attached are links to pics of the 10 plugs i just removed outa my truck..

while i was swapping the plugs i also replaced all 10 COP's/boots..figures since im going in, i might aswell replace everything in order to help eliminate parts that might be a problem..

while my truck was running fine, i have been noticing a drop in MPG/power and a increasing amount of spark knock climbing hills..

as you can clearly see in the pics all 10 plugs are showing worn/burned off electrode tips/corners and alot of white residue which has got to be a case of running lean for awhile..

also clearly visible on plug 7 is just how close that plug was to being completly unthreaded. all the plugs on the drivers side bank were torqued to about the same value and were easily removed with mostly clean plugs holes..

the passenger side bank was another story, plugs on that side were all over the map some def. over tightened, some not even hand tight, with alot of dirty holes. and of course plug 7 which was literaly like 1.5 threads from coming right out.

luckily all the thread holes seem fine and took teh new plugs to their new torque setting and not one felt like it had any play in the threads...

driving the truck home (only a short drive from were i changed the plugs out), the truck didnt feel any different, so i suspect my problem remains, but i wont know till after at least a few more drives.

i'm beginning to suspect either my CAT is plugged up or perhaps i have a fuel delivery problem.. but the fuel pump doesnt seem to be hurting in just mashing the pedal in park.. engine revs perfect.. but perhaps when under load on hills its not deliverying enuf fuel.. i dont have a pressure checker so im not sure.

my truck has (220Kmiles) 340K kms, and the exhaust system appears to be original or at least Factory Ford stock ..

thinking i might just let Ford test the fuel pressure and the CAT via a effeincy test. i gotta figure out why its down on power soon i dont wanna foul another set of plugs by driving lean..

oddly enuf my new plugs have a completly different electrode tip, were the old one are clearly conical, the new ones are stepped like a pyramid..

anyways on to the pics.

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Cgrimjack%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cm sohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Cgrimjack%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cm sohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Cgrimjack%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cm sohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><s tyle> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-formatther; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority9; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority9; colorurple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style>http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000599a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000600a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000601a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000602a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000603a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000606a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000607a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000608a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000610a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000611a.JPG
http://idriders.com/temp/ifo_v10/P1000612a.JPG

 

Might also be time to replace your Oxygen sensors, especially with that high of miles and the lean condition. Very easy swap with a cheap O2 socket from princess auto if you don't have one. Possible knock sensor out, or going bad, maybe even a fuel filter getting plugged some. Again all easy fixes before spending to get Ford to look at it, well minus the O2 sensors anyway as they seem pricey from when I changed mine. (Just remember if and when changing to warm up the truck to help them come out, but it gets tight in there and very hot so be carefull not to burn your arm like I did.) Even if you just remove and replace the sensor on the exhaust while hot and wait for it to cool before unplugging old and plugging in the new sensor, cuz that is the pita part having to reach way up to the connectors.

 

air and fuel filters are both new within the last couple of months..

but your right teh O2 sensor could also be a culprit with my milage...althou i have never once had a CEL come on..and the CEL light does work, ahhah...

i'm sure with the CAT effiency test Ford offers the O2 sensors up and down stream must surely be included..but you never know.. they might want extra to test the O2 sensors directly.

 

That look serious lean compare to my 5.4L with 185K it was little white with tan but would say normal for original spark plugs that been there 185K miles.


Can you add vacuum gauge to see what psi you get. That lean mean it have vacuum leak or something mess up fuel/air mixture ratio.

 

Those plugs have bit of wear on them but the deposits are not too bad. Spark Plug Analysis How many miles were on the plugs?

I would replace the O2 sensors if you have 220k on them. If you have an infared heat gun you could hook a trailer and tow it around for a bit and check the temps at the pipe before the cat, after the cat and the cat body itself.

 

actualy my buddy who's garage we used to change the plugs/coils does have a fancy hand held heat gun..

i might just use it and see what the exhaust is doing when i drive back over there monday nite for WWE Wrestling..

 

just a quick update..

good friend of mine whos a GM mechanic looked at my plugs and my Provinical Smog test results (which were REALLY good actually)

he tells me the plugs actualy appear quite normal with just a hint of oil/carbon buildup on the inside edge of the plug body.. so i guess its not running lean all the time after all..

as a bonus the required smog test also scans for stored codes which none were retrieved..

his best guess (since he doesnt work on Fords) is the fuel pump might be showing signs of starving the engine under high demand..

looking like im going to have to book some time at the dealership to let them test it out fully..

ohwell i'll get to the bottom of this eventualy, haha..

oddly in a weird way i was kind of hoping the truck wouldnt have passed the smog test, so it could have pinpointed were the problem might be...but no such luck..

