so we all heard about the flaming 2008 tail pipes and the quarts of fuel being dumped into the 6.4L oil system......

Im hearing that later 6.4's have a flash upgrade which monitors the AFR and detects abnormalities in the AFR due to added fuel in the oil which will effect target AFR's. once the AFR abnormality is detected...the engine goes into wrench mode.

I only have a 2008 version codes list so I dont know if a later codes listing will show a new code for fuel in oil....there should be one if this is true.

 

I don't think it's a given that all 6.4s make oil. My 6.4 didn't after the regens on a longer trip. But, I think you can just check your oil often to see if it is making any.

 

Fuel contamination in the oil is an issue with anything that has a regen feature. Ford, Dodge and GM all have that issue. That's the only reason you can't do extended oil changes in these motors. If you have it deleted, then that issue no longer exists.

 

Camp, I just bought an 08 with the DPF-r delete. You may know me from the 7.3 forum. I'm watching my oil level intently and see no sign so far. Just had the trans completely serviced and there wasn't a spec on the magnet. Just learning the 6.4's and I am hopeful things go well. On topic, if my wife drives 4 miles a day on "her rig...the new 08 to us".... should I be on this weekly? I was also told b the trans guy, (very good D mechanic) that I should be purging the water out of the fraim rail drain weekly? any truth to that>?

 

Beer's great, these forums are better! Excuse my spelling but understand my intent....burp.

 

The fuel dilution into the oil comes from the regen cycle the truck does. With the EGR and DPF deletes, that issue goes away, unless you have an injector get stuck open. If that happens though, you'll have bigger problems than fuel in the oil.

I drain the fuel/water separator when I remember to, usually once a month. Funny thing about that thing. Last time I changed the fuel filter on the fuel/water separator, I drained it a little before removing the filter, and no water came out. When I opened the filter, you would've thought half of what came out was water!

If you ever see smoke really coming out the tailpipe while driving normal, (not into it or anything) no matter what color, pull over and call a tow truck. These aren't 7.3's where you can limp it home.

Yes, I remember you from the 7.3 forums!

 

so the question is , there is supposed to be a PCM flash upgrade that allows the PCM to detect air fuel ratio changes due to fuel in oil....once its detected...engine goes into wrench mode, thats the question....is the flash upgrade true or not.

 

ha, ha, ha....there are 3 common failures in the 5r110w tranny and when they occur...you will not see metal in the mag plugs IF you installed one on the drain...or the magnet on the pan.

1. snap rings about the dia of a coke can snap in half. this causes the gear clustors to move out of alingment.

2. the is a gear about the size of a coffee can that develops a radial crack.

3. there is a planetary gear housing that looks like a large mushroom and the stem is pressed in...these come loose.

the stresses from lunging from 3rd to 5th does not help matters. for those that do not know....ford could not get the tranny to work correctly as a 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6 speed tranny....so they rigged it up to be either a 1,2,3,4,6 or a 1,2,3,5,6 tranny. supposedly depending on the temp. mine always functions as a 1,2,3,5,6 and it lunges at the 3,5 shift point and now I have one of the three common failures...probally the broken snap ring.

 

I never heard of the flash upgrade.

 

so I continue to reseach the flash upgrade that was mentioned on a "6.4 issues" pdf which I now cant locate. what I did find is that their is a flash that will detect elevated oil levels and once the oil level elvation is detected...it puts the engine into wrench and reduced power mode. I started a new thread about that flash and included the flash update number as well as asking if anyone knows how many quarts of oil over it will take to activate it.

the thought is as the oil becomes contaminated with fuel the level increases and when it reaches a predetermined point...wrench mode....so basically if this works and you have the flash....ford cant say you had an oil over fill condition that you failed to detect and becuase of that x and y occured. the flash upgrade is supposed to detect the oil level increase due to regen fuel dilution automatically.

I also found that xcessive oil levels has cuased cracks in injector bases....cant imagine how that happens espeacially since we have pretty good crank case vents.

the search continues for the soruce of the afr flash...that would be a good idea if it exist and it worked.