99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 99 & up 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 1999-Up Super Duty trucks and Excursions. No gas engine discussion allowed except on transmissions and drivetrain that pertain to all models. Please confine discussion of topics in this forum to those items that are specific to the 7.3L Power Stroke engine.
Ok guys,
Need some serious help. New guy here. I have a 2002 F-350 with a 7.3. About 75k on it. Have only had minor issues up till this point mostly due to incompetent dealer mechanics. Now the real issue. In mid-september (yes been dealing with this since them) on the way back from lake havasu the truck just shut off in the middle of the desert (only 115 degrees out) leaving myself and 3 friends stranded there for 9 hrs. Oh and all while towing my boat. Then I got towed home 6 hrs. There is no reason or pattern to it at all. Does it uphill, downhill, on the freeway on the street, at idle, on the throttle, off the throttle. Doesnt matter.
So fast forward to now. 3 mechanics later and a $1,000 dollars it still is not fixed. So here goes with the issue. The truck will run anywhere from 2 min. to 4 hrs. before it just shuts off. No warning no SES light nothing. Then it won't restart anywhere from 2 min. to 4 hrs. later. So here is the list of things I have replaced. Fuel filter, oil, oil filter, glow plug module, icp which none of this resolved it. So now it will throw a P1211 and P1238 code which lead us to replace the pcm. I got a loner pcm from the mechanic which found out later was actually for a 6.0L. And the truck ran, drove it for 2 weeks and nearly 200 miles with no issues. I bought a remainufactured pcm and installed it after the mechanic wanted his back. Got the pcm put it in and the truck would turn over but not fire. So I put the stock pcm back in and it fired right up. Frustrated I called the company demaned that they send me another pcm. Which they did. Put it the now 3rd pcm. Truck fired right up. Drove it for about 30 mi. and it died just as it did before. So I put my stock pcm back in. It still did not turn over for about 30 min. Finally started it and got it to a different mechanic. Now they have been driving it for a week and cannot get it to thtow any codes or die. They say "this truck runs great". Oh FYI I did have some sending unit issues awhile back. Where the gauge will go in and out. So I have just been going by mileage. That has been going on for a year.
Please help me. My wife is screaming at me to just get rid of it. However I love this truck special ordered it straight from detroit. And when it runs it is a beast, tows anything. I bought this truck figuring it would last me at least 15 yrs. However that is not looking real good right now. And there is now way I am taking it to any dealer mechanic in my area. They all suck. Desperate! Will take any and all advice oh great ones.
Last edited by cafirefighter; 12-12-2009 at 08:24 PM.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I'd be frustrated as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cafirefighter
I got a loner pcm from the mechanic which found out later was actually for a 6.0L.
Couldn't have been for a 6.0L. It wouldn't even have come close to bolting in place, let alone getting the connector hooked up. Totally different animal.
Sure sounds to me like you have an electrical gremlin that's cutting power to the PCM. They are a PITA to track down and stomp out.
Get hold of a wiring diagram for your truck and look at the circuits that feed the PCM. While you have a meter on the PCM power connection, you'll have to go along the harness and bend/flex/pull it to see if you can get it to drop out. Might be something that's heat related, since it "heals itself" after some period of time.
An easy thing to try would be to swap out the PCM power relay with a non-critical one, like the heater fan relay. If that fixes it, a new relay is pretty cheap, especially compared to what you've already spent.
PCM power relay is under your dash in the fuse/relay panel. There should be a diagram of the panel in your owner's manual to tell you which relay it is.
My truck "99" would not start but turn over, sometimes after warmed up until it cooled down for 20 minutes or so, found the drivers side UVCH harness had partially became unplugged, it did die on me a couple of times while driving.
When it don't turn over, do you hear any clicking sound from the start solenoid ? May be a intermittent start solenoid.
Quote:
Where the gauge will go in and out. So I have just been going by mileage. That has been going on for a year.
What gauges are you referring too?