 

Plugs look fine. Remember that these trucks with a stock PCM calibration DO NOT run any fuel enrichment at WOT unless very specific condition exist, so they're not gonna have that gray-ish brown coloring like you'd think you should see.
JL

 

Disconnect your exhaust system ahead of the cat and go for a ride. If you do have a cat problem it will be obvious.

 

i may still go that route, but after having my smog test done, i dont think theres anyway i could have passed if the CAT was plugged, or not working properly..

my emissions were on the low side of ave. vehicle readings and WELL below my max allowable, which shows if anything the truck and CAT are working perfectly.. but i can "feel" the truck is just not the same..

before i disconnect my exhaust (which would prolly be a problem since my truck has both before and after CAT O2 sensors.) i'm going to let Ford run a scan tool and have a mechanic give it a test drive and watch the fuel pump PSI readings...

hopefully its not a fuel pump as thats a big job labour wise, and im def. not gunna do that work myself..i dont mind doing somethings, but thats one area i HATE doing with..

is open fuel systems and open trans/diff work.. the smells really bother me..

 

i can post up my smog results if anyone wants to see em if that might help...

 

update...

well today the truck finaly coughed up a CEL..

now i can get it scanned hopefully this narrows down whats going on..was hoping the truck would pop a CEL awhile ago actualy..

i hate not knowing why its running like it is.

 

further update..

truck went in and i'll type out whats reported on my workorder to date (as the issue isnt resolved yet)


"check and report why check engine light is on. cust feels veh. is down on power and hard on fuel, cust replaced air/fuel filters 10 plugs/COPs

confirm check engine light is on performed road test did not feel lack of power (3miles)
perform quick test p0171 p0174 lean

checked oasis no ssm found. checked fuel pressure 45 PSI ok.checked for fuel pump volume ok. checked for external vacuum leaks none found. monitored pids. performed pinpoint tests. disconnected all vacuum lines for upper intake and idle drop.
suspect concern with IAC. recommend trying to replace IAC and retest.

replaced IAC/gasket and cleared DTC and KAM then road test vehicle again. monitored PIDS and found o2 on left side reading lean. swapped o2 sensor and left bank is still reading lean. now vehicle is HOT and right o2 is reading lean. disconnected all vacuum lines from intake and found then when fuel pressure regulator is disconnected o2 starts to operate normally. removed vacuum supply line and vacuum, then pressure test no leaks found.

checked fuel pressure regulator and found no leaks.

performed super terra clean (combustion chamber cleaner service) then monitored PIDS. found fuel trim came down but o2 still indicates lean.

contact tech hotline and they recommend to road test vehicle and monitor PIDS and compare to PCED. if ok then recommend to back probe o2 and verify correct voltage that PCM is seeing. if ok contact tech line again.





ok so got the truck back right now, but my bill is getting pretty hefty and the issues with the truck continue.. they want another 4-6 hours to investigate further to find whats going on..

did he give up on teh fuel pressure regulator to soon you think ? would a pressure regulator cause my inital issues with truck down on power and bad MPG plus making it run lean ? seems to me that regulator would cause all those isues if it were somehow dieing..

the fact the truck performed better with the regulator disconnected makes me wonder...

anyways im taking my truck back in on monday, just wanted some more info if i could get it..

thx for reading..

 

Did you investigate to see if there is a stand alone test for fuel pressure regulator . I checked my super duty repair book, it only describes how to replace it . There could be a test similar to this : Fuel pressure check gage & hoses are attached to schrader valve to read fuel pressure for idle and under load ( let's say 40-50 psi ) . Then shut off the engine and watch the pressure gage , it should not be dropping more than few psi within 5 minutes . If it does , then fuel regulator is faulty . I saw this test done on a car to identify fuel pressure regulator failure . I am not sure if it applies to super duty , but check it out . Good luck .

Ken

PS. I checked out Ford Haynes Manual 92-2001. There is indeed a fuel regulator test described at section 4-3 . It says "to test the fuel pressure regulator , a fuel shut-off valve must be installed in the fuel return line with the necessary adaptors " . It spells out the test procedure using a hand held vacuum pump.

 

well i got it sorted...

would you beleive it turned out to be a section of the wiring harness was routed wrong along the fender inner, and was causing to much tension to the MAF sensor wiring.. the rubber plug that seals the wiring was getting pulled part way out of the airbox on accell. (engine was replaced with a ford crate motor just before i bought teh truck)

this in turn allowed unfiltered/metered air into the engine causing the PCM to read lean and fight to control the extra air..

mechanic rerouted the wiring correctly , reseated the seal, and cleared the codes.. truck ran perfectly after that. including a long test drive and 45min idle session without a single hiccup..

drove my truck home and its gained some power back for sure.. but we'll see if the issue is truely fixed over the next few days/week.

but right now the truck seems fixed. but we all know how it can be with electrical issues.

8-(

next upgrade is a 5-star SCT if my truck is truely fixed. i've been itching to get one for so long i dont think i can resist much longer.