I'll chime in here,

Rich. If the oil isnt constant or consistent, but the rest of them are, I would personally start looking at oil. Swap the injectors and see if the problem follows or stays with the cylinder. That would be my first step. I think it would be good to take a step back here and look at the big picture.

Is it a problem with the injector? Or is it something else.... I hope it is an injector because I would have no idea where else you could go with this.

Get the injectors swapped out and answer that question first. If it follows the injector, then it simplifies the troubleshooting considerably.

Good luck and give me a call if you need anything. I'm free all week with the exception of tuesday.

 

well i cant offer advice, so im just here to offer moral support.. I hope you get ir fixed cheap and easy. U can do it!

 

I've had my nap now, so I can look at this without a temper-tantrum: The truck ran fine on the Saturday I visited you last... and on every day since the time we installed the the first set of injectors. You and I replaced #1 last Saturday and we spotted the problem the very second I turned the key. We thought it could be air in oil or fuel, then we thought it could be ICP, then I thought it could be a harness... I'm burning time and my 2000-mile trip (with the truck) starts this Friday.

• The air in oil/fuel is long gone.
• I took vids at cold idle (ICP 700 PSI) and nothing came out.
• I took vids at hot idle (ICP 550 PSI) and nothing came out.
• The injector works a little between hot and cold.
• I replaced the harness, pulled connectors and cleaned pins on all the others.

It started the very second we installed #1 and it never - ever happened before then. The emails and phone calls are going out this morning.

Sob Story Alert - read at your own risk: I've been pouring on the upgrades since April, at Woodnthings GTG and I was supposed to be done and wrapping up dialing the tunes last Thursday. Instead, I get to drive to work (45 miles) in 2 inches of snow with a Toyota Corolla, while Stinky is laid up with a VC and an IC tube off - awaiting a 3rd new injector in the same hole. In case somedody's mind goes there... the last two injectors in that hole fired perfectly, but the first reman was just too noisy.

 

Aftermarket UVCH and the same old VC gasket????

Try swapping UVCH/VC gasket from side to side and you can rule that out - at least this doesn't cost any $$$. I had a different problem (high to low side open) - but believe the VC gasket was the problem (even though it ohmed out OK, had KOEO voltage, etc). New (Motorcraft) UVCH's/VC gaskets solved my problem and likely didn't need the $0.50 mod......

Also, you can prolly get away with swapping injectors around and re-using orings. I wouldn't try that on a high-mileage injector, but yours are pretty fresh.

What's Cass say about the one(s) you sent back already?????

 

The noisey injector is due in their shop tomorrow (Veterans Day today). I'll have another injector on a plane as soon as whatever shipper they chose picks it up.

Between the buzz tests, inspecting/testing all electrical (all in excellent condition), having zero problems before this injector, the solenoid audio of a running engine, and the slo-mo vids - finding fault with the truck stretches the possibilities way out into the fringes. I'm not quite clear on how it's so incredible that I got one reman injector that's not firing correctly. The previous injector in that hole fired fine... and the one before that. I talked with Cass and even if I had zero fuel in the injector, the oil should come out strong, not dribble. He'll be reviewing all my vids and information, then contact me if he has anything to report other than the injector is on the way.

I'm not saying I'm right, I'm just saying I've done a respectable amount of due dilligence to pinpoint the problem and I'm low on calendar. If I screwed up, I'll pay for FFD's unnecessary expenses on my behalf.

If I'm right... I install the injector, Stinky runs smooth, and I'm done - at least until spring. Spring is when I start going throught the undercarriage.

 

I was simply suggesting that you move the injector to another cylinder to confirm that it is in fact an issue with the injector. The fact that 1 was noisy, then we replaced it and now you're having issues with it being a dead cylinder has me worried that it might not be the injector. Swapping it with another cylinder would simply confirm that it is the injector, or advise on another problem.

 

It's not electrical (with possible exception of the CPS). If it's mechanical beyond the injector... I'm done and it no longer matters.

 

Someone once told me that they could have both reliability and power. Hmmm, who was that guy? I think he's driving a Corolla right now.

Just messing with you, Tugs. Hang in there.

Is this a common occurrence with rebuilt injectors?

 

Man you're cold... I've got some ice in the mail for that burn Tug. Surely a new injector fixes the problem. Like you said, you've done your due diligence.

