[Adam Helsten]

Hello all! I am here to steal some knowledge for my Dad's old work truck. I was attempting to take his stock work truck at 260k miles and perform the well known 10K mod. I wanted to test the mod before I installed the switch so I installed a test wire from the battery to the resitor i had soldered into with the .3v ICP line. While I was doing so, I was so excited and was not paying attention and set down my 12v power supply next to the resistor wire sticking out and was moving around under the hood and touched the 12v wire directly to the ICP bare wire that was sticking out PRE RESISTOR. So I essentially gave that .3v wire 12v while the truck was idling and it stalled. Maxi fuses are okay but no smoke trying to crank it and no WTS light. Replaced ICP sensor (as it had started to fail due to oil being in the connector area, but now believe I am in for a new PCM as the obd2 port wont let a scanner communicate with the truck either. Anybody know how to test the PCM?

 

[klhansen]

If you applied 12V to the (5V) sensor circuit, your PCM is likely toast. There's really no way to test it unless you have an electronics degree and a bunch of test equipment.

Rebuilt PCM's are available, which is probably the way you'll need to go.

 

[79jasper]

Yeah, if no chip installed, Plus what you did, with no WTS light, I'd say she gone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Adam Helsten]

Yeah, if no chip installed, Plus what you did, with no WTS light, I'd say she gone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

That is what I figured, but just wanted some affirmation before spending a nice chunk of change on a rebuild for it... Also 79Jasper, If I might ask, are you a member on the tdiclub forum? :grin2:

I was also wondering who is a reliable and cheaply priced (broke college student paying my own way through college) vendor that has been a proven "good" re builder of PCMs?

 

[79jasper]

Yes, I am.
Can't really say on reman pcm's.
Most just find a good used one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[bugman]

Depending on the PCM code you might have a very hard time finding one that will match your stock programing.

You'll need to get the code off of the PCM and then do a search for that code and hopefully you will find one. Ebay is one source for used ones but they are going for a good amount of change. Also rebuilders want a rebuildable core so if yours is too cooked you may have to pay a hefty core charge.

 

[klhansen]

You'll need to get the code off of the PCM and then do a search for that code and hopefully you will find one. Ebay is one source for used ones but they are going for a good amount of change. Also rebuilders want a rebuildable core so if yours is too cooked you may have to pay a hefty core charge.

It's always rebuildable (given enough time, money, and expertise) but replacing too many components on the board would put it in the non-rebuildable category as far as core charge.
Contact DP Tuner once you have the code off the PCM. They may have a used one in stock. You're looking for a 4 digit alpha-numeric code AND a DPC-xxx (equipment) code to get the right one. As long as the DPC code is the same, DP Tuner could put a stock or slightly hotter flash on it for you.

 

[Adam Helsten]

Thank you all for the speedy replies. So would any '94.5-03 powerstroke PCM for a manual tranny (excluding split-shot California trucks) work for my step-dad's truck? If so, I suppose I could go take one from a junk yard and go down that route, correct? I am assuming I would have to get it flashed at the dealership before install..the only problem with this is that all of the ford dealerships around me said that the PCM has to be installed in the truck as they do not have a wiring harness (backbone as I have heard it called as well) that it could be plugged into. But, if I can not install the pcm until it is flashed, how would I go about doing this? I want to say the code for the PCM is DPC-203 if that helps..

 

[klhansen]

It will have to be a 94-97 Powerstroke to work correctly.
If you can find a DPC-203 PCM, you should be able to slap it in and go.

Here's info on PCM codes: PCM Codes - 1994-1997 Power Stroke FAQ

 

[bugman]

You are going to have to find a PCM from the same family (code wise) as the one in his truck and it will have to be from a 94.5-97 truck. The pin positions on the 99-03 trucks is different than what the 94-97 trucks are.

My truck is a 96 with the 5 speed manual and the PCM code is a ALF4 with a family code of DPC-203. If you look at this list of the different codes that are available you will see that you might have your work cut out for yourself.

