So for those that have been reading along with some of my threads, I have been put in a position to take the truck on its first long drive. This trip had been planned months ago when I had another car, it's a family reunion out on some old family land we go to twice a year. My fiancés car just won't fit two kids and two dogs plus cooler and bags, tents, etc.

SO, I'm a little nervous to say the least. I'm doing the first little leg of the trip, 450 miles round trip, to my moms house which is about 70 miles tonight. I'm hoping if anything is going to pop up, it'll be then.

For those not in the know, I believe my truck either has a pin hole in the pick up, or a bad injector oring. I'm leaning towards injector oring. I jacked up the rear end with the crankcase overfilled and it never stopped missing. It ONLY misses above 2000 rpm, and even right now it's much better. It's a little worse in the mornings but as I drive it it gets better. Little low on power but not bad. I've taken it up to 70 mph and it cruises fine, I can still hear an injector noise, but no missing or stumbling. Definitely drive able.

When it was in the shop, it DID PASS both a buzz test and contribution test.

Fresh oil change, I have the old CPS (thought it was bad with intermittent dying and replaced it, it wasn't). I also have a spare IPR. The dying then no start problem was a bad pig tail for the IPR. It's been replaced. Fuel bowl has been cleaned out and fuel heater removed. I will grab some spare maxi fuses tonight before we leave. I also have my tool box full of all the tools I own. Tranny fluid is 1000 miles old, radiator fluid was done at the same time.

What are the thoughts on driving it as is? I've been driving it everyday to and from work for the last two weeks with no issues except for the intermittent missing. As long as I stay out of WOT it generally will not miss, I can sometimes go WOT and it not miss.

For what it's worth, I don't have much choice but to take it, if anything, on the first little leg. I'm looking for advice and or experiences driving an OBS not completely up to par. Thanks everyone! Know it was a long read.

 

I think you will be fine. Then again, I drove 900 miles to buy a truck I had only seen in pictures and then drove it 13 hours home, so I'm not exactly the poster child for having all the fine details ironed out ahead of time, lol.

 

Well then you're the perfect example that eases my mind haha. I figure, worst case is I limp it home, or limo it within a towing range I can afford. I hate being nervous about taking trips, it takes away from the trip itself. All the more motivation to work overtime and save money to put into it. I'm also going to sell my 78 f150. I'm going to save around 3 grand, my god how this truck would be even more amazing. Going to pull the motor and do

6637 intake
Ebpv delete pedestal
New oil pickup
New LPOP (while I'm in there)
New water pump (same reason as LPOP)
Send injectors off for a rebuild
E-fuel
Studs
Gauges
Replace every bushing on the truck
Replace all turbo and inter cooler boots
Replace all ball joints and wheel bearings
New orings all around

I PLAN in just doing that all at once if possible. Looking for late spring. Only thing I want to do before that and ASAP are injector orings.

 

If you can hold off, I wouldn't bother doing the o-rings before you do the injector rebuild. No sense in doing that job twice, IMO. The rebuilt injectors will come with new o-rings...

 

I always use this thought process: It doesn't matter if you have a brand new car, or a 30+ year old car (I have a couple in my sig), anything can go wrong, but on the same token you also know what you have in your truck. And you have us here if you have questions.

My truck has 361K and I wouldn't think twice about driving it cross country tomorrow. But I also know that anything can happen. For the most part though these are incredibly reliable vehicles. I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

The only thing I would add is to buy fuel at well known Truck stops..

After 30 min. on the road.....set the cruise and let it roll like ya stole it.

Remember.....Diesels do not like being lugged....

 

Well guys, sudden change of plans. We are taking my fiances car to my mothers, and then switching into another car when we get there. It's a pain, but we are bound and determined to go on this trip. Here's why.

Went on a little 30 mile venture while on lunch today. Majority of those miles at 65-70 mph. It cruised just fine up and down hills. What I began to notice (which I originally thought were my bearings) is when I let off the throttle, I could hear a growling. It would only do it at hwy speeds, and when I would throw it in neutral the sound would go away completely. On the return trip I began to notice that now it does it at lower speeds, which before the little drive, did not. Now it will do it at around 35-40 mph, although not as severe as at higher speeds, but worse than it was.

