks jeff,do you remember what that cost ?

[fordmugg]

i think its around a hundred bucks to get it reflashed

[Travisn1]

i have that issue sometimes too. it makes a loud sucing sound when i do get it going then it will kick in and take off. i think mine is sticking turbo vanes when it is warm the issue is not there and the turbomakes wierd sounds during this cold time.

[GnFnRs]

mine was weak as hell when cold when i bought it. the dealer found 2 bad injectors in it. changed them and it ran like hell for ayear now it's doing it again. also has egr and oil cooler leaking

[troid123]

Originally Posted by quequeg37

i have the exact same cold start-up problems. if you don't let it warm up for 10-15 mins. it will barely move on flat grade. when mine starts up it sounds so loud and will not idle up like it used to. the sound is like a knocking sound. when it runs for a while it runs just fine; poiwer idle acceleration engine sound. its like a doctor jeckle/ mr.hyde truck. it an 04 SD 6.0L diesel 4x4 4 dr. lwb duelly. i pull a 32' rv all across the country in all conditions and that motor or truck has never failed . it has ran for days an pulled tons endlessly. it was made to work. i have keep clean fuyel in it and changed oil and filters religiously. i guess they all have to have a little something go wrong. i read about these egr problems. i wonder if that could be problem. i also took and changed the flex fit rubbers on the cold air induction and found black oil(not much) but a trace in the pipe coming from turbo. What is that? That can't be normal. i'm having problems with dealers. evey one i go to doesn't fix problem or they say its not covered under warranty. i have 60k miles and it shouldn't run as horrible asit does now. ANY HELP PLEASE. Im near palm springs, ca

huh??

Originally Posted by BLT2SPD

BUT THIS IS OK. SHE IS IN A SAFE MODE UNTILL SHE REACHES THE CORRECT TEMP. MY TRUCK DOES THE SAME THING IN THE MORNING. REAL SLOW UNTILL ABOUT 5 MINS ON DRIVING THEN THERE IS NO STOPPING THE BEAST!!! I HAVE A DIESEL FORD TECH BUDDY THAT TOLD ME THE OLDER ONES DO THAT UNTILL THEY WARM UP. ALSO HE SAYS TO CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3000. I KNOW THAT SEEMS MUCH BUT THEY GOTA HAVE GOOD CLEAN OIL, OR STUFFS GONNA BRAKE.

safe mode?