As I started my pickup the other morning (+10F) my Edge Insight alerted me that my FICM voltage had dropped below 42 volts for a brief second while starting (This is the first time this has happened). I have monitored it since the issue and it hasn't dropped below 45 since. FICM vltage has however been consistently below 48 volts46.5-47.5. My battery voltage has not been an issue as I have been monitoring that also.

I am currently not at home. I plan to send it off to be repaired when I get home and have spare vehicles.

My question is whether I will likely do any damage to the rig if I continue to drive it for the next week or so?

Thanks
Thad

 

Common wisdom is that is bad for injectors to run with low voltage. Not sure why or how bad it really is. Expect FICM voltage to decline until cold start and low power becomes a problem. Hard to say how fast.

 

Mine did the same thing and slowly went down to 39-39v on start up and then ran at 45-47v.
It took about 2-3 weeks for that to happen.
I had mine done at FICMrepair.com. Ed did a GREAT job and my truck is running awesome!!!!

 

My opinion is that 42V won't harm the injectors, even if it stayed there for an extended run. That's just based on what I know about solenoid valves and coils, etc. More important is that 42V tells you there is a problem with the FICM, and it will get worse. I think your frequent drops to 46.5 volts tells you there is an issue as well. I would watch it closely, but I don't think I would interrupt a road trip to repair it.

 

Thanks!

Since I am on vacation and wanted to drive the long route home I just wanted to ask to see if it was totally stupid or not.

I plan to send it to ficmrepair.com when I get home.

Thad

 

dakotajeep, sorry to hear your problem. I had a similar problem with my FiCM while on a trip is fall. I called Ed at FICMrepair and he gave me some tips to prolong the death of mine, but my voltage ended up dropping quicker then i hoped.

If you can, keep your block heater plugged in, and be easy on the skinny pedal.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

The Insight can look at FICM voltage? I guess I missed that, is the parameter called FICM? I was getting ready to check mine with a meter. I will have to go thru the menus again.

 

Mine does...

Thad

 

The new CS or CTS can. The older one cannot.

 

Thanks Bill, that explains it, I have an older one. I will break out the meter.

 

Well, I drove the 800ish miles home on Monday and I drove the pickup tonight since I had to. The FICM voltage is still low. Haven't seen anything below 41 yet (I know 45 is the magic number).

Now I check the codes tonight and got a P0281 code which is telling me that there is an issue with the number 7 cylinder, most likely an injector due to the voltage. I plan to contact Ed and send him my FICM in the next few days.

Is there any chance that the injector/37 cylinder issue will be eliminated by repairing the FICM? If not I guess I will have to replace an injector...(I should replace all 8 but probably won't).

Thanks
Thad

 

If it said low contribution the repaired ficm will more than likely take care of it.

 

If it is not smoking or running rough, it is probably not a bad injector. Definitely fix the FICM and then evaluate.

 

Update:

Got the FICM repaired by Ed. FICM volts no less than 47.

The P0281 code is still there after being cleared and running the truck a few times. Should the injector be replaced immediately? I would assume so. Where would you guys recommend getting a new injector.

Now I noticed that the truck blowing white-ish smoke after being warmed to operating temps. Is this likely the injector? Or maybe I shouldn't have topped the coolant off at full? Or a combination.

I know someone is going to ask if the exhaust smells sweet...I have a horrible sense of smell.

I can get a video if that helps.

Thanks
Thad

 

Has your coolant level been dropping? If so, you might have a leaking EGR cooler that is causing that white smoke. Need to figure that out. Park on an incline, nose down, and pull your EGR valve. See if there is evidence of coolant in the intake manifold.

You didn't have any smoke before, but now you do and it is white. So you might have more than one problem going on.

Before jumping into changing an injector I think you need to get hooked up to an analyser and run the injector tests. It could be an injector. You want to be sure. $$$