intermittent power loss, eating oil

[soldierncowboy]

So, let me describe the situation for you... Got a new used 1996 350 XLT Ext. Cab Dually w/ a 5 speed manual tranny. The truck now has about 190k miles on the whole drivetrain. While we were out rodeoing this weekend, I was pulling an older all steel 2 horse bumper pull trailer, when, on the way back home, I lost almost all my torque and power in 5th gear, the truck started chugging, so I downshifted, and still maintained power loss in 4th. After chugging for a few seconds, the truck backfired, shooting flame from the exhaust, with big puff of smoke. It was loud enough that I thought I blew one of my rear tires. After pulling off the road, the truck idled rough, then smoothed back out, and ran seemingly normal. Under normal working order, my truck is a coal roller, and on the way home, instead of getting black smoke, I noticed that the truck was blowing white smoke out... I continued to limp the truck and trailer back home, as I had no choice, a total of about 40 miles... after going to bed, I went out to my rig this morning, and to put the oil back to full, had to add about 8 qts. of oil. When I started the truck up this morning, it hard started, but idled normal. To give you some more details about my truck, it has a Banks turbo, Banks intercooler, and AFe intake system. At peak boost, my truck is running somewhere in the neighborhood of 22-25 lbs... not sure exactly how many pounds... I am lost as to why I am losing torque and power, and where it may be eating oil at... and why it is only intermittent... any help would be great...

 

[Patrick Feeley]

My first guess at oil consumption would be bad injector o-rings. But with some of your description, make sure that gasoline was not added to your fuel tanks instead of diesel as the symptoms just sound like that may of happened. If you know for sure that is not the case, look at the injector o-rings. You can always drain the fuel filter bowl into a clear jar and take a look at the color of the fuel (the oil gets pumped into the fuel system with the bad o-rings). Cheers!

 

[soldierncowboy]

we're havin a wicked rain storm here right now, but tomorrow, i will drain the filter bowl, and see if maybe i have oil in the fuel... but honestly, it seems like an awful lot of oil lost in 40 miles to be injector o-rings... thanks for the tip tho... ill try it...

 

[BJS]

the white smoke has me concerned that you are burning coolant which could be a cracked injector cup or a blown head gasket.

white smoke from a diesel is too much fuel on a cold engine (black when hot) or just like a gasser antifreeze.

In your situation I'd start with checking all of the intercooler boots to make sure that none are blown off, then check the turbo specifically the outlet side for oil.

I'd be searching for where 2 gallons of oil went to most of the time you burn oil it will have a bluish tint not white but it will be a billowing cloud if there is an abundance.

 

[soldierncowboy]

sorry about that BJS, it was a blue smoke... not white...

 

[Patrick Feeley]

I lost 8 quarts in 150 miles when my injector o-rings failed (the truck did not use any oil up to that point on 5k oil changes at 175k miles ... I had just changed the oil too). I had about 1/4 tank of fuel on the tank I was running. Add oil at around 2500 psi to a fuel system at 75 psi, you can guess where the oil is going in a hurry. It gets in the tank(s) via the fuel return line. My drained fuel was as black as ... well .. used motor oil!. Cheers!

 

[BJS]

thanks for the clarification, it can make a big difference.

with the odd idle you described I'd go with the injector o-rings. when they are hot they are more flexible allowing more to pass by when they(and the oil) cooled down it is not as easy to pass by changing the injection pressure giving odd fuel delivery.

Your fuel filter will be black as has already been mentioned.

If your fuel filter does not show evidence of oil then I'd start looking @ the turbo for internal leakage.

 

[soldierncowboy]

i just changed the fuel filter the day before this all happened... but, i will check it, to see if that was the issue... what about the possibility of a bad CPS?

 

[soldierncowboy]

also, what am i looking for as far as cost goes w/ a rebuild of my turbo? again... its not the stock garret... it is a banks turbo

 

[soldierncowboy]

i just changed the fuel filter the day before this all happened... but, i will check it, to see if that was the issue... what about the possibility of a bad CPS?

and, as far as the filter bein black, mine was when i changed it... so i could have been burning oil before... but i didnt have blue smoke before...