So I bought a non running 2005 F450 at auction. I've worked on several no start issues on 6.0s and they've been pretty straightforward. This one has me stumped.

truck was missing some parts when I got it (EGR valve, FICM, VGT solenoid, fuel pump, EBP). All of those parts have been replaced. It had no low ICP and no IPR signal so I replaced IPR and the STC fitting. When I had the turbo off, there was lots of coolant in the exhaust, so I did and EGR delete and oil cooler replacement while I was in there.

Fuel pump had been removed by cutting tbe plastic lines, so I spliced in runner lines and dorman fuel quick connects for now with plans to replace them as soon as i get it running. I primes the system extensively, and confirmed I get rising fuel at the secondary filter.

When I crank, it turns over, then sounds like it wants to start firing but never does. I've tried about a dozen times to get it to start with no luck, so I don't think its an air bubble or priming issue that is going to resolve itself.

All of the crank no start parameters seem to be good. FMP is 48V, IPR is around 30%, ICP is around 800 psi, and FICM Sync is 1.0.

One thing worth noting is that when the fuel pump runs, I hear gurgling at the fuel tank. I have plenty of fuel, so I'm not sure why it's making that noise. If I measure fuel pressure at the secondary filter, will that tell me if I'm pulling air through the fuel?

What other things should I check? I know a compression check can provide good information for a poorly running engine, but I can't imagine all 8 cylinders are dead.

any thoughts on what to check next?

 

Cranking rpm? Has to be above 150. More is better.

 

yep. Cranking rpm is good.

 

Fuel pw reading anything? Throwing a fuel pressure gauge on it would also be a good idea. You can do the rudimentary compression test by using the jumper wire as per DTR ( ) .

 

OK. More progress. Found a hairline crack in the new cap on the new HFCM. New cap on, and no more gurgling into the fuel tank. The air in the fuel issue seems to have been resolved. I confirmed cranking speed is 175-205rpm. Cam and crank sync does go to 1 when cranking. I primed the fuel system (key on till pump stops) six times and it still won't start. I'll have to check on FICM logic, fuel pulse width, and mass fuel desired. I'll get those numbers this afternoon.

Mine definitely doesn't crank as fast as the one in the video, but torque says it's around 175-200.

 

Sorry if you covered this but I am forgetting things a bit right now.

A cracked cap will definitely cause issues.

How much time between each key on for priming did you give for the key off part of that cycle? I have found when dealing with a very dry system that the air takes a a bit to bleed out. When I
did that one I was able to turn the key off and walk to the front and hear the air bleeding through the tiny hole at the top of the regulator and returning to the tank. So if you didn't give it much time
you might re do it and give 30 seconds between cycles.

Are you getting a good ICP value and have you tried with the ICP sensor unplugged?
By unplugging it the PCM will use a default value for the ICP.

Best of luck.

 

Latest update. All parameters recorded during cranking:
Battery Voltage - 10.4
FLP - 10.0
FMP - 48.0
FICM Sync - 1
FVP - 10.0
INJ PW - 2400
HPOP - 961.6
Mfuel - 40.9
IP - 36.0
Cam Crank Sync - 1
Cranking rpm - 208

 

Your battery voltage = DEAD

Get a charger on it and get it up to a good voltage and then try.
If you have access to one get a buster on it while you cranking it over.
That low voltage will cook the FICM in short order if it has not already.

 

batteries are both less than 3 months old and just came off the charger before trying to start the truck. Keep in mind, this is the voltage DURING cranking. The cranking speed on this truck definitely is slower than my other one, and was showing 150-170 rpm this time. I'm thinking maybe the starter is weak, which is pulling too much current (hence the low voltage) and don't have enough power to turn the engine at enough speed? Is it 6.4 starter upgrade time?

 

Yes the 6.4 isand I found that mine does spin faster.
The thing is I don't drop below 10.5 V.
You still may want to put the booster on when cranking at this point.

 

Sorry, I'm an idiot and left one of the battery cables disconnected. I connected everything and tried again. Table above has updated values. It really tries to start and sometimes the rpm jumps up to 300 as it fires a little, but it just won't go. How long does it take to get air out of the fuel system? It certainly seems like it's getting closer to going, but we're not there yet.

 

Starting to sound like a bad injector or two to me.

 

Air out of the fuel system should not take more than 15 minutes I would think.
I think Mark may be on to something. What are you using for a scan tool?

 

I'm just using the torque pro app. Can I use that to test for bad injectors?

 

Well you're starting to narrow down what it could be. At this point the signs are pointing to bad injectors and/or base engine issue (low compression). I don't believe Torque Pro can test injectors, but if I remember correctly ForScan app can do an injector buzz test. Do you hear the injectors buzz when you turn the key? Are there any codes present? Given the unknown history of the truck, diagnosing this may be tricky so stay patient and work your way from easiest to hardest in terms of testing. Eliminate the simple stuff before moving on to the harder stuff. I would even plug the truck in (if equipped with block heater) to warm up the oil and make it even easier on the starter to turn the engine over. Keep us updated.