06 6.0 cranky when cold

[lefthanded]

E-350 6.0 2006, 180k, deleted at 170K. Previous owner was somewhat clueless.

Plugged in overnight or not, when I start it during sub-freezing weather for the first time, it's cranky, misses, and blows white smoke when first coming alive on a cold (<32F) morning. Blows acres of white smoke and misses until it awakens. Fine the rest of the day. Fresh oil, filter. Pretty stock (no tuner).

The fuel comes from Kroger's, and seems honestly to do this less when from other vendors like Walmart/Murphy Oil.

It doesn't haul any real load in the winter, only in the summer-- when this doesn't happen.

Kindly suggestions appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Lefty

 

[bismic1]

Are you 100% sure the block heater element is working properly?
Any check engine light (asking primarily to see if there are any issues with glow plugs)?
What weight of oil is in it?
Do you have a quality scan tool to check for codes?

Could be injector stiction, or some other injector problem.

 

[lefthanded]

I suspect stiction. The scan tool says only codes related to the delete. The oil is standard Rotella. Filters changed every other oil change.

 

[bismic1]

By standard Rotella, I assume you mean 15W40.

That is the wrong oil to use in cold weather. Too thick when cold. You should be running a 5W40 or a quality 10W30. Ford does not recommend 15W40 below 40 degrees F and says not to use it below 20 degrees F.

Sometimes stiction additives work and sometimes they don't.

Other injector issues can happen (especially when you have inadequate fuel pressure) that can dump diesel fuel into the oil, and also result in unburned diesel fuel in the exhaust. If this is happening, you can cause some engine damage if it gets excessive.

IMO every 6.0L owner needs to install a fuel pressure gauge - you will need a sensor AND a gauge. Lots of internet threads on it. Fuel pressure under 45 psig can ruin the expensive injectors.

As far as inexpensive code readers are concerned, there are very few of them that do a thorough job.

The devil is in the details.

 

[lefthanded]

I have a code reader. But thicker oil might indeed be the problem. I changed the oil in the summertime.... as I put less than 200mi on it in the Winter. The block heater's working; ask my electric bill. It's not as ugly as the hot tub, but close as it's on all the time. I just looked at the receipt.... and yep, thicker viscosity oil. Arghhh.

 

[DaveBen]

5W-40 oil is what you need to use in Winter. 15W-40 gave me the same symptoms as you have. Easy fix, just change the oil.