Well, I am new here. Been trying to get my account activated since Saturday evening. Just got it authorized. so I have been reading alot of post so far. Here is by delimea. I have a 1997 F350 PSD 4WD, no engine mods. Everything was running good, going down the road about 60 MPH, when suddenly lost power. The engine did not die, but felt like all the power left. Very rough idle, with the enabilty to take gas. I limped home.

Here is what i have checked and done:
1) changed the cam position sensor;
2) new fuel filter;Air filter good;
3) checked the oil level in hpop resivor, full;
4) no check engine light;
5) WTS light works;
6) tack works;
7) all harneses on valve covers "appear" to be in good condition;
8) if you disconnet the harneses on the passanger side the engine is unaffected;
9) disconnect the drivers side (front) and engine dies;

Sounds like i am only running on 2,4,6,8. Could this be the IDM?

Really need some help and guidance here. This my daily work truck and it has been down since Saturday.

Thanks in advance for your help in diagnosing this problem.

-Rick

 

Sounds like the valve cover gasket or one of the under the valve cover harnesses fried on that side that didn't change anything. Where are you? I'm in Lubbock and would be happy to help if you are near me.

 

Check that wiring, the IDM can go out one whole side and the other run on.

 

@ Ranch - Thanks for the quick ideas. I will pull the valve cover on the passanger side in the morning. I am in Louisiana on the Toledo Bend Lake, a little far from Lubbock, but I appreciate the offer!

SO, the PSD "could" shut one side down?

 

The first one that went out on me, the entire passenger side ( IIRC) went out. You could lay your hand any where you wanted and COLD. It barely made it home. Had water in it, which is fairly common I find out.

 

I pulled the IDM yesterday and shook it, checking for water, of course we have not had rain in this drought for some time. (just checking all possible leads).

I will check the v/c wiring tomorrow and report back. thanks.

 

You can ohm out the wires on that side. There are 5 pins on each plug. The center pin is the ground. The outer pins are the GP's and the other pins are Injectors.
Ex:
GP / Inj / GD / Inj / GP


If you ohm the GP's using the center pin and a GP pin it should be around 1.2 ohms.

I am not sure what the injectors should be but you can compare them to the side that is good.

If the wires and UVCH are fine then I would start looking at the IDM.

 

@ Neal - to check the ohms, does the key have to be on? engine off?

 

I'm 30 mins west of Baton Rouge if all else fails for you I will ride down and give you a hand if you need some help

 

These reading should be taken with the key off.

 

Ok, Truck is still down. Clyinders 1,3,5,7 were down. I pulled the passanger side vavle cover and replaced the wire harnesses on the injectors and glow plugs. Went ahead and replace the glow plugs while i was in there.

Put it back together and it still will not start. It tries but still seams to not have that side of the engine firing.

Regardign the IDM box. I am told that it can go out and shut down half the engine. My box is a IDM 100, with part number ending in AA. Somewhere i read that an IDM box for a 7.3 would work in the range of 1997-2003.

Question: Does the part number have end in AA. I have found several from salvage yards endingin AC. Will they work on my truck?

 

Any IDM from any 7.3 powerstroke will work. If you can get one from a 99-03 that would be a upgrade it a 120v

 

OK. Cool, I found one local on a 2000 7.3 Excursion that is an IDM 120, ending in AC.

I will go fetch it and pray that it will get my PSD on the road again!

Thanks.

 

Hey man i had the same problem 2 days ago only on the drivers side. pulled the whole thing apart inspected all wires, swapped pcm and idm with no change. then all the sudden it started working again. let us know what you find out because i am really curious as to what your problem might be. my truck has me stumped and worried that it might happen again.

 

UPDATE. Got hold of an IDM off of a 1999 7.3; mine was an IDM 100 ending in AA; this one was an IDM 110 ending in AB.

Plugged it in and the beast lives! Took it for a test drive and all seems well.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions and guidance of people on this forum. I am sure it saved me way over $1K from not taking it to the shop. I also learned a termendous amout about my truck. After I finish a little front end work, I might even tackle some new fuel injectors.

Again Thanks!