I'm new to the site and new to owning a diesel. I have a 99 7.3 4wd. I just got the truck and the batteries were dead when I got it so I put it on a booster and got it started. I drove it about 30 mins to town drove well all was fine. I took it thru a car wash and vaccumed it out, let it idle the whole time no probs. Let it idle while getting fuel and was heading home when I went to turn around and it died when I went to put it in reverse. I tried to start it, it turned over fast but wouldn't start. I tried a cpl times and sprayed a lil starter fluid but nothing. Finally after maybe 15 mins it started and drove fine the rest of the way home. I didn't notice what lights might have come on when it died, I know the service engine light comes on after it' been running awhile. The EGT gauge wasn' running high on it while driving, never over about 800 or so and dropping down quickly when idling. It has a little **** near the steering wheel that you can turn to 7 diff locations, I'm not real sure of its purpose. Seems like it idles it up because when you turn it "up" it will start blowing out the exhaust, I tried to keep it turned down because I'm not sure what that' all about lol. Someone told me it' a boost setting and that may be why it died on me cuz I had it turned to low but it was idling between 6-800 so I don't know. Again, any help at all as to where to look for what might be the problem instead of just throwing parts at it. Thanks

 

It could be a number of different things, has it stalled out on you before? Is it a manual or an automatic? Some more info about the truck itself will help.

The box you mentioned, where does it connect to? Have you traced out the wiring? It sounds like some kind of tuner that has been installed. Obviously you don't know exactly what tubes are installed, but it sounds like one is a high idle tune (used for warming the truck up quicker in the winter and trying to help the AC run a little cooler in the summer at times.

There are some excellent people on here willing to give a lot of their time to help people, as long as can provide info and are willing to perform some troubleshooting steps that may get suggested then I am sure we will help you figure it out....

Oh and please don't use any starting fluid on your truck, if it were to hit an active / hot glow plug, you may well be picking pieces of your block up from around your yard.....

 

Welcome to FTE. A couple things first do NOT use starting fluid ever! The dial is most likely a TS 6 chip, there are programs on it that in simple terms change how the PCM tells the engine what to do. First position is probably STOCK setting, second HIGH idle great for warming up the engine etc, then the following positions add fuel and change shift points.
Bad batteries will do a LOT of crazy things to these or any vehicle. Get them load tested and if there's any doubt replace with quality batteries! Get a Bluetooth reader and use Forescan or Torque pro to read the codes of the CEL.
Start reading through the threads here to learn and understand the 7.3L. Only replace sensors with genuine OEM parts!! These trucks do not like aftermarket sensors!

How full is the fuel tank? Oil level?

 

Thanks for the quick responses. The truck hasn't stalled on me before, but this is the first time I've drove it. It ran for well over a hour before it stalled. The oil level is good. The fuel tank was less than quarter of a tank for the majority of my trip in this new to me awesome truck. I actually had just stopped and put 50 in it from shell shortly before it stalled on me, put it at about 3/4 of a tank. You mentioned the batteries, i thought i was having probs with either the batteries or the alternator because it was dead when I bought it had to be boosted up and I had let it idle for awhile and drove it maybe 15 mins once before and then it sat maybe 20 mins and it just clicked when I tried to start it. So one of the stops I made before it stalled on me was advance to have them check the alternator and they said it showed 12.6 I think it was, when they hooked their thing up to the battery, so it was a little low. But when it stalled on me the batteries deff wasn' dead, they turned it over great for a good minute all together before it finally started. The gauge shows good amps when it's running as well, so I figured the alternator and batteries was good, just needed a good charge.

 

That 12.6 seems low for your alternator, you may want to verify that number either yourself or somewhere else. The output from your alternator should be around 14v. I would also follow the recommendation to have your batteries load checked, make sure they are done individually (disconnected from one another) one jar could be bad and cause you issues. If you do have a bad battery I would highly recommend replacing both at once. New and old batteries together will just end up reducing the life of your new battery....

