2000 e450 : No acceleration at times, skipping / jumping

[dawgmom]

My 2000 e450, 7.3, turbo diesel was an ambulance that I've converted to a food truck. I've had it for 6 years and it has recently started lagging when accelerating at times. It kind of feels like it's fighting against itself to move.

When it first started I replaced the brakes, rotors, hoses, bearings, seals, and calipers. Actually, a couple of the calipers a couple of times because one was defective and the other seemed to be running 30 degrees hotter than the other 3 and smelled hot. The ABS module was replaced, also, when I first bought it 6 years ago.

When the mechanic scanned it today there were no codes. However, he questioned why the ABS result showed the right and left front brakes results but only showed one rear result (it didn't specify right and left, I mean - just listed as 'rear'). So, should it have?

On the other hand, last week when it acted up my friend said he saw white smoke come from the exhaust. I was on a flat road, which is where I've sporadically noticed it lagging, but today I was entering the Interstate via an inclined ramp and it was really struggling to make it up. At one point it shuttered / skipped along but didn't stall. I made it home but am not certain of the issue.

Pretty much I've been thinking the brakes have been locking up but now I'm starting to wonder if it might be the glowplugs. I've not replaced them yet and read that the smoke, lagging, struggling on inclines, and skipping could be a misfire.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[Fellro]

Glow plugs are only used for starting when cold, they have no effect on running after fired for a minute or so. I would suspect an injector if you are getting white smoke intermittent, which would be unburned fuel. That would fall in line with the lagging, misfire aspects as well. Black smoke is also an unburned fuel, however it is an over fuel condition, not misfire. Also, don't rule out fuel filter on the lagging and smoke, as too little flow can cause issues of smoking and lack of power.

Brakes will cause issues with power as well, as it will have to work to overcome them. Something that can also happen with the brakes would be a hose failure internally. The interior lining can flake and work about like a check valve, allow flow one way, but not the other. When that happens, you would apply the brakes, and then they would stay on when you release. The evidence of that is the brakes being hotter of course.

 

[dawgmom]

Okay. All the brake hoses have been replaced - unless you mean the hard lines. I've not gone that far yet.

Like I said, the ABS scan listed front left and front right, but only "rear" and not rear right and rear left. Should have the scan listed all four wheels individually on this model, or not?

I'll need to look at my receipts but I thought the fuel filter was replaced 2 years ago. If not, I can do that and also check the injectors.

 

[Fellro]

I was referring to the rubber lines, so sounds like that is out. If you have a single hose going to the axle that then goes to both I would imagine the reading also would then be for both at the same time as it can't actuate independently if they are tied together.

Unfortunately, filters can plug up from even just one bad tank of fuel. Unlikely, but it can happen. However that should give more than a single failure.