Hey ! I have an 7.3 turbo (econoline, -97), and the country is Norway, and I have tried to speak with everyone that comes to mind for this problem so now I try you guys. I've been looking on the forum but could not find a thread to help me.

The problem is the turbo/engine of some sort.
It all started with me fixing it to a controll, some things needed to be changed and me and a buddy got to work. While I was fixing some suspension he thought it was a good idea to take the little box out benith the steering wheel, little black box, that makes the noise when you have an open door/lights on etc, and after he had unplugged this unit, another light blue box right next to this box started to make an noisie sound, like an alarm. Whenever I put the keys in the ignition the alarm starts, stops, starts all the time. And where the turbo problem comes in is here. I was out driving, and there was a pretty hard upphill to drive, halfway trhough it starts to choke, and couldnt finish the hill. I had to stop in the middle of the hill to let the engine "cool" off/ cough finish, and then I could start driving along. And now always after when the engine is at operating temp it wount charge, it locks itself at 0.3 bars, almost like electrical. When the engine is cool I can go all the way up to 0.9 bars, and then is just keeps feeding and feeding in hills. I took the engine cover off, and unplugged this box, when I did, i've heard the clicking here and there, and the last click sounds like it's in the turbo housing, and when I plugged the blue box in after, when the clicking in the turbo goes, the alarm starts. Tried to look if there was any loose wires but they're all good. I just don't have a clue anymore. It is just hopeless to drive with now.

Anyone knows the problem?

Changed fuel filter, air filter, all fuses, No error codes.

 

Welcome to FTE. I'd suggest you start by plugging back in all the little boxes while we troubleshoot this. Black and blue boxes aren't great descriptions, especially since most of us are in a pick up instead of a van, and things may be different in Norway than here in the States. But it sounds like the black box may be your GEM.

If online conversion is correct, you're running from 4 - 13 psi of boost. What are you using to monitor boost pressure from the turbo? Can it monitor anything else or read any live data? There's not an electrical control that will control boost pressure so we need to look at other places. First off, is the engine oil full? How long since it was changed? What is the spec rating and weight of the oil? The fuel injectors run off of engine oil, so clean, full oil of the proper rating is vital.

When the engine is warm and you're having power troubles, does the engine run rough or different if you're gentle on the throttle on flat land, or does it just lack power under a load or when going up hills? Does it idle any different when the engine is hot? If you didn't have a gauge to read boost pressure, is there anything else you might guess it would be related to?

 

Okei, I have plugged them back. What hit my mind when you spoke of the oil, I just had a oil replacement, I didnt do it myself, and it was after this it really started to spooke around. I dont know what the wiskousitie is, what should it be, low or high on thoose engins? The oil is perfect so is the transmission oil. I have a gauge inside unoriginal, to measure the preassure and voltage. The car struggels when it hits working temp no matter if it's up or down/flat or not. Cold = perfect/warm=unstable.
I dont know if the engine oil is wrong wiskousitie if it might expand or some like that when it gets hot, but there is enough oil.
When the engine is cold, it sounds like it runs smooth, when it gets hot is runs alot rougher than usually.

If I didnt have the gauge, I would still know it becuase the engine cuts right off, almost like it struggels to keep going.

The fuel injectors, if I understod you, I should clean them ?

Thanks for reply

Btw, GEM, what that shourt for ?

 

"Viscosity" is the English word you're looking for. Yes, it would be a good idea to find out the viscosity range of the oil that is in the van now. Also, it is critical that our engines use diesel engine oil. You may already know this, but the oil is not just for lubrication. It is also hydraulic oil, used to provide pressure to drive the fuel injectors. So indeed, the wrong oil viscosity, or the wrong type of oil, can make the engine run poorly. It can even run poorly (or fail to run at all) when the engine is low on oil. So the first thing to do is check the oil level on the dipstick. Can you get the person who changed your oil to show you the empty bottles?

GEM is short for General Electronic Module. I can't say for sure about the vans, but the trucks of our vintage did not have one. We have a PCM - Powertrain Control Module, and an IDM - Injector Drive Module.

 

I went out and checked the dipstick, and its almost full. And no, I can't get hold of that guy at this moment, but I have no idea what oil he used. But say if the viscosity is wrong, maybe very wrong would that be the problem for the poor power I get when the engine hits working temperature? Or should it be low power both hot and cold temprerature still with full amount of oil?

 

I can imagine, if it has the wrong oil in it, it would run alright when the oil is cold. But when it heats up and gets thinner, it's not able to produce as much injection pressure and the truck would run badly. So it's important to know what oil is in the engine.

 

I will check it up. But if I can't find it out, what type of oil is recomended for that kind of engine ?

 

Rotella, motorcraft, delo 15w40

 

^^^^^ or Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck, or Mobil Delvac 1. It depends on what's available in Norway. 15w40 or 5w40 if it gets cold there, and it MUST be diesel engine oil.

 

Hey again, I checked up what oil that was used, and it turnes out it was 15w-40, and asked around, and the previous owner had it in at a garage and I've spoke to them. They told me that in january they had it in and readed the error codes, and it turned up that there was a problem with the PCM. He could'nt tell me more, then he needed the car in again. Anyone knows what might be wrong?