Hey gang,
I recently bought an 06 F250 with the 6.0 powerstroke. I got it from a guy who was fed up with repair bills. He had just spend a couple grand getting water pump, radiator, glowplug harness, and a few other things dealt with. Anyhow, after the repairs he drove it with no issues for about a month or so and then out of the blue it wouldn't start. He had someone who is not a diesel guy (is an auto tech) take a look at it, he was able to get it running 1 time with a shot of starting fluid and then it would no longer start. As he couldn't afford to throw another mystery shop bill at it he decided to buy another truck. I bought this truck as is. The guy is honest and I am not concerned about what he told me about it. He was the 2nd owner. Truck has about 210k miles on it. the 1st owner had some things done in the last 2-3 years before he sold it. The guy I bought it from put about 30k miles on it since he owned it. That work by 1st owner included new HPOP, dummy plugs, injectors, turbo. I think all of this was done at the same time. The turbo might have been separate.
All that said I took a chance on it. I bought torque pro for my cell, set it up and it seems to be working fine with the truck. I had to replace battery clamps as they were a mess. On full charge it cranks great. Ficm sync is there, 48 volts when cranking , inj clatter when key turned on, IPR voltage .24 . IPR when cranking goes to almost 85%, like 84.9ish. And HPOP psi never moves at all, stays zero. I am assuming I have a leak. I have the IPR air pressure test fitting, I am waiting for the IPR socket which I should have tomorrow. I assume that the STC fitting might have blown out. I assume the dummy plugs installed would be the updated 12mm style but I guess I will follow the leaks if i have any.
I was just wondering if zero HPOP psi is normal. Really what I am doubting is the scan tool. I haven't used it on anything, I assume with IPR at 85% while cranking that it is asking for pressure that doesn't exist. But is it normal to literally see zero? I thought even with a leak it might so up to 50 or better just not reaching the 500psi needed to run.
Over the weekend I am going to start digging it, doing the air test at the IPR first. I assume it will result in a leak at the STC or something along those lines. Maybe dummy plugs?
Is there anything else I should be looking for while diagnosing this? Just hoping I am not missing something obvious! I guess the air test should answer a lot. If I really have a leak bad enough to not allow and pressure from the HPOP at all it should be easy to hear with air.
If anyone has any thoughts on other things I should look out for I would appreciate it. I will post my findings otherwise when I get into the testing.

 

Something else that I noticed. I do not hear the electric fuel pump at all. Are they quiet? I will be looking into this as well, but I had noticed that I never hear with with the key on. I have no idea how loud it would be.

 

Zero psi when cranking is not good at all, obviously. After cranking (with a battery charger on it) for about 15 seconds, you should hear a door chime and the low-pressure oil gauge on the dash should come up. Does it? If not, your issue isn't with high-pressure oil, it's a lack of low-pressure oil and therefore no oil coming into the high-pressure oil pump - which is why the IPR valve is wide open at 85%.

Hope this helps! Whatever parts you need, we carry it all - just for less - but we will make sure that what you are buying is actually needed.

 

Yes I do have engine oil pressure. It comes right up pretty quickly. I'm not 100% sure my torque pro app is reading the IPR pressure. It reads zero KOEO and it never changes when I hit the starter. I'm going to triple check my setup on the app to be sure it's right. It may have pressure but I'm not seeing it. From what I understand it needs 500psi min to start.
I don't hear the fuel pump. I'm also going to be investigating that .

 

Your injection control pressure should read 0 KOEO, but then jump pretty quickly to over 500 when cranking. The fact that your IPR valve is hitting 85% means that the valve is trying to get the HPOP to give it all it can. As you have an 06, you can disconnect the ICP sensor on the passenger side valve cover to see if that makes a difference on whether it will fire. If so, you just have a bad ICP sensor.

 

Remember the 84.9% is a COMMAND not actual. So if the IPR is shorted, open, or mechanically stuck open it will not build pressure because it will bleed it all off.
Did you check for codes? Did you pull the IPR yet and inspect it for function, condition of the screen, debri internally holding the valve open? If the IPR is unplugged does the fuel pump run for 10 seconds or more when the key is turned on.
Just a few thoughts.