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99.5 F350 XLT Lariat 4X4 4R100 4.10 DW CC LB Centurion conversion Garret Turbo, Radio SD &Tape, SP Performance 40-60-80 chip, 100 Gal.Transfer Flow W/Trimax Control Aux. fuel tank. ScanGaugeII, Boost, EGT, Trans. Temp. Oil Temp. Build date 03/99
92 F350 7.3 IDIT E4OD CC LB dually Banks turbo US Gear O/U
1990 F350 XLT Lariat 7.3L IDI E4OD Dually 280K+ 2WD
Reman Promar Long Block 11/07 Gave this one to my Grandson, only 7K miles on the engine.
Have AutoEnginuity W/Ford enhanced. Lima OH area.
My mind works lightening fast.
One Flash and it's gone forever.
Bill1013. It always turns over. Wont fire. The starter is only about 2yrs old. They gauge I am referring to is the fuel gauge. It goes in and out. Sending unit. That has been going on for a year though.
I also did some research into the UVCH, however it doesnt sound like the same symptoms as mine. However I think I am just gonna go for it and pull it apart and see. Getting desperate at this point. Thanks
Couple things, also try swapping the IDM relay out (with like the blower motor relay) That can certainly be heat related, takes the engine out at the knees and the PCM doesn't have a clue.
If your sending unit (fuel) is intermittent, I'd also make sure the grounds under your dash are in good repair. This also could be your gremlin.
Check the wire harness that crosses over your driver side valve cover for chafing. It rides against the cover and the oscillation of the engine WILL wear through it. (I placed a length of fuel house around mine, problem solved)
If I were you, I'd take ownership of this issue, pack a response bag, and be ready the next time it happens. Have a multi meter, and tools needed to unplug the valve cover connectors and ohm out the connections. This will let you know if your connected UNDER the valve cover. But since it seems your issue is related to heat, you'll have to be ready when it decides to peter out.
When if happens, try to quickly note the conditions (out side temp, weather, operating time, duty the truck is performing, load, etc.), so you can start identifying any pattern. GL
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Early 99' Upgraded to 99.5' F250 XLT SWB PSD, 4x4, GPT38, EBPV Delete, Perf Friction 2-pcs rotors, 4" turbo back exh, Ford AIS, 6leaker OEM cooler, Htr Core by pass valve, Synthetic every fluid (Mobil), Detroit LOCKER, BTS, Lunar Autometer gauges, DP-F6C, 235k mi SVO ConversionUpdated SVO stuff
I purchased a used Dmax a few years and trucks ago, it was equipped w/aftermarket XM radio. The truck had random power loss but never died. 3 shops later, it ended up being a miss wire under the dash from the poor XM radio install. It was causing a problem w/the PCM on that truck. No diagnostics could find it, the right mechanic just did. Maybe you have non factory electronics installed? Your problem is electrical somewhere.
I've had a simmilar issue with the D side UVCH, totaly random. What
I first noticed, When in would shut right down and not start, the Fuel pump would not cycle, you can hear it when it does. When I could hear the pump cycle prior to starting it would fire up and run great, till it shut right down again. No codes, 2 dealerships couldnt find the problem! The problem was the harness was chafing on the D-side valve cover, grounding out and shutting down or resetting the ECU. I shut the lights out in my Garage turned the key on to cycle fuel/Gplugs, pressed the harness to the valvecover and I could see and hear the spark. 1hr looking back on this forum, a 10mm wrench and a roll of black tape and the Gremlin was Dead!! Hooked on this site since! Also got the ford Diesel techs on here looking for Gremlins as well! Never did see my $320.00 back from Ford. Hope this helps!
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03 F-350 Lt 7.3ltr Dually, lrt. 4" exaust, AIS air filter.250,000 miles, Dp tuner, 40 tow, 60 tow, 80 econo, 120 race, 6.0 trany cooler, BTS trany,On board Air, Air Bags-Rear-wish I had um from day 1. Rancho 2.5" leveling kit.Hutch mod
Last edited by sikwhiskey; 12-13-2009 at 12:39 AM.
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