Hello all...

I tried to address this in a different thread, but thought it should have it's own..

My question about regens.....

I have had my F350 Kr CC since November. Bought it with 71K on... I Put 9000 miles on it. Only way I ever knew it was Regen'ing was about a 10 second burst of White smoke out of the exhaust. Had to cycle the info system on the dash to even see the words "cleaning exhaust Filter".

This week I Towed my 8000# camper for the first time... about 175 miles each way. Both Going to the Beach, and returning, it went into filter cleaning, and the words " cleaning exhaust Filter" stayed up on the display until it finished. I was in Tow, Haul Mode.

My first question is ..." Why was this the only time it said Cleaning Exhaust Filter on the Dash for the entire time is was cleaning??? Did it have to do with the Tow/haulMode?

Then...... the following day I was driving home from work (totally empty)... 30 mile drive country roads......
The wrench shows up on the dash that says "Reduced Power" or something like that. I check all guages.... Normal.... I stop and lift the hood... check all the fluids... Normal...
Start it back up.... Notice is gone......

Today.... Same thing... about 4 miles into my drive... Wrench with Message.

Shut off truck for 5 min... turn back on... NO message.

Note: While it is saying Reduced Power....... I doesn't fell like it... Still drives the same...

Help me out here?

Tim

 

I may have an answer for the CLEANING message. Since their introduction the 6.4 has had several different systems for telling you when it was in regen. I "think" the latest goes thus: the message will show up on the message center for a very brief 2 or three seconds and then go off. But, if it needs a good thorough cleaning (possibly because a couple previous attempts were aborted) then it will stay on until the cleaning is complete. I also believe that if you abort the cleaning (shut down the truck or put it in park) being done when the message stays on, that the next cleaning attempt you will get the "DRIVE TO CLEAN EXHAUST" message. This is based on my experience after recieving the 11b23 flash and before removing the DPF.

As to the intermittent wrench, I would look first to some sensor. But that's just me. I'm sure somebody who has a better idea will respond soon. Hope this helps.

 

The Intermittent wrench was happening to me when my oil cooler went out, also the reduced engine power every once in awhile too. I had to bring it in to get scanned after the msg/wrench popped up, but leave it running or it will clear itself.

 

How about this one......

30 mile trip across town to retreive 5k LB trailer. On the way to get trailer "cleaning exhaust filter" came on (briefly) by the time i got there, regen was over. Approx 20 miles.

Next morning drive 120 miles @ 65-70. "cleaning exhaust filter" stays on for 20 miles +/-, then "drive to clean" on for about 2 miles, then "Cleaning exhaust filter" for another 10 miles.

This is the second time that this has happened, only when towing and in tow/haul, first time was about 120 miles after fill up, and about 350 miles into trip, approx 9k trailer. no smoke either time, and have never lost power.

i wish someone from the great blue oval would explain Regen parameters to us!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Are you saying that the three "next morning" occurances happened back to back to back? If so it could be that the first cleaning did not clean sufficiently for whatever reason, the computer read that as an aborted cleaning and sent the "DRIVE" message which should be followed by a cleaning, as it was. Are you sure the one the night before completed? How did you know?

When you are towing, (even 9000 lbs, which in not much of a load for these motors) you do make more soot and should regen more often. I guess because the tow/haul raises the RPMs the motor would make more soot then too. Unless I'm in the mountains or some kind of funny terrain I don't use the tow/haul. On the interstate I tow in drive and cruise control. But, I can't imagine that makes any difference.

As for Ford, I'm pretty sure thay would tell you the truck was working as designed. Wish I knew more to help you but I don't. I do know that once the DPF is gone the truck runs so much better.

 

It's possible the DPF is near full of ash. I notice regens start when the DPF pressure sits around 0.2~0.25psi at idle and easily hits >1.3psi on light acceleration (assuming the units are correct as displayed on my AutoEnginuity) Drive to clean exhaust normally shows up when the DPF soot/pressure levels are over the normal trip limit and it wasn't able to regen normally for some reason

Definitely try to get the code when the CEL comes on.

