I figured it was time to get off the "Nervous about buying" thread. I finally got the truck I wanted and I'm definitely not nervous about it any more. So I'm going to be doing the commonly recommended things-- coolant flush and filter, refill with ELC; blue spring upgrade, etc. For now I'm going to leave the oil cooler and the EGR alone. I plant to do the EGR delete down the road (oops, bad choice of words), but I want to see the results of the coolant flush first. I posted my current temps here (post #100). If my temps stay consistently good after the flush, I'm not going to worry too much about the oil cooler, and I won't be in a big hurry to do the EGR delete. When I do, it will be the IPR delete.

I have a question right now about my FICM numbers off the SCII. First off, my FVP has no reading at all, not even a 0. I'm going out at lunch time to make sure I didn't mess up the programming, which I probably did. My FMP at KOEO is 48, 48 at low idle and 48 at high idle. While driving, it fluctuates between 47.5 and 48, occasionally dipping down to 47 momentarily. I'm not sure if this is an issue. My FLP at KOEO is 12, 14 at low idle and 14 at high idle. Are these numbers OK?

I'll continue to update this thread as I work though my improvements. Still waiting for the mounting bracket for the coolant filter. I'm putting it in the shop Monday for brakes and front end alignment. My DS front rotor is not smooth. I don't know if it can be turned or if I'll need a new one. the PS front is smooth. I could't get to the rear brakes as I have DRW and I didn't want to pull the wheels off just to check, I'll let the shop do that.

 

It'll be programming on the SGII. Your other numbers sound normal... By chance since it is a dual rear, does it also have dual Alts? Most definitely helps on cold starts to have plenty of Amps

I think you found a winner...

 

FLP/FMP are good at those numbers. How about the fuel/oil filters, easy to do and then you'll know when and that they are OEM.

 

I've done the oil filter when I changed it to Rotella T 15W 40. I keep forgetting about the fuel filter, need to do that ASAP.

diesel_dan, I don't have dual alternators. That would be nice!

 

there are two and come in a set when you buy them, one upper (near the oil filter) and one lower, under the frame, drivers side about the middle of the back door.

 

Then maybe it's the 140A one (or was changed to one in the past). On the fuel filter(s) there are 2, and you should get the special wrench/socket (don't get suckered into using just a ratchet or you might break the cap), and it is a great time to get the Ford updated HFCM drain put in (which is where the lower filter is). Part no. for the new drain plug is: 6E7Z-9C082-A It's pretty cheap too...

You're doin' great!!!

 

If I may suggest something,get an Oasis report. That way you KNOW what has been done by the dealer in the past, ie STC fitting, standpipes, dummy plugs etc..... This way you can plan what needs to be done so you don't have any known break down problems that will cost BIG bucks down the road

 

OK. So I did a lot of stuff at lunch time. Ordered both fuel filters (OEM) and filter cap socket, should be here tomorrow. Ordered updated HFCM drain plug, should be here next week. Reprogrammed the SCII and the FVP now is 12, 14, 14.

Got the Oasis report from my local dealer. Not a lot on it -- leaking PS hose fixed, A/C leak fixed, EBP sensor replaced, little things like CD player (since replaced with aftermarket), glove box latch... But one big thing, all eight injectors were replaced in January 2007. (Manufacture date of the truck is January 2005.) Here is the detailed report:

"Customer states that engine runs extremely rough on cold start up."

"Hook up IDS and recalibrate engine to latest calibration per TSB 25.07. Recheck on cold start up and found cylinders 1, 2, 4, and 6 failing power balance. Replaced injectors 1, 2, 4, and 6. Recheck on cold start up next morning. Injectors 3, 5, 7 and 8 injectors failing power balance test. Replaced 3, 5, 7 and 8 injectors and recheck. No other."

So... I guess this is a good thing?

Forgot to mention - the mileage at the time of the injector replacement was 72,464 miles.

 

Consider putting in CT fitting standpipes and dummy plugs. I highly recommend a coolant filter too (I run a IPR but that is my choice for something further down the road) and give it a good flush. All the instructions are in the introductions up top of the threads. Nice looking truck...........I love white trucks!