 

My mechanic told me everyone is playing Russian Roulette with their trucks concerning these (power) upgrades. A prime example??? Do I want to drive mine every day or Fix Or Repair Daily?

I'd like to know if this is a common occurrence with remanned injectors only or does this type of failure happen with brand new injectors as well?

 

My truck has never run as good as without any upgrades. When I removed the chip completely (the chip being the only thing I have on an otherwise stock truck, plus a muffler delete) is the only time I'm faithful that she'll run forever.

With any hp setting I'm constantly worried somethings going to happen.
Because of my heavy foot in 140hp tunes I now have a very small oil leak and I do mean small as in maybe one or two drips on the ground a week but a leak nonetheless.

 

I'm the novice here, but it seems to me that if a certain motor (the International-designed and built 7.3L here) was built in different configurations using parts manufactured by specific companies (like the original Garrett turbo), and an owner opts to reconfigure (upgrade?) using parts manufactured for the same motor, by the same manufacturing companies, why would that automatically mean catastrophic failure for the engine? I could understand going to the local auto parts store and finding parts from some no-name third-party company who makes something that CAN fit, but wasn't designed by the original manufacturer, etc. could be more harmful than beneficial. I also understand that there are limits to how long something can be used in a working engine/drivetrain before fatigue and wear cause failure, and that driving style, environmental conditions, and maintenance play a HUGE role in how long something lasts. For example, I worked for a trucking company that opted to use diesel motor oil mixed with jet fuel in their engines in order to save money from an expensive driver loading error, which led to premature engine component failure. But saying that all upgrades are automatically harmful is akin to saying the 7.3 as installed in then-new late 99 trucks is perfect, and no positive changes or developments could have been made after that first batch of trucks left the line.

Of course I'm a bit unlucky, and probably jaded. My stock truck (stock other than an air filter and exhaust) had enough problems that I opted to go ahead and swap out a bunch of parts, most of them with parts built by the original parts manufacturers, to see if I can go 100k+ without breaking down on the side of the freeway.

 

My dually has been making 150-200HP over stock for over 50k miles since I built this engine. Reliability is not a concern for me. I think Rich has (mostly) made good choices for his build and won't have any problems once he gets the bugs worked out.

If you have a '140HP' toon for stock injectors, you made a poor choice in tuning - IMHO. Stock sticks won't dyno much more than 100HP and asking for more just blows smoke and makes high EGT's. The same poor tooning likely also called for 3400psi of ICP, which also has no benefit on the dyno and may cause 'reliability' issues like you report.

Meanwhile, find the oil leak and fix it - before ya end up on the side of the road!!!

No, reman injectors from reputable builders have a very low failure rate from what I gather. While its not a huge cross-section, I have helped swap several sets and have friends with several more sets all together and don't know of any (immediately) bad injectors coming from Swamps or FFD.

Oh, and try not to be so damn HATEFUL!

 

I wouldn't say hateful. Ornery perhaps, but not hateful.

 

Yes... I drove my Corolla through 45 miles of slush (in the dark) yesterday. Did the truck break? Naaww.... I did my homework on every repair, upgrade, and mod for Stinky and this last hiccup is not a breakdown - it is an unfortunate series of events that led to two faulty parts landing in my hands. I can drive the truck (as demonstrated by the first link in my signature, taken just before popping the VC) but I have the VC off now and awaiting an injector or further testing advice.

My strongest tunes are the 80e and 80T (which I'm still dialing when the truck is ready) and that's as far as I'll ever take my tuning - but my DD is the 60e. I focused on dialing it down on the lower end of the throttle because I don't need a beast in traffic, but I want it within reach when I pass.

I talked with Ryan yesterday and he looked at my vids. He agrees something is up with the injector and he was very apologetic for the inconvenience. He personally tested my next injector and it will be on a plane... but I don't know what Veteran's day did to me. He also agreed that pulling and swapping injectors so close to my trip is an undue risk, even if we want to be 100% sure the problem follows the stick. I asked him if I did due dilligence to troubleshoot the problem (coming up short of swapping) and he said I've done what I can under the circumstances. He could hear the injector solenoid fire reliably in one of my vids and he was as underwhelmed by the oil flow as I was. FFD is gettin' it done and that's what matters. That's one of the reasons I chose them - customer service.

This will be wrapped up tonight or tomorrow night, then it's just enjoy the truck through the winter.