Possible Injector Issues, or maybe not...

[KPSquared]

Hey guys,

I have recently purchased a 2001 F350. I'm having some issues with it idling a little rough and smoking white when it's warming up, or when it sits for a long time idling. Not a ton of smoke or anything, but more than my dad's stock 1999 and strong smelling. I also get not great mileage. (like 16 mpg tops, that's Canadian MPG by the way, so like 13 US mpg)

I have a DIY Tymar style intake and there is a dfuser 18k module that was in the truck when I got it.

I just found out this morning that the previous owner had rebuilt the injectors in the last year with a Stage 2 kit from Rosewood Diesel. I emailed Jim @ Rosewood to find out what he sold the guy. He told me "Stage-2 Kit, which overhauls the injectors and adds new larger Stage-2 nozzles"

Could the larger nozzles cause some over-fueling without a chip? Right now I don't have chip, but once my gauges are in and exhaust is done (4" Straight Pipe) I plan to order something up from Jody @ DP.

I'm taking the truck into my local diesel performance shop on Tuesday morn to run some diagnostics and hopefully they can help. They are hardcore 7.3 guys.

Can anyone tell me how to properly set the Dfuser 18k? Should I even use it? Just driving around I can't really tell it's there. I mostly keep it turned all the way down 'cause I don't understand it and don't want to hurt anything. I don't even know if I can hurt anything with it.

Thanks for the help.

[KPSquared]

Hard to get a response here?

I took the truck in and got the diagnostics run. Buzz test checked out, no serious codes, the diesel tech said they were just normal issues and cleared them.

My diesel guy thinks I need new injectors, but thats a costly project.

Can anyone give me anything? I am going to hook up a Bully Dog Triple Dog to it tomorrow and see if a higher performance setting works better with the Stage 2 injectors.

I guess theres's always the chance the guy screwed up the DIY rebuild...

Let me know what y'all think!

[partsguy84823]

Well, if they are true stage 2 injectors, you're going to need custom computer tuning to compensate for the additional fuel. The stock PCM and IDM think they are controling stock injectors. The PCM needs to be aware that for each injection event, more fuel is being injected than stock. Bully Dog won't do this for you. You need custom tunes. DP would be fine.

As far as the resistor mod, I'd get rid of it. Custom tuning will be all you need.

And welcome to powerstroke.org!

[KPSquared]

As far as I know, they are a true Stage 2 injector. The guy I bought it from purchased the Stage 2 DIY rebuild kit from Rosewood Diesel before they quit selling them.

I talked to him and he assured me that everything was within spec when he installed the kits. I can only hope he had a clue what he was doing.

It's doesn't feel like the truck is missing or anything, just a bit of a rough idle and some smoke. Never a lot and it dissipates quickly.

Anyone else think that it just needs better tuning? I would like to think that's the case, but I don't have a ton of cash to burn right now and if I drop $500 on a DP Tuner, I need to have a pretty good idea it's gonna help.

The diesel guy up here wants about $2500 for a set of new Alliant injectors. I can get them shipped from the states for less than $2000 so I think that's the route I'll go if I do end up needing new ones.

[partsguy84823]

If you're thinking DP is the way you want to go, give Jody a call and see what his opinions are. After all, he is the one who writes the tunes on these things, he will know better than most what all needs to be changed in the tuning to run the larger sticks.

Also, if you just want to be able to drive the truck and have it run well for right now, you could get the new F8 chip from DP with just a modified stock tune on it for $190. Then when you want to upgrade you can send the chip back and have more tunes added and buy the rotary knob to switch between the tunes.

Let us know what you wind up doing.

[KPSquared]

I left a msg @ DP this morning and am waiting to hear back. I think I'll get the F5 just cause I like how the controller looks. It's only like another $50... that I can spare, it's just the hundreds and thousands that I'm having a hard time swallowing.

I can do it if I have to, but then other things have to get put on hold (like my wifes new Camera I had planned for her b-day...)

I'm just trying to get some opinions on how the truck will run with a stock tune and Stage 2 injectors.

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I'll let you know what Jody says. I hope it's that simple... then I get to buy my chip earlier than expected... If it's injectors, then everything has to wait for a while. Have to start picking up a few more overtime shifts...

[partsguy84823]

I understand man, I bought my truck needing some work done to it; and even though I got a smoking deal on the truck, it still hurt when I had to spend more money on it right after buying it.

I wish you luck, but based on how you have described it I'm really thinking tuning will take care of your problems.

[KPSquared]

I plugged the Bully Dog in to check the codes again and it came up with 0133 and 1211. The first is an ICP Voltage thing that I assume was due to the 18 K module being on.

The 1211 is a weak o2 sensor... Should I replace that? Is that going to contribute to some of this issue?

[KPSquared]

I ran the Bully Dog on the way to work and I noticed a marked improvement. The idle vibration is WAY less. I still haven't heard from DP, but when I do, I think I'll be ready to order.

[strokin_not_cummin]

hey yall im new to the site and im a mechanic not real good at computers and i know this is unrelated to the topic but i have no idea how to post a new thread anyone who can tell me how to do this i think you in advance