Early 2004 (IPC under turbo) 163000 miles. Injectors done last summer. Stock.

Got a call that this guy died on the highway. By the time I got there (45 minutes?), it started and ran fine. He drove it for ahile, shut it down, drove it some more and it died again. I finally got it in and looked it over and test drove it. It died on me twice (Both times, I was pulled over and stopped. How lucky is that?) When it died, it showed that the Desired ICP dropped to zero just before the actual and the ICP voltage did. I wasn't watching the Regulator%.

Cranking, it showed about 210 ICP and .19 ICP voltage. After it sat for maybe 10 minutes, it finally started.

Now, my question is, do I have a ICP problem or an electrical problem? My thinking is an electrical problem because to me, it doesn't seem like the oil would cool off enough in 10 minutes to allow it to become thick enough to build pressure again. I also noticed that the ICP dropped down to as low as about 590 at low idle once the oil temp was up to about 190, but it wasn't always that low - usually it was around 625ish.

I have it idling right now and recording Sync now, but of course it's running fine.

If my sync drops out, I need to change the Cam sensor or crank sensor, correct? If it doesn't drop out, I have a ICP problem. Does that sound right?

 

Pull and check the IPR screen and then air test. PIA, I know, but diagnostics before dollars is how I work. Also, what leads you the CKP or CMP sensors???

Can you find out of the HPOP has ever been replaced before? That pump is problematic anyway.

 

What is VREF doing? It's possible with multiple issues that the 5 volt vRef is what is giving the problems.

 

What leads me to the CKP and CMP is that it only takes about 10 minutes for it to cool down enough to restart. To ME, that seems more like a sensor being flakey than a high pressure oil leak.

When running, it will see 3600 PSI ICP, so wouldn't that eliminate a high pressure leak? Also, if it died, it would take me way longer than 10 minutes to do an IPR leak test at which point it would probably start again, so the problem wouldn't be there.

I haven't watched VREF, but I will next time I test drive this. I hadn't thought of that, so thanks for the suggest.

I'll start it again in the morning to see how it does. Sure wish I had someone here that could drive this while I work on other stuff. Any takers?

 

watch IPR at 2500rpm... should be spot on 40%... if it's not, you have a leak.
Your checking the IPR screen for a tear or stuff clogging the screen.
Early 2004... leaks happen at the injector o-rings or nipple cups. No dummy plugs, standpipe or STC fitting and in most cases... the HPOP. Air thru the IPR so you don't have to command it closed should result with no air. But if the trucks dying at above 200psi, shop air won't find it because you can't get the pressure high enough to cause the leak.

Now your down to "pull the pump" at this point. Any stickiness in the gear turning, rough spot or if you apply air and the discharge tube kind of weeps oil, pumps bad.

 

Watson, you are focused on the oil system. Do you think I'm off base with my cam/crank theory? It's fine if you are, I'm just wanting to be sure.

The engine died when the ICP was over 600 PSI. This is another good reason that doing an air test on the IPR isn't worth my time and blood.

So tomorrow I will check IPR cold at 2500 then hot. Also I'll watch VREF, SYNC and something else.

 

Cam and Crank sync are needed to get FICM sync. Motor cooling and restoring those two items doesn't make sense..... normally something that isn't effected by heat. But you could be right, try wiggling the wires, check for chaffing. There is a possibility that one of them gets hot and the resistance goes up. You'd need to ohm it when hot, think one of them should be 2-300 and the other 7-800 ohms. Search for the actual readings your looking for and be ready to do it on the side of the road.

 

(Off topic)Speaking of the side of the road, I think that's where my multimeter ended up last week. I wish that there was more of a balance between tools found and tools lost. (though I did walk out of an Estate sale with $500 worth of snap-on tools for $20 once)

(On topic)

Anyway, so I need to look at sync and FICM sync both to verify my idea? I was thinking more about something in the sensor being effected by heat and opening up rather than wiring. The thing is, I had it hot and went over a pretty bumpy road and had no problems at that time.

If there was an oil leak in the high pressure side, wouldn't I be seeing the oil pressure slowly drop until it reached a critical point and shut off?

 

possibly. Sometimes 03-04's just flat die and sometimes... just slow down.
Watch for sync on the FICM, if it goes away, that pretty much confirms CAM/CRK sync may be an issue...... if not, HPOP.

Snap-on tools for $20 please... very nice. Once got around 11,000 building bricks for $125... they are now my outdoor fireplace.

 

If you end up replacing the HPOP, and the odds are in your favor, do the guy a solid and advise him to go with the Adrenaline HPOP.
Anyone else here will likely advise you to do the same.

 

I'm sure that great advice but he is a guy that buys stuff from partsgeek. Gotta keep those ten year old Chinese kids working.

 

Sounds like a glutton for punishment. In that case my I recorrmend an ICP sensor off of ebay for 20$?
They work grrearrt, from china. All your sensors berong to us.

 

That's some funny stuff there.

 

You'll be laughing when your replacing that crappy HPOP the second and possibly third time... you'll be able to tell him "I told you so" all the way to the bank at triple time and a half for the same job!

 

Ford Cam sensor is in. ($36)

Here's a question for you. If we are loosing high pressure oil, would the IPR Spike?

Funny thing is, as I was in the middle of typing that last sentence, the truck was idling outside my door, the RPMs dropped for a second. I went out and looked and that's exactly what happened. The ICP dropped a bit and the IPR jumped a bit. It has done it three times while typing this reply.

It is looking more like a high pressure oil leak. Maybe the ball on the pump is coming loose.

BTW, this engine has the intake with the support across the back. That means that it HAS to come out to get to the pump, correct?