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I hope to get it in my truck next week so my degas bottle can start puking on it again...next project.
The seal on the top of the FICM under the little military dog tag inspection cover isn't awesome. If coolant gets in there, it's pretty unilaterally game over for the FICM - like paper weight status.
Until you get your puking issue under control, I'd advise either not driving the truck or fabricating some sort of shield to protect the module from moisture.
The seal on the top of the FICM under the little military dog tag inspection cover isn't awesome. If coolant gets in there, it's pretty unilaterally game over for the FICM - like paper weight status.
Until you get your puking issue under control, I'd advise either not driving the truck or fabricating some sort of shield to protect the module from moisture.
If the case can't handle a little dribble of coolant, then I definitely have a problem to resolve. I don't know any guy with a truck who hasn't occasionally sprayed a little degreaser in the engine compartment and then hit it with the garden hose. So it looks like I need to come up with a seal that IS reliable, whether my degas bottle is puking or not.
I do plan to get my 6.0 studded, new oem gaskets, heads checked, and other 'bullet proofing'. But a simple alternator and wiring upgrade that should've taken maybe a couple of hours leisurely has turned into a 3 weekend project so far, seized belt tensioner, hunting down parts, discovering a failing ficm, removing it, repairing it, etc. Meanwhile the wife's car I've since hijacked is showing me it needs serious attention very soon. So I need to get my truck able to get me back and fort to work while I get my wife's ride fixed. And I've got to find a good shop to address the root cause of my puking and 'bullet proof' my 6.0.
Anyway, my seal looked pretty good. But maybe I should consider scraping it clean and go back with an rtv sealant? I've got a scanguage, do I really need to access the inspection cover again?
If the case can't handle a little dribble of coolant, then I definitely have a problem to resolve. I don't know any guy with a truck who hasn't occasionally sprayed a little degreaser in the engine compartment and then hit it with the garden hose. So it looks like I need to come up with a seal that IS reliable, whether my degas bottle is puking or not.
I do plan to get my 6.0 studded, new oem gaskets, heads checked, and other 'bullet proofing'. But a simple alternator and wiring upgrade that should've taken maybe a couple of hours leisurely has turned into a 3 weekend project so far, seized belt tensioner, hunting down parts, discovering a failing ficm, removing it, repairing it, etc. Meanwhile the wife's car I've since hijacked is showing me it needs serious attention very soon. So I need to get my truck able to get me back and fort to work while I get my wife's ride fixed. And I've got to find a good shop to address the root cause of my puking and 'bullet proof' my 6.0.
Anyway, my seal looked pretty good. But maybe I should consider scraping it clean and go back with an rtv sealant? I've got a scanguage, do I really need to access the inspection cover again?
If your gasket is good and the Torx T20 bits appropriately snugged down, I'd say you are fine. I would ensure that the mating surface is clean, though.
It's more a heads-up to say that water and electronics don't play nicely together.
If your gasket is good and the Torx T20 bits appropriately snugged down, I'd say you are fine. I would ensure that the mating surface is clean, though.
It's more a heads-up to say that water and electronics don't play nicely together.
Ed I have one thought about someones idea of a possible "fix". I know that if they use any RTV that has acetic acid in it they
can corrode the board and make a nightmare out of things. They
should get the correct seal if they do feel the need to replace it.
If your gasket is good and the Torx T20 bits appropriately snugged down, I'd say you are fine. I would ensure that the mating surface is clean, though.
It's more a heads-up to say that water and electronics don't play nicely together.
It looked like a clean seal to me when I checked it.
It'll be in your hands tomorrow. You can see for yourself.
I'm open for suggestions if you notice any weak points in my ficm.
Thanks.
Ed I have one thought about someones idea of a possible "fix". I know that if they use any RTV that has acetic acid in it they
can corrode the board and make a nightmare out of things. They
should get the correct seal if they do feel the need to replace it.
Sean
That's a good point you make there, Sean. It's easy to overlook things when you just want to get your truck fixed. This shows the value of presenting ones ideas in the forum to be vetted.
I poked around on the ole inner-web and it appears that regular rtv is indeed a bad idea for sealing a pcb in a box. I saw a discussion where someone recommended Dow Corning 3145 for such application. Looks like a 3oz tube is about $25. I wonder if Permatex makes a safe version that's more in the $5/tube range? I'm the original owner and my seal appears to be in good condition, but it's good information to know just in case.
Jason
I know that if they use any RTV that has acetic acid in it they can corrode the board and make a nightmare out of things. They
should get the correct seal if they do feel the need to replace it.
Excellent point, Sean. Even WITH a perfect seal, though, I'd recommend staying away from the pressure washers...
Originally Posted by jfirstford
It's easy to overlook things when you just want to get your truck fixed. This shows the value of presenting ones ideas in the forum to be vetted.
It looked like a clean seal to me when I checked it.
It'll be in your hands tomorrow. You can see for yourself.
I'm open for suggestions if you notice any weak points in my ficm.
Thanks.
A disabled body is good for something. The mind holds a
lot of things that can help other people.
Not that I want to play with the risks but One might look
at the O2 sensor safe RTV as a starting point. The thing
that causes the corrosion is the acetic acid that is used in
the curing process. That tends to gas off as it is curing.
But I can't say for sure just how long it takes to totally clear
it or if the others are safe. If I think about it I might be able
to find a safe replacement that does not cost an arm and a leg.
Ed The trans is ready for a pickup. I called your shop and let
then know but wanted to also let you know.
So the folks at BPD called me Thursday. They had received the FICM power supply and of course there was nothing wrong with it. I can't wait to hear from for FICMrepair what the actual problem is with my old logic board. BPD graciously offered a consolation package to offset my loss even though I was not the original buyer of the power supply. It absolutely was unexpected but appreciated.
I guess the takeaway for me is to always deal with reputable companies like BPD & FICMrepair.
So the folks at BPD called me Thursday. They had received the FICM power supply and of course there was nothing wrong with it. I can't wait to hear from for FICMrepair what the actual problem is with my old logic board. BPD graciously offered a consolation package to offset my loss even though I was not the original buyer of the power supply. It absolutely was unexpected but appreciated.
I guess the takeaway for me is to always deal with reputable companies like BPD & FICMrepair.
Good to hear. Did you resolve the ABS light issue? Was it the VSS?
I ordered a replacement from my local independently owned NAPA jobber and it was the wrong one. Monday we will try again. I know about OEM vs. aftermarket, but I have a signature account at NAPA.
02-20-2015, 09:53 AM
...next project.
