Attention all Diesel mechanics "Powerstroke"

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

Thanks for all the help. I'll be giving her a god go over this afternoon. I'll will start with the simplest things first and work my way around to the harder things. Please keep the info coming.

Thanks Capt. Tom

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

So far I have removed the air filter and cleaned it, removed the large stiff hose that connects to the turbo. As I looked inside it, she appeared clean shinney and spun free with no real play in the shaft. No chips on the blade that I could see. BTW what a pain in the ass to get to! Whats next...No test drive yet!


Capt Tom

[Ultralite]

So far I have removed the air filter and cleaned it, removed the large stiff hose that connects to the turbo. As I looked inside it, she appeared clean shinney and spun free with no real play in the shaft. No chips on the blade that I could see. BTW what a pain in the ass to get to! Whats next...No test drive yet!


Capt Tom

Check hose connections at Inter Cooler in front of the radiator. Do you have a turbo boost gauge installed?

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

No boost gauge installed....But you are the second person today to mention this. Are they difficult to install?

Capt Tom

[Ultralite]

Any success on your trouble shooting? If you don't find any issues on the intake side or the turbo (you say that it hasn't lost power), then it could be a problematic injector. You can pull those (about as difficult as a spark plug) and take them in to be tested. However, I would think that an injector problem would have shown up in performance.

Boost gauges are not difficult to install. You have to drill and tap the intake air pipe after the turbo and attach a plastic tube connecting that fitting to the gauge. It's a mechanically operated gauge much like the speedos on ski boats that use a pitot tube.

If you do any towing with the truck, you should have a boost gauge, pyrometer (exhaust gas temperature or EGT) gauge and a transmission temp gauge. Install them in a triple pillar pod mount:

http://shop.ivalueinternet.com/shopd...uct_id/562.htm

The idea is that you want to drive within the gauges. This is especially important if the engine has been chipped or tuned. If you stand on the pedal while towing something up a good grade and you let the EGT get above 1200, then you start getting into the zone where aluminum (i.e. pistons) starts to melt. Since air going through the engine actually cools it, you want to be in the zone where you're getting maximum turbo boost before the wastegate starts dumping boost. This will ensure a cooler running engine while under load. You can see the EGT drop as you do this.

If your engine is stock (no chip or tuning) then the electronic control module should be controlling the engine for you and it will throttle back if the engine temp gets too high.

[seapower]

A boost gauge is not going to cure your issue. Yes they are nice to have because it will tell you your turbo-boost pressure. Kinda like having a oil pressure gauge instead of an idiot light, you use it as a reference of perfomance. As I said in an earlier reply I'm not an automotive guy, I'm a marine guy. Don't know exactly how your truck engine is set up, but it's probably electronic. If this is so the computer can adjust fuel injection timing according to load, actual fuel volume delivery, etc... Look if you continue to run this engine in an "overloaded" state, not getting complete fuel burn you WILL cause more problem's than you have now. You may just have a bad sensor. My advice (that's all it is) is to carry it to a competent shop, hook up the diagnostic computer and see what "faults" it has logged. It will show up. Sounds like you've done what you can in the driveway, don't take a chance. It's more than likely a simple problem, don't let it become a failure. Frank,SeaPower

[Captcrafton]

EGR VALVE. Just replaced mine doing the same thing.

[floridadeckie]

even if your computer isnt throwing any codes, it cant hurt to try pulling codes. I have the same truck as you ('03 SD, 7.3L with 160K) and we have an OBDII port under the dash that connects to the computer. it sounds like you have an injector sticking and dumping excess fuel into the cylinders. also make sure you arent getting any turbo surge when you let off the throttle. our motors tend to put more fuel in the cylinders when the motor is cold (you can see this if you romp it before it reaches optimal running temp b/c it will dump smoke). if your computer doesnt get the signal that the motor has warmed up, it will continue to put too much fuel in the cylinders. it wont smoke under normal load, but as soon as you increase it, it billows black smoke. just something to look into.

[Avenger]

If you don't find any issues on the intake side or the turbo (you say that it hasn't lost power), then it could be a problematic injector. You can pull those (about as difficult as a spark plug) and take them in to be tested. However, I would think that an injector problem would have shown up in performance.

The injectors in a Powerjoke are NOT like sparkplugs. They're hydraulic actuated, electronically controlled and hidden under the valve covers. And they're about 300 bucks...each. You're thinking of the earlier 7.3L indirect injection engine.

You should be able to diagnose bad injectors with a scan tool and a manual, but I would look at other areas i.e. intake restriction, lack of boost before I started digging into injectors.

The turbos on Powerstrokes are mounted on a pedestal that has the wastegate actuator in it. It's possible that the actuator is sticking open. There's also a valve in the exhaust that may be stuck partially closed. A boost gauge, or a scan tool should be able to tell you if you're developing enough manifold pressure (again, you'll need the manual) If you are, then it may be time to look at injectors.

[Ultralite]

The injectors in a Powerjoke are NOT like sparkplugs. They're hydraulic actuated, electronically controlled and hidden under the valve covers. And they're about 300 bucks...each. You're thinking of the earlier 7.3L indirect injection engine.

You should be able to diagnose bad injectors with a scan tool and a manual, but I would look at other areas i.e. intake restriction, lack of boost before I started digging into injectors.

The turbos on Powerstrokes are mounted on a pedestal that has the wastegate actuator in it. It's possible that the actuator is sticking open. There's also a valve in the exhaust that may be stuck partially closed. A boost gauge, or a scan tool should be able to tell you if you're developing enough manifold pressure (again, you'll need the manual) If you are, then it may be time to look at injectors.

Sorry, I misspoke. I did say earlier in the thread that I'm working off my experience on my Volvo marine diesel and my '95 GMC with a 6.5TD. On mine (GMC 6.5 TD) they are as easy to remove as spark plugs. Then again, it's an older technology diesel. The injection pump is electronic (first on a light truck), but the injectors are mechanical and it's an indirect injection (precombustion chamber) diesel engine, as opposed to a direct injection engine like the 7.3. In responding, I did not think that through and that it might have implications for the injector set up. Again, my familiarity is with turbo diesels in general, not this specific engine. I'll point out that new injectors for my 6.5 TD diesel engine are $400 for a set of eight. I imagine it only gets worse in terms of cost with the newer common rail engines.