Hi all, I purchased, or should I say I was given a 1999 powerstroke farm truck in exchange for a debt owed. The truck is an auto with 166k miles on it. I got the truck a week ago and it will only start/run with ether. Once the ether stops the engine quickly dies. I've been reading alot of posts and I do not want to start throwing parts at this thing. The things I have observed: the fuel pump works, fuel air separater fills, slowly with fuel, no air bubbles. when the truck is cranking, the tach bumps up and the oil pressure climbs. the wts light comes on for a number of seconds. the hpop resevoir is full. 2 new batteries on a hella-nice battery charger set to start. Thanks for your help.

 

PLEASE DON'T START IT WITH ETHER! Don't do that, no no no.

It could be the CPS (Cam Position Sensor). But it could be a ton of other things too like a fuel pump, etc. May need to clean out the bottom of your fuel bowl (if it has a ton of gunk in the bottom, the fuel can't get to where it needs to go). Really hard to tell...there's a lot of potential problems. OH, unplug your ICP Sensor, and see if it starts. If it does, then your IPR is likely dead and will need to be replaced.

Maybe someone with AutoEnginuity can run over and hook it up and figure out what's going on. Don't know who's out in Wichita Falls...

Not to be rude (not the intention), there is a sticky at the top of the main 99-03 7.3L Powerstroke forum that says "Tech Articles" etc....click on that, and there are TONS of threads on "Hard / No Start."

 

I will look at the fuel bowl and try unhooking the icp in the morning. Thanks for the info on the sticky, I just started reading the links. I appreciate it.

 

Run a little fuel into a clear bottle and take a look at it. I bought one like that and it had bad fuel in it.

 

sorry to say this but.. My friend bought a 7.3 that was a farm truck. it also only would start on either. we found out that the motor was dusted with two dead cylinders.
Farm trucks endure lots of dirt in the intake and will kill a motor.
Take off the hose to the turbo from the airbox and look in to the turbo and see it there is what may look like sand ballasting on the inside of the turbo wall.

Lucky my friend only Paid 2K for the truck.

do a search on Dusted motors.

I hope this is not what you have..

 

FWIW...unplug the ICP and try that first. Then if that doesn't do it, then open up your fuel bowl and look in the very bottom below the heater element (you can actually remove that completely, BTW). Then, get a new CPS and try that. Heck, maybe run down to your local Ford dealer and see if they'll give you one...they were a recall item, and just tell them you can't get the truck to them. If yours wasn't replaced in their system, you might get lucky. It's only a 10-15 minute job with a screwdriver and a 10mm socket with short extension.

Ultimately, you'll likely need someone to hook up AE to it as I mentioned. Just too many variables. Map sensor, ICP, IPR, IDM, etc. etc. etc. Heck, it could be simple as a blown fuse somewhere...but which one??? Yikes.

Good luck!

 

He is more than 200 miles away from the nearest person with AE. I checked the B.E.S.T. MAP already. Click the link in my signature to verify that.

 

Wow. Yeah, we're both in Texas, but he is *mere* 400 miles away from myself, Mueckster, Toreador_Diesel, etc.

 

I unplugged the ICP, no start. I picked up a new CPS from the stealership. When I crawled under the truck, the old one looked like it was probably original. It was a PITA, I got it out of the block about 1/4" and the MF snapped off, flush with the block! I tried to tap it with a screw but it wouldn't budge. I just don't have the time or patience for this truck right now. SO I just put the truck up for sale as is. Thanks for all the information.

 

Wow...well, that was probably the problem then. Would hate to see you sell the truck over a $15.00 part.