No power up hill towing, irratic boost gauge, poofing sound under hood? Stuck in PA.

[EBX]

STUCK IN PA, 500 MILES FROM HOME. HELP!!!

The X is 100% stock, accept the pilar gauges. 63,000 miles. Out of warranty, ofcourse.

Intermittently while towing 7000 lbs. up hill, my boost gauge will fluctuate wildly up and down 5 lbs. of boost either way. No power. I also hear a poofing sound under the hood.

This occurs at around 17 lbs. of boost and 1100 degrees on the pyrometer.

Trans. gauge is normal around 160.

1st time, in Indianapolis IN, three weeks ago, after puffs of black smoke out the exhaust and fluctuating boost gauge, dash light came on. Ford replaced the egr valve, cleaned IAT tube and some turbo tubes. They also did the vvt test to check the veins in the turbo and it checked out ok. $1123.00.

2nd occurrance, in Wheeling WV, last week, no puffs of black smoke, irratic idle, no power, puffing sound under hood, at 17 lbs. of boost, 1100 on the pyro. No Dash light. Ford replaced the map sensor. $230.00.

I tightened the turbo hose bolts, replaced air filter, engine oil, drained water/fuel separtator. Fuel filters were changed 12000 miles ago.

I am now stuck in PA. I live in OH. I flew the wife home for work. I have another few days off to get this fixed and get home.

I can't reproduce the issue in tow/haul or not. It occurs when it wants, only while towing uphill with a load (7000 lbs. right now).

Please help get me home.

[bismic]

Sounds very much like you have a turbo issue or a VGT actuator issue. Can you check for codes?

[EBX]

Originally Posted by bismic

Sounds very much like you have a turbo issue or a VGT actuator issue. Can you check for codes?

I had it at FOrd three weeks ago and last thurs. They checked for codes and replaced the egr and map sensor. Said they couldn't find anything else.

[teamroper60]

I suspect your turbo vanes are sticking.... I had similar symptoms last summer when I knew my vanes were sticking... I cleaned the turbo and replaced the EBP..... Problem solved.... The newer flashes eliminate the EBP from the equation, so presuming you have a relatively new flash, you would not need to replace that...

[bismic]

Originally Posted by teamroper60

The newer flashes eliminate the EBP from the equation, so presuming you have a relatively new flash, you would not need to replace that...

Just an FYI for clarification on the EBP sensor (for non 2003 and 2004.25 model year owners):

As teamroper60 stated - A more recent flash will eliminate the possible EBP sensor failure from the equation for the OP - because of his trucks model year.

Ford Broadcast Message 5452, 5529 on the EBP is that a flash in 2005 or 06 eliminated the EBP input from the PCM operation for ONLY 2003 and 2004.25 trucks (ie production runs prior to September 29, 2003). All later models have programming where the PCM uses the EBP.

http://turbodieselforums.com/downloa...20Overview.pdf

teamroper60 - do you know when the inferred EBP flash first came out?

EBX -

Since you probably have the inferred EBP flash - here is some more info on it:

http://turbodieselforums.com/downloa...cian%20Q&A.pdf

[EBX]

I am taking it into a diesel truck repair shop tomarrow morn. Anyone have any more ideas b/f I do?

[teamroper60]

Originally Posted by bismic

teamroper60 - do you know when the inferred EBP flash first came out?

Well, I couldn't remember off the top of my head when the first flash with the inferred EBP came out but given the link you provided, it appears it was sometime around March of 06..

Since the OP has an 03 I was replying to him. But it probably would have been a good idea to point out that this only applied to the aforementioned trucks/engines to save confusion down the road for the owner of a later model truck/engine........

[bismic]

Originally Posted by teamroper60

Well, I couldn't remember off the top of my head when the first flash with the inferred EBP came out but given the link you provided, it appears it was sometime around March of 06..

