confused diesel mechanic

[matowns]

I have a 1997 f250 7.3l turbo. I carried it to a mechanic yesterday - symptoms are loss of power, turbo not spooling up, hard start (25-30 seconds) white smoke at crank until warm and also white smoke at idle. I paid him $100 to say I don't know what is wrong with it the only code it is pulling is p1212 any help will be greatly appreciated. The truck has 220k miles and has been poorly kept up.

[Nashotah7]

gotta love "mechanic techs".......if there isn't a code, there is nothing wrong with itand they don't know where to even start. I would guess that you are having an injector problem, that is where I would start. Also I am sure you have more than one problem. Check out your injectors, glow plug relay, change the oil (been neglected sounds like), put in a new fuel filter, and go from there. I don't know what that code is you listed, and I am sure someone here will come along and tell you. Good luck and I hope you get her fixed, this is the place to ask.

[matowns]

I have changed oil rotella oil filter fram air filter purolator fuel filter purolator I think. It is also using not leaking about 5 quarts per thousand miles.

[Nashotah7]

Sounds like you may be looking at a rebuild. If you are sure it is using that much oil and not leaking it, then I would say you have some bad rings. That would also explain loss of power and slow starts. A diesel relies on compression to fire unlike a gas motor that uses a spark plug. How many miles are on it?

[DieselFord]

Google

[matowns]

The truck has 220,000 miles I looked under the truck and it has an oil leak somewhere around the oil filter and also somewhere around steering shaft by the steering section. So I retract my statement about no leaks.

[DieselFord]

Originally Posted by matowns

code it is pulling is p1212 any help

Google for P1212 code help.

[Nashotah7]

Well unless it is pouring out of those two leaks, then I would say you still have bad rings. That is alot of oil, damn near half of capacity, to be using every 1000 miles. I have a little over 290,000 on mine and I might have to put a quart in between oil changes (every 5000 miles). Have you checked your hpop for leaks or the hoses? I would also check the oil level in the hpop and make sure it is within a inch of the top. Did you just buy this truck?

[STANGMAN893]

I would look towards bad injector o-rings.They go bad and don't throw a code all the time has been my experience.Mine went bad and used a gallon in
30 miles.They end up burning the engine oil with the fuel and mine only smoked cold.Do the glow plugs and wire harnesses while in there if you decide to look into it.

[Nashotah7]

Good idea Stangman, I had the same thing happen, but I didn't lose that much oil, but then again I didn't drive much more than a couple miles after all that smoke was coming out of the tail pipe. That is why I didn't suggest that.