 

Going to do a blue spring update or did I miss that in your list?
I would not use any chemicals to flush. I switched from gold to
Rotella ELC and only did distilled water flush with pulling the block
drains. Don't want to kill that oil cooler unless you need to.



Sean

6.0L Tech Folder

 

Sean, yes I'm going to do the blue spring upgrade.

Per4mance, I was trying to avoid a white truck, but I'm really liking this one.

Still wondering about all of your thoughts on the injectors being replaced.

I'm also curious about everyone's start up and shut down procedures. I have my son start my truck in the mornings. He's nine and gets a kick out of that. When the oil temp hits 100° I have him hit the high idle and then when it reaches 150° I have him go back to low idle. Does this sound right? Do you all let it cool off any before shutting it down after driving? What is meant by "turbo cool down"? I've read about that somewhere here but I don't remember where. I don't have an EGT gauge installed yet. I installed one on my 95 7.3L when I had it. I read somewhere on here about monitoring the EGT's from two different places on the 6.0's. What's that about?

Sorry for the noob questions, but I want to make sure I get everything right.

 

I also meant to ask, what all gauges do y'all have and what kind and where do you have them mounted? I had ISSPRO in my 95 and mounted them on the pillar. I don't want pillar mounted gauges on this truck, but I have a sunroof so I don't think there is room to mount them on the roof console. (Not sure of the correct term.)

 

Check your FICM programming again, you should be FMP in the 48V range, FLP and FVP should map pretty close together (12-13s), if they aren't there could be a problem starting there (mine are close to Battery voltage usually).

Per4mance is right that you might want to consider replacing the STC fitting off the HPOP and if you are doing that the dummy plugs and standpipes -- all three of these have upgraded versions from Ford. The STC fitting is short for Snap To Connect and it is right off your up to 4 thousand psi HPOP, they sometimes will leak first, but can have a more serious failure of blowing off at high pressure with no warning, besides shutting you down immediately, it is highly likely that when it blows it can crack a cast aluminum engine cover adjacent to it at the rear of the engine. To replace that cover the motor has to come out or the trans has to come out. You can say Ugh now... The Dummy Plugs and Stand Pipes have o-rings that start to leak with age, but failure is slower -- the new ones come with a Teflon backing washer that supports the o-rings and we don't know how long those can go. The STC replacement is a hard plumbed fitting and also comes with an upgraded SS IPR screen. If you are in that deep and not doing the oil cooler there is an upgraded SS screen that comes with a new cooler, but probably comes by itself and you should replace the easy to tear nylon one with -- it is on the inlet side of the HPOP and keeps nasties out of the HPOP.

As Sean said: do the Bluespring, it is cheap and helps insure injector health, also a Ford updated part (and is easy to do). Get this kit:
Ford Fuel Pressure Regulator Blue Spring Kit - Riffraff Diesel Performance

Hey, it's all good !!!!

 

Yeah, those are the numbers I have, as well as 12, 14 and 14 for the FVP now that I have the SCII properly programmed.

 

Because I have a working EGR system I don't let my engine warm up much, and I regularly run fuel additive which I think helps keep the soot down, as well as injectors happy. On the other end, we have a canyon to come through to get home and if we have a good load it'll be hot, I pop the hood and let it idle when we get home until I can hold my hand comfortably in the air stream off the cooler stack (radiator, etc.), then I leave the hood up and let it cool for a while with engine off. That's what I do....

Injectors were done some 75K ago then? I don't see that as a bad thing, they likely changed injector o-rings and things like that then too (they can be a HPO leak too so newer is better in my book).

I don't worry about EGTs at my normal heaviest loads, my friend with an '04 is at max GCWR and does -- I'll have to ask him if he ever has to back out of it -- neither of us run tuned, and that is when a lot of the guys here start putting EGT probes in: tuned and heavy (or heavy footed ).

I run Torque Pro on a Droid phone and there's only two things gauge-wise I'd maybe consider that it doesn't do: Fuel Pressure, which I ignore cause I did the Blue Spring; and EGT which I covered...

Keep on truckin'! And the only noob or stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked. This is one of the friendliest, nicest, knowledgeable group of folks of any forums I've been on...