Since the OP has an 03 I was replying to him. But it probably would have been a good idea to point out that this only applied to the aforementioned trucks/engines to save confusion down the road for the owner of a later model truck/engine........

The reason I was asking about the date was because I believe that the strategy actually came out in 2005 but I can not verify this. I believe that the link I provided was to a training session "after the fact". I keep a very extensive spreadsheet w/ little facts like this and I am missing a specific date for introducing the flash. I am just curious - I certainly was not asking for any other reason.

I have seen MANY posts across the forums where folks believe the EBP is no longer used in 2005, 2006, and 2007 trucks. Lots of confusion, so that is why I posted to clarifiy. It is sort of like the rumor that Rotella T synthetic has been shown to cause damage to your engine - it seems you just can't kill that false rumor.

[teamroper60]

Originally Posted by bismic

The reason I was asking about the date was because I believe that the strategy actually came out in 2005 but I can not verify this. I believe that the link I provided was to a training session "after the fact". I keep a very extensive spreadsheet w/ little facts like this and I am missing a specific date for introducing the flash. I am just curious - I certainly was not asking for any other reason.

I'll see what I can find.. Like you, I have a lot of files on this stuff.. I'll let ya know if I find it among them..

[EBX]

Mon. I ran the truck hard (unloaded) up and down some hills for about twenty minutes. No issues. Then when I was just about to give up trying to reproduce the issue, boom, at 13 lbs. of boost, up a hill, it occured. Irratic idle, no power, puffing sound under the hood.

Tues. I changed the fuel filters. Last change was 12K ago.

Wed. I took it to a local repair shop.

The only thing they could find was the brake relay, just above the brake pedal was arching and the contacts were burnt and bad. They replaced that and couldn't find any other codes. They did the engine drive test at a stop, where they cycle the key, turn the steering wheel, press the brake, the engine rpms would go irratic then settle down, that test.

They said other than just start tearing into the engine, they didn't know what else to do.

I am heading out tomarrow, problem or not.

If anyone has any other ideas I would appreciate them.

[teamroper60]

Did you get the turbo cleaned??

[PowerStrokn]

id say one either the pcm lost the vgt strategy (assuming you have the inferred EB recall) or the turbo is sticking. to reset the vgt strategy you really need a ford scanner to verify whats going on but you should be able to without it. disconnect both batteries for approx 15 minutes to erase the keep alive memory, reconnect batteries and drive it to get it hot EOT should be at 185 degrees atleast. let the vehicle idle for 10-15 minutes. if you listen to the exhaust you should be able to hear to tone change every few seconds. that is the vgt in the turbo opening and closing the vanes. it needs to cycle from 10-100% atleast 5 time. thats where the scanner helps out. once the tone stops changing it should have learned the vgt strategy. if did not help your problem any then yeah it sounds like the vanes are being bound up inside the turbo and it needs to be cleaned.

[EBX]

I drained the oil this morning thinking maybe I was getting leak down form the injectors. The oil drained w/ 13 1/2 qrts cold. No fuel in oil.

I went to leave today and 10 mins. into the drive, I got the irratic idle, poofing under the dash and no power. Barely got up the hill.

The truck is back at the third Ford dealership for the same problem in 4 weeks.

I am still stranded b/c of Ford's incompetency. I am pissed off and frustrated.

This will be the last POS Ford I ever buy.

I called the Ford customer assistance number for help w/ repair bills. They told me to stick and ask the service writer. Nice.

This is my 6th FOrd and my last. No wander the foreign car comps. are beating the crap out of the US auto makers. We make junk and don't stand behind it. This will be the last American car I buy too.

[PowerStrokn]

Sorry you feel that way. I know that your truck has had it share of problems but your real problem sounds like dealing with incompetent dealers and technicians. I know your truck is stranded in PA but had the first place you took it to knew what they were doing, you would have been home and still pretty happy with the truck.

[PowerStrokn]

And it still sounds like a turbo problem.