Here's a test listed in the Ford docs to see if there's an exhaust restriction.
You'd need a scanner that can read the EBP sensor. AutoEnginuity scanner can do it.


Increase the engine speed to 3,800 RPM.
Record the EBP_A PID value.
A low RPM or an EBP_A PID value greater than 244 kPa (35 psi) indicates a restricted exhaust condition.
Possible Causes:
Collapsed or restricted tail pipe
Restricted oxidation catalytic converter (OC)
Restricted diesel particulate filter
Damaged muffler
Turbocharger

 

Thanks,

yes all 3 were in continuous order. The regen the day befor i checked when i got close to the store, on the dash display, still rolling on the highway. I like tow/haul for the braking assistance, here in Nevada and California, driving habits can be sketchy at best! This trip was from Vegas to LA, i was between Baker and Barstow when the persistent regen started. Last time was between Walker lake and Reno............

Cant delete, annual emissions test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Again for the input!!!

One more thing, When i get on the highway, and have my back window open. I can hear the exhaust, and to me it sounds restricted. have any of you driven at WOT next to a wall?? Does it sound like you are pushing more air than the exhaust can move??

 

The exhaust does push out a lot of air. With the DPF deleted the exhaust is similar to a jet engine sound. Of course it is not as noticeable (probably because it's restricted) with the DPF on. The muffler is nothing but a hollow can as best I can tell.

I'm still thinking the truck was working as designed and for some reason the sensors/computer wanted you to have a complete cleaning, hence the DRIVE message followed by a good cleaning.

 

Appreciate the input, i would have to agree that you are correct. now on to the overheating issue...................

 

Wrench light could be anything..egr related to any number of other power train faults. Even if brief.

 

I posted the text below on another thread but it sort of parallels what this thread has been conveying. I have also experienced the "Reduced Engine Power" notification, high pitched whining of the fan, no boost to speak of and the infamous "wrench" symbol. FORD is basically stating that this is normal operation for the truck.

************************************************** ****
My 2008 F350 is now going into it's 5th week at the dealer. You wouldn't believe all the "excuses" I have been given about what is occurring and what has been replaced. The latest, and probably the last effort by FORD, is a stuck fan clutch - this will be number 4. The third one only lasted 400 miles - all dealer driven miles.

I saw some mention of this being a electrically controlled fan clutch with a viscous fluid used to control the fan speed. This is what the service advisor conveyed to me yesterday that when the computer senses the fan needs to be engaged there is an electric current that is provided which causes the fluid to change viscosity and allow the fan to speed up to cool the engine. Apparently mine becomes stuck and will not release.

The FORD engineer is supposed to be researching the OASIS data base to try to find previous occurrences and what was done to remedy the issue. I'm not confident that they will find anything at this point based on the past 4-1/2 weeks of trouble shooting. FORD conveyed to me yesterday that this is how the engine performs and once the fan clutch is replaced they don't plan to go any further.

This all started with my truck loosing power while climbing from roughly 2000 to 5000 feet over roughly 40 miles (no trailer attached). Apparently the FORD engineer is stating that when the engine temperature reaches roughly 1310 degrees the computer puts the engine into "Reduced Engine Power" mode which majorly reduces the boost to keep the engine from self destructing (had that occur with a 2003 F250 inwhich the turbo blew and took out the motor with <5000 miles on the truck). So far they have replaced turbo's, DPF, multitude of sensors, theromostats, fan clutch (2), etc to no avail. After all these parts were installed, when they take readings while driving, they claim the engine is acting per spec.

FORD definitely has issues with the 6.4L but does not want to own up to it and just wants to put the truck back in running condition and send me on my way.