Right now there are a number of them on Ebay for $472.00. What you need to do is to pull the PCM out of your dads truck and see what the codes is if you want a direct replacement.

Here are some instructions on how to remove the PCM from the truck. And yes the dealer does need the PCM installed in the truck to be flashed where a vendor such a DP Tuner does not.

Good Luck

 

[Adam Helsten]

10-4 bugman. Completely forgot about the Super Duties probably being a different pin setup/program. Included In the picture, I have all information from the pulled pcm now sitting on my kitchen island. I found a company online called "SIA Electronics" and have read plenty of successful PCM rebuild stories as well as some "bad customer experience" stories. I take all of these reviews with a grain of salt. I was wondering if anyone has used this company before and could speak on their quality? At $187.00 or whatever the price was WITH a warranty, I do not think that price will be beat by buying one off a salvage yard and I think I am going to go ahead and call them in the morning and explain my massive goof and see how soon they can repair and return my PCM so I can get my step-dad's work truck working again!

 

[bugman]

Just as a fyi for you, on the 94.5 PCM it wasn't flashed from the factory to get the OBD II port to work on it and to read codes you used OBD I methods. So if you got one exactly like the one that you have it would need to be flashed to wake up the OBD II port. Most of them have been flashed at a dealer if the truck ever went into them but every now and then one shows up that hasn't been flashed to get it to work.

 

[Adam Helsten]

Just as a fyi for you, on the 94.5 PCM it wasn't flashed from the factory to get the OBD II port to work on it and to read codes you used OBD I methods. So if you got one exactly like the one that you have it would need to be flashed to wake up the OBD II port. Most of them have been flashed at a dealer if the truck ever went into them but every now and then one shows up that hasn't been flashed to get it to work.

You could certainly be right... In the past few years we have owned this truck, I cant say that we have had any problems with it requiring a plug in of a scanner (maybe a High pressure Diesel line and the very common fuel bowl leak, but thats about it). But that still leans towards it being the PCM considering it stalled and would not restart upon my accidental touching of 12v to 5v system no WTS light coming on and no smoke/smell from exhaust, correct? Also, to verify, I have replaced the ICP sensor, CPS sensor recently which fixed our previous intermittent stallling, checked every single fuse including all the maxi fuses and I don't believe the fuel bowl heater has a short as the truck immediately stalled after I made a goof. :grin2:

 

[klhansen]

Just as a fyi for you, on the 94.5 PCM it wasn't flashed from the factory to get the OBD II port to work on it and to read codes you used OBD I methods. So if you got one exactly like the one that you have it would need to be flashed to wake up the OBD II port. Most of them have been flashed at a dealer if the truck ever went into them but every now and then one shows up that hasn't been flashed to get it to work.

I didn't see where he said it was a 94.5 truck (or even what year it was). I believe that even if it was 94 powerstroke that he could use any DPC-203 PCM without getting it reflashed. I could be wrong, but Jody at DP Tuner could tell for sure.

 

[bugman]

I didn't see where he said it was a 94.5 truck (or even what year it was). I believe that even if it was 94 powerstroke that he could use any DPC-203 PCM without getting it reflashed. I could be wrong, but Jody at DP Tuner could tell for sure.

I cheated and looked at his photo and then checked the SOD4 code on the PCM codes to come up with a 94 model year.

But yes he could use any of the DPC-203 without having to get it reflashed as long as they had been flashed or were from a 96+ year of truck.

 

[Adam Helsten]

To my knowledge, the truck is a '95 model. After reading the PCM codes linked in this thread, it appears the truck is a '94..interesting.

 

[bugman]

It could be a late 94 or early 95 with the PCM from the late 94.

The started selling the 7.3 DI engine in the middle of 94 and I was just going by the PCM code. You can also just look at the title or registration to find out what year it is and if the sticker is still on the door jamb you can find out when the truck was produced.

 

[madpogue]

The 10th position of the VIN determines the model year.