Hello everyone. This is my first post but I've lurked for quite a while. Kind of a long post but I wanted to make sure I gave as much info as I could.

I have run into a no start problem on my wife's new (used) truck. It is a 2000 Ex 2wd 7.3 with 140k on the ODO. Ran great for the past couple of months with no issues. But Thursday and then today I had a problem.

On Thursday it started dieseling and lost acceleration shortly after I started driving it for the day and within a minute shut down without throwing a code. I was able to start it back up and run the RPM up for a min or so then it started running fine.

Today (Saturday) it started doing the same thing but this time it shut down a second time and would not start back up. I coasted into a lot and checked the following things before towing it with my truck to work on it.

I checked: Fuel pump(running and pushing fuel into the bowl), Fuel bowl and filter (looked clean), batteries (10.75 volts while cranking and even when I jumped it with my truck, no start), oil level on dipstick (somehow she was low about 1 gal which I promptly filled back up but no start), wait to start (turning on and then off normally), tach (getting a flutter and some activity while cranking), no service engine light, no smoke while cranking or noticed before/during the issue.

I know there are more things to check (CPS, IDM, ICP, etc.) but I'm not quite sure where to start. I am electrically and mechanically inclined with a multi-meter and tools but I do not have any kind of scanner and do not have access to one. I also do not have any gauges but am willing to buy them if necessary. I can't afford an expensive scanner though right now, just got done doing injector work on my truck.

I don't have a lot of time to fix her so I need to make my troubleshooting and repairs count. That's why I'm looking to the knowledge of y'all. Thanks in advance.

 

Could you elaborate on that a little more?

You said you can't afford an expensive scan tool, but If you have an iPhone or an Android phone, you can get a $15 bluetooth OBD-II adapter and download a $5 app that will pull codes, display and log data.

 

How long did you let it crank once you filled the oil? The engine will die if there's not enough oil. You'll have to let it crank awhile 15 seconds or so at a time. "If this is the problem" you may just have air in the oil system.

Check your fuel bowl heater I don't recall what fuse it is... Maybe #30 someone correct me if I'm wrong!!

X2 on what pikachu said

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm about to go work on the truck again.

The problem before it died was no acceleration while pedal was down and surging(?), rpms dropping like it was about to stall and then going back to normal like it had a huge race cam in it, if I let off the pedal.

I'm going to check the HPOP res. When I saw how low on oil she was, a HPOP issue was the first thing that came to mind but I haven't checked the res yet. I have cranked the truck for a good 120 sec (in short bursts) after topping off oil. Can it take even longer to purge air out?

I'd never seen those BT ODB adapters. Pretty slick and definitely affordable. Maybe my local parts house will have one. Have yall used the pro torque app? Any other recommendations?

 

I use Torque Pro, and I have Car Gauge Pro. Car Gauge Pro has the ability to run tests such as KOEO, KOER, Injector Buzz, etc., but it's dreadfully user unfriendly. Torque Pro doesn't run any tests yet, but it's easy to use and set up. I use Torque Pro on a regular basis, and Car Gauge Pro only when I need to run a test.

Anyhow, to me this sounds like an IPR problem. I don't advocate throwing parts at it just yet, but there are a couple things you can check. Make sure the tin nut is still holding the spacer and solenoid on the IPR. You can check the resistance of the solenoid coil with a multimeter; it should be between 5 and 20 ohms. You could also remove the IPR, disassemble it, clean it and reinstall it. There are videos of that process, and you have to be sure everything, particularly the little needle thingy, goes back together exactly as it came apart.

 

I'll check the IPR also. Got a fuel pressure gauge so I can double check that too. I'll post back the results.

What bluetooth adapter do you use with those apps?

 

I use this one: and so far I haven't had a single issue with it.

 

Working on the truck now, posting as I go. Checked HPOP res and couldn't tell how far down level was with a light so I used a piece of wire. Looked like top of oil was about 3in from top of where plug goes. Sounds low. Suggestions on best way to fill res up? Can I pour oil straight in?

 

Pour it straight in. Half-ish inch from the top

 

Bingo! Poured oil straight into HPOP res and turned truck over for 15 sec 10 times. Ran horribly rough for a bit then the idle smoothed out for the most part. Still a little bit of variation in the idle like it hasn't completely normalized, little bit of a shake.

I'm going to let it idle for a bit then take it out and pray she stays strong.

Thanks for all the help!

 

It will take 50-100 miles of normal driving to purge all the air out of your system so expect long crank times until then. And tell her to check that oil more often

 

Just pulled back up and she's purring like a kitten again. So now got to make sure the wife is checking oil while I'm away. Thanks again for the help.

 

Being down just 4 quarts shouldn't have caused that. The pickup is near the bottom of the sump. It kind of makes me wonder if the pickup tube is cracked, or the LPOP is getting weak, or it was just some kind of fluke.

 

Well she was down 1.5 gal total if that makes any difference. I only had a gal on me when I was first working on it. Once I got to my shop I kept filling and she took a bit over another half gal to get to the full lines on the dip stick, plus what seemed like >1/2 qt in the hpop resv. That make the problem more feasible or are there other things to check?

I checked out that BT tool, thanks for the recommendation. I'm definitely going to grab one.

 

Well, maybe at 6 quarts I could see it happening. That's getting closer to half of the oil in the engine, lol.