 

If your tank was below a 1/4 then The pick up foot in the tank may have broken off. Google Hutch and Harpoon mod as a solution. 12.6 is not charging your batteries, the alternator should be charging above 14v. Start with the batteries as I mentioned above, test the alternator too. Buying a quality multimeter and learning to use it will benefit you tremendously! Batteries need to be load tested out of the truck. Once the charging system is 100% then the rest can be addressed.

HUTCH MOD: http://www.guzzle7pt3.com/hutch.php

 

if you have an android tablet check the link in my sig for a great write up on Torque Pro (highly recommended and best $5 or so spent for investment)

also search for a user Tuggly and torque pro, if he hasn't already posted in this thread, he also has links in his signature that are great to check out.

 

A search for "Tuggly" might prove fruitless.

First... I see you've put fuel in, so that might eliminate the fuel delivery problem until the next 1/4 to 1/2 tank.

Second... a fast-cranking starter and an eventual startup might imply there's enough juice to start an already warm truck. So - we're still at why the stall and the no-start?

There are some powerful links in my signature, as my friend Jaime74656 mentioned. If you have iOS smart phone and/or tablet, bluetooth OBDII adapters don't work - but WiFi adapters do. There's more info on that in the OBDII tools link.

You mentioned "CPI", does that mean you already knew to try swapping the Cam Position Sensor (CPS)? If so, do you know if it was a Ford or IH product... or was it just something picked up at the local auto parts and cheap bling store?

 

I'm thinking you might have kicked the pcm, disrupting the chip. Happened to a buddy. Died on him in middle of making a right turn.... Unplugged the Banks chip and no more stalling

 

This was my thought process, hence me asking if it were a stick shift....

 

Hi thanks for the advice. I put a new CPS in it today, I doknt know what the other one was for sure, it was grey and the end that goes in the motor was smaller around then the black one I put in. I checked the alternator again also and it's still putting out 12.5 when idling bit when revved up to 1500 rpm it' putting out 13.8-14. I went ahead and bought a new alternator goiing to put it on tomorrow, if nothiing else it should make it idle smoother, has a slight surge to it when idling. Drove it again for about a hour today and when i was pulling in the driveway stgalled again and no start So the new CPS fixed basically nothing. It turns over strong and fast but doesn' hit a lick, nothing, like it isn' getting fuel. But when it's driving it never jerks or bucks or nothing crazy, runs great. I dont really see how it could be a battery or alternator prob making it die and not start when it has plenty of juice to turn over real good. Also the dial does go to a chip in the PCM, I took the key out and unhooked it after it stalled hoping it would miraculously make it start but to no avail. Still at a loss...

Oh it' a automatic, sorry thought I mentioned that in my first reply.

 

Below 10.5v the injectors may not fire. If you have a multimeter, hold it on one of your batteries while someone cranks. I'll bet with the bad alternator, the batteries have croaked and cranking is fruitless with the low voltage.

Batteries/Alternator/Starter. When one goes, the others are not often far behind

Good luck and keep us updated. Keep that fuel about 1/2 tank.

What kind of oil, what weight, and how old?

These trucks are picky, especially as it gets cold.

 

I have no idea about the oil. I just got the truck not long ago and know nothing about it except what I can see. I got it from a guy that took prcession of the truck after a guy ripped him off on a deal with a Can am, court gave him the truck. I've bought a gallon of motor craft super duty 5-30 I think is the weight. Guess it'd be a good idea to get a cpl more gallons and change it, think the oil could make it stall and not want to start?

 

Next time it stalls while hot pour some ice water in the IPR or squirt it with an inverted can of keyboard cleaner (air) IPR's that are going south can cause a stall when warm and will not restart until they cool off. Cooling them off quicker helps you narrow down the issue. You can either rebuild (kits sold for this) or purchase a new MOTORCRAFT/IH one (no aftermarket sensors for your vehicle, they don't always play nice..)

Our injectors run on high pressure oil, if you are low on oil it will shut your engine down.....

 

Here's some information on what and where stuff is located. If you live in a cold climate I would suggest 5w40 Diesel rated oil. Get the batteries test BEFORE you start throwing parts (money) at it!