6.4L Power Stroke Engine and DrivetrainDiscussion of the 6.4L Power Stroke diesel engine and drivetrain in the 2008-Up Super Duty trucks. 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 6.4L Power Stroke engine.
In Arizona, a lot of trucks get lifted with bigger, aftermarket tires. Even some of the Ford dealers themselves install lift kits and big tires. I test drove a brand new, unsold 2008 F-250 4x4 CC Diesel Lariat that had an 8" lift with 37" Toyo AT's. There was no TPMS light on the dash when I drove it. This thread and that test drive prompted me to call the accessories department that had installed the lift on the test truck. I asked how they solved the problem of the TPMS not being able to be calibrated for anything other than factory tires. They said it absolutely IS able to be calibrated and they've done it many times. They can't sell new, lifted trucks without being able to solve that problem.
To get a second opinion, I called a local offroad shop as well. They said that until today, they usually sent their lifted 2008's to the dealer for TPMS recalibration when larger tires are installed. But, as of today, they just got their own equipment to do the recalibration themselves. So, two different sources (Ford dealer and an offroad shop), both say they can and have done this. I guess if your dealer says recalibration is not possible for TPMS for different tire pressures, have them call the North Scottsdale, AZ Ford dealer for instructions on how to do it. Of course, you will need to have the sensor bands transfered to the new tires...again, according to my Ford dealer, this is not a big job.
I hope this helps anyone with TPMS and aftermarket tire issues.
I doubt that North Scottsdale Ford wants to field dozens of calls. Is there is a procedure than someone needs to publish it!
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F-350 08 XLT, Job 3, 5/22/08 build, Auto, CC Long Bed, 3.73's. Dark Stone Exterior, Medium Stone Interior. Line-X, Buckstop winch bumper, Snug Super Sport Canopy. 2 German Shorthaired Pointers riding shotgun.
A mildly off topic rant. Understanding that it was mandated for fuel economy and roll over prevention I hate TPMS. It cures an illness I never had and I'm glad my Job 1 does not have it. To the best of my knowledge it cannot be calibrated only synchronized. Meaning, the scan tool at the dealer lets the truck acccept a new sensor but the PSI that it throws a code at can't be changed. For that, you need to buy new sensor with a differant pressure range and have then re-sync'd to your truck. The sensors are about $100/each and made by Bosch IIRC.
I have much unfortunate experience dealing with this on a Z06 Corvette ( same sensors) that I tracked. The brain trusts at GM had the car programmed that when your tires went a long way out of range (you can pick up 8lbs on the track) it would throw the car in "limp home" mode. The same would happen if you fitted race wheels on your car as they wouldn't have the sensors. If you did have sensors you had to re-sync those wheels when you put them on. Grrrr!
Affter much screwing around the solution was to remove the sensors and put them in a piece of 4" PVC pipe that was sealed at both ends with a schrader valve mounted on one of the end caps. Blow it up to the pressue the vehicle looks for and then throw the PVC tube behind the seat. Beyond stupid but it worked.
Okay people , READ YOUR MANUALS. It tells you EXACTLY how to reprogram you TPMS.. You run what you want.
I run 65 PSI all around for daily driving. When I tow the 5th wheel I pump them up to 80 PSI in the rear and retrain the system.
It takes all of about 1 minute. If you take longer then 2 minutes you have to start over.
You are correct. The manual does tell you how to reprogram. I have read my manual and followed this procedure several times. What the manual doesn't say is that there is a minimum pressure that is allowed. The procedure specified in the manual will not allow you to reprogram below this minimum pressure. If the pressure is less than the minimum when you do the procedure, it appears to work correctly but the warning light never goes off. On my truck the min is right at 65 PSI (according to my guage). Because of this, I cannot run the pressure I want (55-60 PSI).
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2008 F350 PSD, KR, CC, LB, SRW, 3.73, Job 2, Dark Copper/Pueblo Gold, Backup camera, Integrated brake controller, Color matched Scorpion Bedliner, Edge Juice w/Attitude
2004 American Hauler 38' Enclosed Gooseneck trailer
1931 Model A Ford Tudor Sedan
1931 Model A Ford Victoria
1931 Model A Ford Coupe
all the relearning procedure does is tell the system the location of each wheel/tire (like when a front wheel/tire is rotated to the rear). The system still expects to see 80 psi rear/65 psi front if that's the way your truck came from the factory.
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F-350 08 XLT, Job 3, 5/22/08 build, Auto, CC Long Bed, 3.73's. Dark Stone Exterior, Medium Stone Interior. Line-X, Buckstop winch bumper, Snug Super Sport Canopy. 2 German Shorthaired Pointers riding shotgun.
I can understand why SDdriver read the manual this way - so did I initially. Fact is Ford has very poorly explained the details behind the operation of the TPMS system including the relearning function.
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F-350 08 XLT, Job 3, 5/22/08 build, Auto, CC Long Bed, 3.73's. Dark Stone Exterior, Medium Stone Interior. Line-X, Buckstop winch bumper, Snug Super Sport Canopy. 2 German Shorthaired Pointers riding shotgun.
All that said, according to the people who do this all the time (Ford, offroad shops and wheel specialty shops I've talked to), this is not something you can reprogram on your own. It requires special equipment if you want to run PSI's other than what came from the factory.
Stroked & Stoked, I agree with you, it would be great if a procedure where published, but even if it were, special equipment is required that I doubt end users would buy (unless it were built into a programmer that did other stuff too). I only suggested to call the Scottsdale Ford if your dealer claims they can't do this for you. It is definitely possible to have this procedure done, but not using the programmer that comes with the truck (as has been pointed out).
Did everyone else get the TPMS FOB? I didn't receive mine and my salesman says he hasn't heard of it but I read in the manual I should have one...
Only if your tires have different air pressures for the front and rear tires. Look at the tire pressure sticker at the drivers door jam, it the fronts are set at 65PSI and the rears 80PSI then your truck should have come with the programmer, if they are both the same then you would not need the programmer. The programmer is use only for when you rotate your tires. The programmer cannot be used to change the factory set TPMS PSI which sucks if you ask me.
It's my understanding that only trucks with 80psi rear/65psi front receive the fob. As to your salesman not knowing this - what's new?
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F-350 08 XLT, Job 3, 5/22/08 build, Auto, CC Long Bed, 3.73's. Dark Stone Exterior, Medium Stone Interior. Line-X, Buckstop winch bumper, Snug Super Sport Canopy. 2 German Shorthaired Pointers riding shotgun.
Last edited by Stroked & Stoked; 03-05-2008 at 07:05 PM.
Reason: edited to say 65psi front
Only if your tires have different air pressures for the front and rear tires. Look at the tire pressure sticker at the drivers door jam, it the fronts are set at 65PSI and the rears 80PSI then your truck should have come with the programmer, if they are both the same then you would not need the programmer. The programmer is use only for when you rotate your tires. The programmer cannot be used to change the factory set TPMS PSI which sucks if you ask me.
Thanks for the replies guys, I'll check my sticker. Wife has my truck right now, she sure stays gone a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time in my new truck!!
I am running 2008 f250's with tpms on a fairly large ranch in South Texas. If you are off highway as much as we are you are going to have slow leaks from thorns and such. As a matter of fact if one of our tires is not leaking air, its probably because there isn't any in it. This may have been discussed previously but I wondered if we just put all the sensors in the spare that is usually at the proper pressure would this solve the problem. Or do the sensors need to be in different locations on the truck to work properly.
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