Now for the weird thing. The symptom I am going to describe, has been happening for the last two-three weeks. When I am coming to a stop, and when I reach around 5 mph, the motor bogs down. When I turn right, the motor bogs down (if I'm coasting at around the same speed). When I turn left, everything is fine. If I'm slowing down and it starts to bog down and I hit some bumps, the sound of it bogging down will be perfectly in sync with the bumps on the road, again, around 5 mph or so. On the highway, today, I tried some "antics". If I'm on the hwy, and I do some "S" swerves, it will growl when I swerve right, but not left.

I am wondering if this is a sign of my vacuum pump going bad. I checked my power steering pump and it was low on fluid and is leaking, I topped it off and no change. I have enough time to jump on here now and then before we leave, but not really enough time to start digging into the truck.

I'll do some research on the mobile app while I'm away this weekend and hopefully able to do something when I get home Sunday before it gets dark, not likely though with the time change.

Any ideas?

 

Sounds like wheel bearings to me. Typically when you hear it more pronounced in one direction than the other that is a pretty good indicator that it is the wheel bearings. Can you pinpoint a side that is sounds like it is coming from? Or from the front or rear? I would jack it up a corner at a time and give the wheels a wiggle and see if you can find one that has a little play in it.

 

I jacked it up last weekend, had the bearings in hand to do, the tire had a lot of play but it was from the lower ball joint and tie rod end. I spun the wheel and did not feel any grinding. I read a tip on how to diagnose wheel bearing and it said to grab the wheel at 9 and 3, pull out and rotate 90 degrees back and forth. Same procedure but also whole pushing in. Repeat with hands at 12 and 6. I did that and didn't feel anything. I ended up returning the bearings cause I just couldn't see replacing them if not needed cause money was extremely tight. I also could not get the inner clip out of the hub without snap ring pliers and didn't have the money for those. So I decided to get the money in my acct. and wait until this month. The damned shutdown affected over a 1/3 of my pay. I would be right along with you if the truck didn't physically bog down...unless that much drag on a bearing could cause a powerstroke to bog down? Also doesn't explain why it bogs down when coming to a stop in a strait line.

I did some research and couldn't bring anything up with my issue. It's weird. Maybe next week after doing some digging, I'll give you a shout and brain storm. Sometimes speaking with someone seems to bring about ideas that text just doesn't do. Of course, if that is okay with you.

 

That almost sounds like it could be trans related. Auto or manual?

These are the humble words of MisterCMK sent on the go...

 

What's up man? Long time.

It's an auto. I have thought about that. I checked the tranny fluid, and although I was shown a receipt or the flush, fluid sure is dirty. Has lost almost all color. I'll drop the pan, change the fluid and add some Lucas and see if there is any change. I guess I'll also pull the inspection plate and check all the bolts where the torque convertor bolts up to the flywheel.

 

I missed the part about it bogging the engine. If you can make it make the sound by swerving side to side, see if it will do it in neutral while coasting. That would tend to eliminate the transmission, IMO. I would check the pinion bearing too. Get under the truck and grab the differential input shaft and give it a good solid wiggle up and down. If you have any movement there, you have found your problem. It's just hard to diagnose a sound without being there to hear it in person.

 

I hear ya. The sound is pretty noticeable so I'll make a few videos and post them. I'll check the pinion as well.

 

Water in the idm! Check that first. Just not long ago someone has a turn one way miss and that was it.

I'm not sure why you keep talking about pulling that engine.all of your list but the pickup tube are in frame repairs. Do the inj/ orings and reseal others first.pull engine as last resort.I doubt its your issue even.but it you like doing work for no reason..go for it.

 

Good catch! I didn't even think of that. Makes sense. I'll check that as well.

As far as pulling the motor, I was planning on taking a weeks paid vacation late spring. I would like to enjoy working in the motor, and give it a full once over. Sitting in a rolling chair with the motor chest high seems relaxing. Getting it in and out are a pain I'm sure, but the end result will be good. I can seal up the oil pain, scrub and clean the block, do studs, boots, water pump, LPOP, everything I want and it will just feel easier. I also want to paint the valve covers and oil pan old school Ford blue. Also, with the motor out, I can change lines, clean the frame, ect ect much easier with less cursing.