My truck is for the most part fine, but it's doing some strange things and I'm wanting to get some opinions before I go and tow a trailer 300 miles next weekend.

Last weekend when I started my truck I had the CEL on for about a minute, then it went away. Not sure if it was an influencing factor, but it was sitting outside in the sun in 100 degree weather before I started it. Truck ran fine for the 300 mile trip home that day. Two days ago, I drove to my parents house. It ran fine the whole way there and as I pulled up into the driveway, the engine randomly got really choppy like it went down a couple cylinders or something. Not sure how to explain it. I pulled forward the last 50 feet or so I needed to drive with the engine chopping up, parked, unloaded the stuff I brought, and fired the truck back up to go home. It was running perfectly fine again and drove back home without an issue like nothing ever happened.

Is there any components I should be checking out on the truck before I make my next trip 4th of July weekend or just brush it off as being a fluke? Truck has 230k miles on it

 

Sounds a lot like the under valve cover harness or 42 pin connector at the valve cover, maybe the harness that runs to the valve cover. They are known to wear through in spots where they rub and cause intermittent issues. Also make sure the tin nut is still on the IPR.

Do a quick search on the site for "50 cent mod" to learn more.

 

Have you checked your oil? Is it full? And are you able to read diagnostic codes at all?

 

Boy that does sound like a loose UVCH...easy to check if you have the proper scanner. Or do as Clem mentioned, just do the 50 cent mod and hope that fixes the problem. The only thing it will cost you is 50 cents and a little time. I would say it is NOT a fluke and think how all the 4th of July fun will be on hold with you sitting on the side of an interstate hill you can't get up because the harness is unplugged. Fix it now with cold engine OR fix it on side of highway with hot engine...your call.

 

Walleye Hunter - Checked oil, it's actually a bit high by maybe a quart or so. I might want to drain some out.

Clem - I tried to find what you were referring to about the tin nut. I know very little about these engines. It's been so reliable i've hardly had to touch it lol. I circled in the image below what I think is the IPR based upon some pictures I looked up online, is this right?

As for the loose UVCH, I read that you can check it with the VC on by looking at resistance. I checked the passenger side on the end pins for the connector. Each side read about .02 ohms to ground (Not sure if I had the meter in the best decimal place). On the drivers side, the side towards the front also read .02, and the other end read 1.5 ohms. I'm assuming this is indicating an issue with the connector there? I started the truck after testing everything and it's running fine at the moment.

 

actually that is the ICP sensor. Look at the picture in post 3 of this thread and you can just see the tin nut on the back of the IPR. It's just behind and below the fuel bowl
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...pr-sensor.html

 

Your uvch may be reading ok now but if it's loose it may go open again. Might only be bad under a load. If that's the problem it will only get worse.


Did you look at the wire harness right next to the ICP were it crosses over the driver side valve cover. As mentioned it can rub and cause intermittent electrical issues. Looks like this
http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/galler...harness-chafe/

 

I'll have to check the IPR then. The other day before I had a reply, I took off the drivers side valve cover and checked out the UVCH on that side. I was able to push it on tighter just slightly. I don't feel like it would be enough to make for a lose connection but maybe those are more sensitive to losing connection than a typical connector. I put a quarter in there just to be sure. I haven't opened up the passenger side yet - that side looks much more annoying to do with the blower motor right there lol.

I did find a couple other things while I was in there, the harness over the drivers side valve cover was off it's mount for the clip and was just laying on the valve cover, which also meant the side towards the engine was rubbing on the hoop for pulling the motor. It didn't look like it had rubbed through. When I put it back together I made sure it was properly held in with the clip, and I threw a zip tie on harness to a brake line to hold it off the valve cover to prevent it from rubbing.

I drove about 100 miles after doing all that and haven't seen an issue again yet *knock on wood*