Anyone have any information on what might be causing the fan clutch to get stuck so I can pass it onto the engineer since I doubt he will be able to figure it out. I have seen other threads with responses from some FORD engineers and dealer service technicians so hopefully someone can help. I have a brand new 5th wheel just sitting for the past two months due to this issue. (Sorry to sound a little pevied but you spend your hard earned dollars to get this type of product and not want to own it).
************************************************** *****
<!-- / message -->

 

I feel your frustration.

I was in the dealer 4 times to get my intermittent blend door ticking fixed. One was broken, the other was intermittent a few weeks afterwards. One of dealers said the ETAC module was bad so they replaced it under warranty and sent me along my way. I told them that wasn't the issue. Each time I took it in and left it overnight, they could never reproduce it. Their factory policy was, if they can't reproduce it, and there's no codes, they can't fix anything. The other thing I notice is, if it's not in OASIS, it's not a problem.

I finally got myself an AutoEnginuity scanner and logged the blend door position PIDs and plotted it on excel to show them what it was doing when it was ticking.

Problem solved and I have peace in the cabin again.

I have a feeling the easiest way to resolve this reduced power issue, or at least understand it, is to log a bunch of engine parameters such as EGTA, EGT11, EGT12, EGT13, EBP, EOT, ECT, etc and hopefully catch what's going on when it goes into reduced power mode next time. The proof will be in the log.

What a pain in the azz....

 

Aquaman - I'm not familiar with an Auto Enginuity scanner so can you provide some details. As far as the parameters to capture will the ones you mention provide what FORD needs or are there others. If I'm going to go through the pain I want to make it useful. I was able to find a link to all the codes for a 6.4L but they have been telling me that "no codes have been generated" in most cases when they drive the truck an put some sort of monitoring equipment on it.

The thing that really frustates me is the comment by both the Customer Service Rep (I assume in Detroit) and the local service advisor - if the truck drop into reduced power mode just pull off to the side of the road and wait for the engine to cool down. Once that happens you are good to go again until it overheats and goes into the "Reduced Engine Power" mode again.

This is not a reasonable resolution and certainly not one that I expected to get from FORD - REAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I hope they send me an evaluation form so I can really tell them what I think. Makes you really think about buying another one but keeping the old one is not giving me a warm and fuzzy either. Welcome to my retirement years

 

AZKID, sorry, I was abroad and wasn't able to answer earlier.

I got the Enhanced Ford Bundle from RiffRaff Diesel for $360. Not exactly cheap, but it works pretty well. This will let you see/log/monitor just about everything. Without the Ford add-on, you'll only be able to see the basic PID's.

Riffraff Diesel: AutoEnginuity Total Ford Enhanced Bundle

I find it quite useful and feel quite a bit less helpless now that I can watch and understand what's going on with the truck.

The reduced power thing like others have stated must be in response to the truck sensing something beyond spec, but not deemed to be catastrophic. With the AE, you might be able to record all the PIDs and get an idea of what is running into the 'yellow' or 'red' zones before it goes into reduced power mode.

One thing i've noticed while recording about 20 PID's on my truck continuously as long as I was driving for about a month was getting more and more U-codes which complained about communication errors or mismatching VIN numbers between ECU's within the truck. They all slowly went away when I stopped logging for about a week. AE didn't seem terribly surprised when I contacted them about it. They just said Ford has low thresholds for that they consider communication errors.

 

I got the Enhanced Ford Bundle from RiffRaff Diesel for $360. Not exactly cheap, but it works pretty well. This will let you see/log/monitor just about everything. Without the Ford add-on, you'll only be able to see the basic PID's.

Riffraff Diesel: AutoEnginuity Total Ford Enhanced Bundle

I find it quite useful and feel quite a bit less helpless now that I can watch and understand what's going on with the truck.


Aquaman THANKS for the link to the AE Ford Enhanced Bundle!! I have been looking for this for a while now...forgot where I first saw it! Hopefully this will help me in the long run!
Clint