G'day Fellas,

The truck had a sudden case of indigestion and had a pretty solid burp (HICUP!!), followed by a few soft burps.
Got home threw the AE on and got the P0344 code.
Luckily I always carry a couple spare CP Sensors. I've got a few F-Truck 7.3 owners on the road over the years buy having those spares with me. It's the first time it has happened to my truck.
I done a mates truck a brace of months ago and just asked him to order a couple of CP sensors from Clay (I have been using Clay's excellent service for years (my go to supplier)).
Anyway what I'm getting to is CPS Part Numbers:
The Sensors I'd been carrying were the 'Grey' CPS Part # F7TZ-12K073-B.
When the mate received the replacement CPS from RR it was Part # F4TZ-12K073-C and is a very dark grey colour and noted as 94-03 7.3.
Now the original CPS I pulled from my truck was "BLACK" with these numbers etched on it: 1825899 also 0812 and KC93.
I believe that Black was the original colour and that the upgraded was a Grey.
After fitting the Grey CPS Part # F7TZ-12K073-B the truck runs excellently and feels smoother at idle and lost the # 8 injector cackle.
So, the only CPS available from RR is the F4TZ-12K073-C.
What's the go with the Part# change? Is yet another upgrade or is Ford using another maker/supplier. The number etched on this CPS is 5F27.

Cheers Reg

 

The original was black, like you said.

The updated was grey, like you thought.

The newest update is purple/dark grey like you describe.

If your truck runs on the grey, good. If you had bought a grey and it didn't run, I would suggest to get a purple/dark grey. International sells the purple/dark grey, which usually works for our trucks.

If you can find a new black one for a decent price, get it because they are like gold and worth more than their weight in gold now.

 

Why are the black ones worth like gold? I thought the new dark grey with the purple O ring was the way to go. Just asking because I have all 3 plus the shim kit from IH. Friskyjake

 

the -A (black) seemed to work well then Ford updated to the -B (grey). A good number had issues with the -B and now there's a -C (blue). Some still feel that their truck ran best on the -A but there are very scarce now that they have been superceded for so long in the parts system.

 

The original black was very reliable over the years, timing and performance wise .. etc. Eventually it started failing causing some concerns so Ford did a recall and replaced it with the gray version. Some had issues within a few weeks on the new product so owners went back to the black version, still available at the time or they had a spare. The blue version I've never tried so don't know where that came from, maybe International.

An interesting test which someone did was, me included, to take the old black CPS and try to pick up a small wrench at its tip, it's magnetic. And sure enough the black version would pick it up and hang on. The new gray one would not and also the newer darker gray one with purple o-ring would not.

There were a lot of discussions if the higher powered magnet was a better product over the newer products. Some though the higher power magnet was a better product than replacements, or maybe the increase was just due to age over the years, causing failures to read the CAM gear correctly. I suspect this was the case but have no proof due the non availability on the black CPS for testing, a brand new one. Since Ford did the recall I'm sure they trashed all inventory to meet their recall protocol and the only ones left are in private owners hands.

 

Shim kit????

 

.
Not true, and am only pointing this out because over the last year or so I've noticed that this misunderstanding has been repeated enough to gain traction to the point of becoming a false truth, when it is truely false.

The F4TZ-C camshaft sensor (w/ purple O-ring) is the EARLIEST of the three sensors discussed in this thread. It isn't an "update" at all. It was the sensor for the 94-97 Powerstrokes that 99-up owners started trying when they couldn't get black ones anymore and they couldn't stand how their trucks ran on the grey ones.

That RiffRaff's website describes the purple o ring sensor as being "94-03" is meaningless. It should go without saying that RiffRaff is neither Ford, Imternational, or Motorcraft, and those three OEM suppliers all agree that the F4TZ purple oring sensor is for the 94-97, making it the earliest of the three sensors mentioned.

The OEM suppliers, on the other hand, go into great detail on the difference between the sensors, including the metal coating on the pins of the sensor, and the compatibility of that coating with the sockets in harness connector on the vehicle (ie, gold or tinned).

The OEMs also go into detail regarding the sensor body protrusion into the front cover, and it's proximity to the camshaft wheel (hence the shim kit released for service, to space the sensor body away if required, as mentioned by Brandon above).

 

I am wrong at least once a day. Thanks to Y2KW57 for setting the record straight. We can always count on that.

 

The only issue is that we have proven long ago that just because Ford says it is for one model doesn't mean it doesn't work on another on several parts. Woodnthings and I believe Tugly tested these CPS years ago and the consensus was the -C ran the best in the 7.3L across the years and was a better sensor.

https://sites.google.com/site/woodnt...or-information

 

Peter, I'm not disputing that 99-03 folks like the way that the 94-97 CPS runs in their truck.

The point was made to clear up confusion that was evident in several threads, where folks who don't follow the forums read a Ford resource (like the coffee table book as an example) that explains that the F4TZ is for 94-97, and then they hop on the forums and read that it is the latest and greatest update. Well, it could be one of those three adjectives, but latest and update wouldn't qualify.

A lot of folks on forums make modifications. But a few don't, and are just looking for what Ford deems to be the latest CPS, especially since there was a major safety recall on this thing. These might be the type of folks who worry about worst case scenarios... like their truck suddenly stalling in the middle of an intersection, and someone hitting them and dying as a result.

After the lawsuit is filed, naming the deepest pockets that can remotely be in any way culpable as co defendants in order to wring out as much cash as possible, it can be assumed that Ford lawyers will be dragged into defending the deepest pocket in the intersection that sad day.

One thing that Ford did in advance is not only color code the CPS, they even color coded the metal bracket that holds the CPS, and trained all the techs, as well as stated in the recall, how to identify which CPS is in the engine by the color of the metal bracket.

There will be no doubt during the discovery phase of the litigation whiter or not the Ford approved CPS was in that truck. If it is aftermarket, or if it is a CPS from an earlier model truck, Ford is off the hook, and the burden of liability shifts to...

Anyway, some folks might worry about things like that, and they deserve to know and understand the facts so they can make a well informed decision and shoulder their own risk, if they choose to take it.

Obviously, for instances like the above don't happen everyday. However, I've been in a truck where the CPS suddenly stopped clocking. Four lane highway leaving an international airport in a foreign country. Not my truck. Not me driving, but it was my a** on the line as I got out and ran TOWARD speeding traffic to try and wave them around before a major pile up ensued.

If the 99-03 folks reported lots of problems running the older body style CPS, then the vendors wouldn't be selling them. That wasn't what was disputed. Only the notion that it is the latest update was disputed, and I think by now that has been clarified.

 

@Y2KW57

Thanks for the clarification! I agree it is best to have the accurate details. I had the CPS go out when I was turning left at a semi-major intersection (2 lanes and turn lane all four directions) while I was already rolling. It went out right when i was at a 45 degree angle and with the 35" tires and no power steering I went straight over the curb at an angle and into a gas station parking lot. Nobody was hurt or any property damage, but that was a bumpy and scary few seconds no doubt!