2001 F350 7.3 Powerstroke.

Recently engine quit while driving. No warning signs, no rough running or sputtering, just running then dead.

Restarted easily, ran smoothly for about another mile, then suddenly quit again. Would not restart. After a few minutes, restarted, ran OK for a few seconds, then died. So I called for help.

At the time it died, I was towing a horse trailer, which it pulled as easily as it always does. When the tow service arrived, it restarted and ran long enough to drive up the steep ramps onto their flatbed. So it had plenty of power when it was running. It just wouldn't stay running. So it seems like it's probably not a major engine problem, more like it's just not getting fuel, either because of a blockage or ECU deciding to cut it off. The truck originally had one of the bad cam sensors. That was replaced in the recall a couple of years ago, so it's not likely to be the problem, although I suppose the new one could have failed. Fuel filter might be a likely culprit.

I was planning to have it hauled to the dealer. But the tow service that showed up was part of a large freight trucking company that has their own shop and heavy-duty wrecker for maintaining semis, and they said they could fix it for me. So I let them have it.

The next day I called to find what was going on. They seemed clueless. They had replaced the fuel filter and it was still stalling. They tried 2 different code readers and couldn't get any codes from it. I know that some of the generic code readers can't read my truck. I found that out a couple of years ago when AutoZone got nothing from it when the Check Engine light was on, and the dealer had no problem reading it. But I would have thought a shop that works on BIG trucks would have readers capable of reading anything.

Is there something so specific about PowerStroke engines that only a dealer would have equipment capable of reading it? Or does this shop just need to get a better reader?

Any clue what might be causing the problem? I know it's tough to diagnose something vague like this over the web, but maybe people have seen similar problems.

Thanks for any info you might have.

 

I just talked to the shop again. They said they replaced the cam sensor and the truck is running now. Is it common for cam sensor to fail after being replaced with the "improved" version in the recall?

 

Common enough as to where a lot of us 7.3 owners drive around with at least 1 spare in the glovebox.......

 

So they don't have the correct equipment to read our trucks, but they are telling you it was the CPS? I am cautiously optimistic that it was your problem. Even the new "improved" ones fail, but I am not super confident they fixed your issue.

 

They didn't say whether they finally got a reader that gave them a CPS fail code, or whether they just replaced it on a hunch. That makes me a little nervous too. But at least they seem to think it's running more reliably than it did before. (This call was 2 days after the first, so they could have had time to get a better reader).

 

For less than $20 on the less expensive side you can diagnose it yourself:

Recent link in case you missed it:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...e-cheap-3.html

You can spend more if you wish.