 

It has been a while since i posted about this. Between colds, bad weather and other projects I didn't get to work on the truck very much.
I finally did the air test in the IPR port. I did not have a leak. I expected a huge leak but in fact I had no leak so at least that much was good. The IPR screen looked OK but caved in. I think maybe someone previously may have bent it if they had it out and cleaned the IPR or something? I replaced the IPR being it isn't in the greatest spot, rather not touch that again if things work out. I also replaced the ICP sensor. Now when I crank the engine my HPOP shoots right passed 500psi. I have 48v at FICM, I have FICM sync, the IPR drops down as soon as it sees 500psi so it isn't sitting at 85% now. But still no start. One thing I think I have a problem with is the fuel pump on the frame. (HFCM). I never hear it run so that is my next target. I didn't have a lot of time the last time I worked on it to dig into that but I did check fuses and relays. I assume this pump will be loud enough to hear right? I hear nothing under the truck with the key on. Is there also an in-tank pump? It seems like the engine is doing its part, I have everything needed to start, except maybe fuel. I have a half tank of fuel. Now just to get it to pressurize if it isn't.

 

No in-tank pump.

Check to see if the secondary fuel filter bowl fills quickly w/ the key on (two person job - it can fill quickly).

Just to tuck away a tip - Every 6.0L owner should install a fuel pressure sensor and gauge. The expensive injectors need sufficient fuel pressure. It can be a costly problem if you get surprised by something going wrong in the fuel system (gelled fuel, plugged suction, leaking suction, weak pump, plugged filters, etc).

 

Also, what rpm's do you see when cranking?

 

I was thinking about the fuel pressure gauge. I will have to check the cranking RPM. It has a new starter, I think it was installed by PO in August. It sounds like it cranks pretty quick but I will check it and post my results.

 

Hey y'all. Finally got time to work on the 6.0. so the electric fuel pump wasn't working. I pulled the hfcu off the frame and replaced the fuel pump and filter. Also replaced the upper filter. It was a bugger to get primed. But finally I got fuel into pump and up to engine.
It took a bit of cranking to get it going. I am not sure the glow plugs are working. After many tries I gave it a sniff of go go juice and she fired up. I let it run until it warmed up. Sounds great, runs smooth.
I was going to take a test drive, I hopped in, revved it up one time before putting it in gear and it shuts off. It quit as if I turned the key off. And it will not restart. I have codes for the glow plugs. I think they were 670 and 673?? I'll have to check connections and so on. But it was up to temp. It should have started right back up. I didn't have time before work today to continue playing with it so I will have to look it over tomorrow if it's not raining.

 

I had a few minutes this morning to hook my scanner up and see what's going on. It appears that I now have no high pressure for the fuel system. I'm assuming that when I revved the engine it blew something like that STC fitting. I guess I'll have to do the air test again. These 6.0's are a piece of work!

 

Shouldn't be using starter fluid IMO. That can cause some problems if overdone.

What makes you think it is still something with the high pressure oil system? Have you taken a new set of ICP and IPR readings?

 

I've worked on heavy duty diesel engines since the early 90's. Lived in Vermont most of my life. Starting fluid wasn't uncommon years ago. That said, I use it very sparingly and prefer not to use it at all. They use to install an ether cold start system on trucks and heavy equipment. It was controlled by a push button in the cab. It shot a metered amount into the intake. Worked well for stuff that couldn't be plugged in although I'm sure it shortened the life of anything they went on. Lol

So my torque pro app shows my hpop not building pressure now. Before I figured out my electric fuel pump was bad I had done air test and all was well. But showed no hpop psi when cranking. I replaced ipc and then I have pressure. Replaced fuel transfer pump, got it running. When I revved it up it started to pick up and then immediately shut off at about 2500rpm. It was still going up until it quit. Then no start. I checked and hpop psi not moving while cranking. I do have engine oil pressure when cranking. It made no noise, just cut off. Now I'm back to a crank no start. Grrr. I'm wondering if it popped the STC fitting. It was replaced by previous owner at Ford but I don't know how long ago.

 

The 6.0L isn't like diesels of 20 years ago unfortunately, so IMO it isn't appropriate to equate what older diesels do w/ this one. I have used starting fluid on a 7.3L, but wouldn't on the 6.0L. To each his own on that.

Please post the new cranking readings for ICP (psig and volts) and IPR %. I see where you say it isn't moving, but the actual readings may give a clue - voltage especially might give a clue because there should always be a tenth or two volts.