Truck is having issues

[DutchVDub]

I towed the Jeep up past Idaho Springs yesterday and right before I got there the truck started running rough, seemed to me it lost an injector or two. The boost gauage would get erratic under load and it was letting out grey smoke. As I was pretty much there I just pulled into the fuel station where I normally stop to meet with people before heading to the trailhead and unloaded the Jeep.

I got done with wheeling and loaded back home. I started the truck and it was still missing. I pulled out of the fuel station and started heading back home, figured I had no other choice as I couldn't afford a tow from there plus I had the Jeep and trailer.

Started heading back down the pass, the truck was definitely down on power and continually blowing grey smoke when I would give it throttle. Shortly afterwards it started making a really loud tapping/knocking noise that was RPM related. I got all the way back to my exit but when I stopped at a the traffic light just past the exit ramp the truck died and wouldn't start. I managed to get a couple guys in an F-150 to strap me the 3 miles to my house, trailer and all.

This morning I made sure the HPOP resevoir had oil in it (it did) and tried starting it again, no dice. Just for ****s I sprayed a bit of ether at the airfilter and tried again. It started up and continued to run, grey smoke coming out of the exhaust the entire time. I unloaded the Jeep and unhooked the trailer, truck kept running the entire time. I then drove it up my driveway and parked it. After I shut it off I waited almost a minute and then tried to start it up again. It fired up, although a bit hesitantly.

So thats where I'm at now. I'm glad I can get it to start, that makes it easier to test. I've got a guy thats going to bring a scanner over tomorrow to see if there are any codes and to perform some tests. I'm also going to pull the valve covers off and check the wiring there. Any other hints?

[99liftedstroker]

do you have a video of it running? it could be the injector cups went bad. is there oil in the coolent or coolent in the oil

[DutchVDub]

I'm prerry sure I've got it nailed down to a failed injector. Cylinder 5 failed the cylinder contribution test but passed the buzz test. I'm going to replace both UVCH's and swap a different injectors into cylinder 5. While I've got the cylinder out I'm also going to do a compression test on it to make sure nothing else is going on.

No coolant in the oil or vice versa, no bubbles in the coolant while its running, no smell of burning coolant while it was driving, and no white smoke while it was driving either. I'm pretty sure the headgasket and cups are good, but again I'll run a compression test on my failed cylinder just to be sure.

[OverkillMotorsports]

Is this thing fixed yet?

[Rattlesnake18]

Yeah, what the hell? Is it fixed yet?

[DutchVDub]

Getting ready to strap it to Jared's "shop" now. Then it will be taken apart and fixed in the only way I know how to fix a Ford, by taking it to the scrapper.

I will say this is my first Ford I've ever owned out of nearly 30 cars. Its also the first vehicle I ever blew the engine up on. I'm just saying.

I'm getting me a fuel sipper first and then I'll be saving up for another 7.3L, most likely a Superduty this time. I figure they already have a 17deg pump, intercooler, and 6spd transmission so I'll probably go that route.

[OverkillMotorsports]

Your first mod should be an EGT gauge when you get another truck whether its a Chevy , Dodge or FORD as diesels are different then gassers.

***************************

DutchVDub's

I just towed the Jeep up HWY-7 from Lyons towards Estes Park and man am I glad I don't have an EGT gauge to look at. 3000rpm at 40mph in 3rd and spiking upwards of 17psi for a very long time up that hill. I bet I fried my pistons on that one.

***************************

[DutchVDub]

They are? Really? I had no idea.

Tow 65,000lbs up a steep hill in a real truck and tell me how to tow with a diesel.

When you hold a higher rpm in a lower gear you use less throttle and therefore less fuel to make power, so even with the boost levels being the same your egt's stay down compared to full throttle in a higher gear and lower rpm. This might have been my first diesel that I personally owned but its not the first diesel I've been around. I've been maintaining and operating diesels for over a decade now, and I've hauled with them a lot.

[DutchVDub]

Problem resolved

[Rattlesnake18]

That's one way to fix it.