So Mugly has been pretty much put away for the last month or two after our last big 10k mile adventure but recently I renewed the insurance and decided to start driving her around town because I enjoy it and its good to have her up and running. Recently I have had some trouble starting her but I figured I could limp through the winter until tonight's no start issue.

I have noticed that I have had an incredibly tough time trying to start her lately in the cold weather. My GPR led lets me know that power is getting to the plugs and from my last test I recall the plugs testing well on a voltmeter. She seems to try to fire right within a couple of seconds but then seems to linger in a just barely starting phase.

Plenty of white smoke and the engine is firing every other second it seems. If I let go of the starter then she shuts off. If I hold it down at length then she will eventually get going but it has been taking 10+ turns of the key lately no matter how long I let the plugs cycle.

Forward to tonight's issue: After sitting for about 9 hour in hour warm 24 degree weather, my girlfriend and I decide that it is time to go out for the evening. Mugly starts right up, eager to take us out for date. We get over to the local resort and opt to valet the truck for once. We step in and enjoy several hours of food with friends and upon our return to the valet, the guy tells me that the truck won't crank.

I take the keys myself and walk out in to the lot. As I suspected the truck would in fact crank all night. I brought the batteries in for about two weeks when the temps were in the -20s and had them on a charger until I put them in yesterday. Starter is new Ford OEM as of October 2010, two 850 cca Interstates as of October in 2009, and a new GPR and starter relay as of October of 2009 as well.

My first suspicion was that maybe the valet numbskulls played with the tuner. Setting was still on 1, but I noticed that I could not hear the fuel pump and that I had a SES light. I promptly pulled out the hand held tuner that I keep in the glove box (which is from my old Mustang) to check the codes. Despite the SES light, I am being told that there aren't any codes! Frustrated I begin to mess with the tuner.

Of course I couldn't remember the settings for the no start sequence but I played around with it until I at one point I saw a "C" and eventually the flashing 0. I got it to the point where the tuner was not even lighting up when I turned the keys and after continuing to fiddle with it got it back to 1. Tried it again and she just turned over.

I then began getting on this forum with my phone to see if I could get to the bottom of the issue but part of me realized I should just get wait till the am. I moved the tuner through the tunes up to 6 and back down to 1. Decided to try the key one more time and noticed that the fuel pump was on and the SES light was off again.

Turn the key and she fired right up.


Any thoughts on this issue? Leave it to the valet guys at a resort to get my truck to do something that I of all people haven't seen it do yet!

Thanks guys!

(And no, I haven't forgotten that I owe all of you pictures and tales from my last voyage!)

 

It may be a bad switch or bad connection with the DP.Clean up the connection or remove it .(keep keys in your pocket) Just to eliminate a possible source of problems.Or it could be as simple as a loose battery connection.

On a side note I spent 2 weeks in Wasilla a couple of years ago.We loved it. Alaska is the last frontier.Glad to be In S.C. in the winter.

 

Does seem like an electrical issue to me Alex. I would look at your connection to either the back of your switcher or where the cable connects to the PCM

 

That's were I would start looking also.......

 

I did double check the connection to the switch, looks like I need to pop the hood and double check the connection to the PCM. That can be done with a 8mm and a long extension right? Its been a minute since I messed with it.

 

It don't sound like you were having issues with the tuner until you started messing with it, right? 2 1/2 year old interstates that have been allowed to run down a couple of times could be the culprit. You should be able to access your chip without opening your hood. The code reader you have probably won't read PSD codes, only a few will. Are you getting a wait to start light? A blow fuel bowl heater will take out the fuel pump and prevent starting.

 

The batteries are only a little over a year old and my scanner has read codes in the past such as my loose wiring harness but you could be right about it.

Just ran out to check and no I am not getting the WTS light and no fuel pump sound.

 

Maybe the chip itself got knocked loose in the pcm?

 

Check fuse #30

 

I just had a similar experience with my DP Tuner F5. I had an intermittent no-start issue that cleared when I pulled the chip off the PCM. It's a 10mm bolt, just FYI. Not saying it was my chip, or wiring or controller. But I'm waiting for it to act up before any conclusions are made.

 

If the dp showed a c then you were probably adjusting the contrast and maybe not the original problem.

 

Agreed Barry, If there is no WTS light Alex you are not getting power to the PCM that is where you have to start looking,

 

Interesting, I didn't know that was even possible. Can anyone PM me the instructions for the no start setting and maybe the contrast settings? I would like to start using the no start feature on my truck more often.

Its about 33 outside and figured I should just tackle it right now. I gave the line going into the pcm a gentle push towards the pcm and she is all back to normal.

I think a good tightening is in order but it has been about 2 years since I helped Clay with the tuner. I recall there being a 10mm bolt which has to be accessed from the firewall side and a couple smaller maybe 7mm bolts which hold the pcm in place inside the vehicle?

When I took a brief look at it I was able to see 3 10mm bolts in a row on the firewall, do I need to loosen all 3? Should the batteries be unplugged? I know the keys shouldn't be in the ignition.

Thanks for your help guys. Should I still check fuse 30 or would that be part of the fuel bowl heater issue?

 

Take you key out, remove plastic housing from around PCM, make sure chip is seated and put a big ole piece of duct tape across it all then replace plastic.

 

I will see if I can find them for you. I have them somewhere lol

Defiantly check the fuse that feeds the fuel bowl heater it aslo feeds your pcm. the WTS light is a tell tale sign.

There is one 10mm bolt that holds the connector in, you can leave the battery's connected but the key OUT of the ignition