I recently purchased a 1995 F250 Powerstroke. I am noticing, however, that it has a couple of issues.


I fired it up the other day, my check engine light kicked on, and the engine began to idle very, very roughly. I shut it down almost instantly, being concerned about damage. I did some research, and found that it sounded like the problem was the ICP sensor. I unplugged it, and found that the connection was essentially stuffed full of oil. The engine is running fine without it connected. Is it safe for me to drive the pickup without it connected until I can a new ICP?


Secondly, I have noticed a small pool of coolant in a valley under the turbo. I haven't got even a faint idea where it could be from, and I've spent a fair bit of time looking. Any guesses?


Thank you.
~Christopher.

 

Are you sure that is coolant in the valley? Does the truck smell like burning coolant? I can't advise on running a long time without the ICP, somebody else can probably help you there.

 

With the ICP unplugged it will just go to default, no biggie.

As far as coolant in the valley, you go me stumped there. there is NOTHING up there coolant related

 

That's part of what has me confused on seeing coolant there. I'm not smelling any of it burning, but I can see the little pool.


Knowing that I can run it without the ICP without risk of damage for a couple of day is quite helpful, though.

 

Possibly coolant hose that goes over alternator has a pin hole?

 

Take a sample and get a ph test on it. One for diesel ph and the other for coolant. Or you could always taste it, coolant will taste kind of sweet, just spit it out and wash it out with water. My mechanic buddy taught that one. If it's diesel, you'll know.

The only thing I can think of is maybe your heater core lines are leaking, that's the only thing that goes over that area coolant wise I can think of.
Honestly that's what I would lean towards, it being fuel puddled up there.

 

I'll check those. Thanks, guys.

 

My internet cut me off, If it's fuel puddled up there, check your fuel bowl lines and fuel lines coming from your pump. I had a cracked rubber return line on the bowl and a leaky rubber input line from the pump.

 

Quick update- I fired the pickup up again. The ICP was disconnected still, and it fired up with the rough idle. I shut it off, and restarted it, and it was fine. The engine shakes really heavily. Could this have an additional problem, or is that normal to have happen on startup when the ICP is out?

 

How rough are we talking? When it was cold my truck idled kind of hard, but evened out once it warmed up. Maybe a video and then post the youtube link here. Does it sound/feel like it's only running on 6 cylinders?

 

just fyi if the truck is an auto dont drive it with the sensor unplugged it will shift real hard due to being in limp mode and can actually beat the clutches out of the trans
not sure why but mine did it and a trans guy i know said hes seen it before

 

I'll try to get a video of it later.


It sounds almost exactly like this one. I've been trying to find other people with the same issue as a starting point.

 

Well if you do take a video, show the inside, and then outside with a shot of the engine, so those sounds are clearer and not muffled by the cab.