I purchased a 97 with the 7.3L a month ago. Truck runs great, no major issues. However, the guy I bought it from said the previous owner had a chip on the truck... no problem. The problem is that somehow the lope idle tune is left on the truck. When I start it, no matter what the weather, it will sit and lope. I don't allow it to do so. I blip the rpm's up to a grand and back down and it stops. Previous owner said it does it for about a minute or so and quits. I'm not willing to find out as I think it's ridiculous to do that to a diesel.


My question is... How can I remove this lope idle? There's gotta be a way to do it without taking it to a shop and spending major money. I do not have a chip on the truck and wasn't planning on it. But it's always a thought of getting one if I find one at a good price. I also do not know what kind of chip was on it, but can guess it was a TS 6 position.


The truck is not an automatic. It's got the 5 speed manual in it. If there is in fact another issue besides a tune left on the truck, what could it be?

It lopes at 500-700 rpms. If I bring the rpms to 1000 for a second, it smooths out and idles properly. It doesn't sit and smoke, just lopes. I was told the injectors are new, rebuilt turbo and the list goes on. I installed a new crankshaft position sensor hoping it was something simple like that. Turns out there was already a new one on, but I left my new one on there and threw the other in the glove box.


I have also unhooked the ICP and there was no change in idle.




ANY ideas, input, advice, and prior personal experiences are GREATLY appreciated!!

 

Did the truck leave the factory with the 5spd, or has the truck been converted from an auto? Do yo know if the PCM has been replaced? I have read that an PCM for an auto tranny will make the engine romp when it has been installed in a manual tranny truck, as the PCM is searching for what gear the tranny is in. I believe all the tunes stay on the TS chip, so I don't think a lope tune could stay on the PCM if the chip is removed.

 

You might have the wrong pcm. Is your truck Cali emission?

 

You have a auto PCM in that truck and it's looking for the TRS. The reason it didn't do it with the chip is cause it was tuned for a zf5

 

How can I tell if the pcm is from an auto and not the correct pcm?

Also, I believe the truck came factory with the 5 speed tranny. A simple vin search should tell me that, right?

My first thoughts are that it's the original tranny because otherwise a new column was installed in addition to the pedal and hole in the floor.

 

Do a vin scan and see what it came with.

After 19 years

 

After several vin searches to confirm, yes the truck originally came equipped with the 5 speed manual tranny.

Next question, how can I tell if the pcm installed is the wrong pcm?

 

You will have to lookup the code on the pcm. IIRC there is something about pcm codes in the stickies

 

PCM code is on the PCM. Remove the fasteners for the parking brake pedal/release assembly and move it away from the side wall of the cab. You'll see the aft end of the PCM there, and there will be a label with a four character (three letters, one digit) code. Look up that code here - PCM Codes - 1994-1997 Power Stroke FAQ .

 

Just my luck... I removed the parking brake bracket to find the back side of the pcm and what do I see? The pcm without the cover on it. No label. No numbers. I can make out the numbers on the green board on the pcm, but no four digit code



Hopefully the photo will upload from my phone

 

That etching on the opening says 019 with a small symbol. Maybe a turbo? I dunno what the symbol is, but it doesn't look like a letter to me

 

It would of been easier just to remove the electrical connector from the pcm in the engine bay, don't know the exact codes for auto, std, or Cali emission thou.

 

Z31freakify.... Thanks. Here's a pic....


My truck was manufactured 10/96. Vin decodes it as a 1997.

That number on the pcm codes out to a 1996 "7.3L F-250/350 & ECONOLINE DIESEL - AUTOMATIC"

Looks like you all were correct. Now I'm on the hunt for a new pcm.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT REPLIED AND GAVE ADVICE

If anything else comes to mind I will definitely listen

 

Good find and keep coming back. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here.

 

Yup, that's the same code as in my automatic