Driving to a nearly town, after 1.5 hrs of highway driving at 60mph, engine cuts out. First light to come on was "water in fuel", then all the other dash warning lights popped on. Restarted. Drove 3 or 4 minutes, repeat of this, only this time truck was running at a very low rpm when I got it off the road. I went under the hood and drained the contents of the bowl. Drove for approximately 5 minutes and had a repeat of this. This happened twice more...even swapped in my spare fuel filter, still the rig would run for 1-2 minutes then die. Made it to the Ford dealership in Kenai, they said it would be three weeks until there was an open appointment. Back out to the rig and noticed a red icon on my Android tablet which runs Torque via a bluetooth OBDII connection. There was a teeny tiny error message next to the red icon saying something to the effect of "OBDII transmitter malfunction". I pulled the bluetooth transmitter out of the jack under the dash. Restarted, and had no more problems for the rest of the day. The BT transmitter was purchased in 2017 and was manufactured by BAFX Products. Link to the unit is here:
Be aware of this problem 7.3 guys and gals. I had a stressful 45 minutes until I got it figured out!

 

Thanks for the heads up! BAFX is quality stuff but I guess nothing lasts forever.

 

Excellent PSA. Makes me second guess my decision to keep the dongle plugged in now.

 

Just out of curiosity, were you running TorquePro as the diagnostic software?

I have had random engine stalling issues with TP as have other friends. Not just people I have talked with here on the forums, but people that I know personally and met their families.

That is only one reason why I and many others use FORScan or FORScan Lite now. FSL is not as pretty, but it is a much more robust tool and has much less "sabotage" tendencies.

BAFX is considered a reliable and affordable scan tool, but anything made or designed by humans can and will fail.

 

I'd suspect TorquePro before the dongle, based on some experience I and others have had (x2 Sous' comments) with that app killing the engine while reading DTCs from time to time. Consider setting up the FORScan Lite app on your tablet and using the BAFX OBDII adapter again. If the issue repeats, at least you know what to do to get going again.

 

Glad it was that easy a fix and thanks for that PSA.

 

Thanks for the responses. I've been running the exact same setup and configuration on the tablet with Torque since shortly after I got the dongle. There was a number which showed up on the screen after the first failure. Number was, "41008037888C". The service counter at the Ford dealership said this was not an error code. The configuration that I use shows OBD vehicle speed, GPS speed, engine rpm, transmission temp, voltage, exhaust back pressure, etc. All stock PIDs per Master Tugly's posts. The truck is my daily driver. The tablet stays hooked up on my dash on standby when the truck is parked. Picture below shows tablet before shutdowns started happening. No red "problem" icon in upper right.

 

@Tugly provided a similar PSA some 7.3 years ago, or thereabouts.

 

Thanks. I was hoping @Tugly might weigh w/his thoughts regarding whether this was a hardware or software issue.
Am also wondering what other OBD2 devices my 7.3 brothers (and sisters) here have had luck with.
Cheers.

 

I put together the following information on OBD2 connection devices for users of FORScan and FORScan Lite.

Bottom Line: Corded (ie USB) adapters are more reliable and functional than cordless (ie BT or WiFi)

If needing cordless, a generally recommended brand and model is the OBDLink MX+

From a quality / connectivity / compatibility perspective, the same guidance on hardware dongles might apply toward TorquePro, but as has been pointed out previously, Forscan appears to be what many of the brothers and sisters are using today.

All About ADAPTERS. Which one to choose?
See FORScan.org subforum on Adapters and ELM327 Compatible Adapters - How To Choose
`

• Known Good and Recommended Adapters Tested by FORScan developers and super users:
  • Windows for programming, complex module configuration, changing settings, all diagnostics
    • OBDLink EX USB (verified for all programming functions except pass through)
    • Viaken STN1170 USB (No longer recommended for new designs)
    • ELS27 v3 (Russian)
    • OBDLink SX (if modified for MS-CAN Support)
    • OBDLink LX (if MS-CAN Support not required)
    • OBDLink MX+ (no programming, no complex configuration, no calibration updates)
  • Android w/ FORScan LITE Diagnostics only, read/clear DTC, monitor PID, some service
    • OBDLink MX+
    • OBDLink LX (if MS-CAN Support not required)
    • ELS27 v3 (Russian)
    • OBDLink MX BT (Discontinued by OBDLink)
  • Apple iOS w/ FORScan LITE Diagnostics only, read/clear DTC, monitor PID, some service
    • OBDLink MX+
  `
• OBDLink ELM327 Compatible OBD to UART Interpreter Integrated Circuit Device IDs:
  • STN1110 - STN1110 - Not recommended for newer designs, active but outdated
  • STN1130 - OBDLink SX USB - Low Cost - Can be hacked with manual switch
  • STN1151 - OBDLink MX BT v2 - Even Version 2 is discontinued. Use MX+ or LX
  • STN1152 - OBDLink MX WiFi - Native iOS Support, but discontinued. Now use MX+
  • STN1155 - OBDLink LX BT - Supercedes MX BT, but does not support Apple iOS
  • STN1170 - STN1170 - Not recommended for newer designs. Consider STN2120
  • STN2100 - STN2100 - Not recommended for Fords newer than 2003. See STN2120
  • STN2120 - STN2120 - Supports Ford MS CAN and GM SW CAN
  • STN2230 - OBDLink EX USB - Low Cost - Auto switching - Supports Ford MS CAN
  • STN2255 - OBDLink MX+ BT - Supports iOS, Ford MS CAN, SW CAN, Auto switch
  
  `
• Cheap Chinese Clone ELM327 Compatible Adapters: Use at own risk; then report what happened... or didn't.
  `
  
• Common Connection Interface Options for adapter to computer / hand held device connection:
  • USB - Most stable & reliable connection, & the fastest. Required for programming
  • BlueTooth (BT) - Most common connection, used on Android devices running FORScan LITE
  • WiFi - Not recommended by FORScan. Used on Apple iOS 8+ devices running FORScan LITE
  `
• OBDII and Vehicle Module Network Communication Bus Protocols:
  • MS-CAN Medium Speed CAN (Proprietary Ford body, chassis, & interior modules)
  • HS-CAN High Speed CAN (Emissions regulated Ford engine & drivetrain modules)
  • ISO 9141-2 (older Ford secondary network, up to 2009. Primary on Mazda to 2003)
  • ISO 11898 CAN (Raw CAN standard set, encompassing physical layers)
  • ISO 14230-4 (also known as KeyWord Protocol 2000, aka KWP, aka KWP2K)
  • ISO 15765-4 CAN (Worldwide harmonized and regulated transportation CAN standard)
  • SAE J1850 PWM (older Ford Standard Corporate Protocol, up to 2003 and up to 2009)
  • SAE J1850 VPW (older GM Class 2 vehicles)
  • SAE J1939 CAN (Medium and Heavy Duty Truck adaptation of ISO 15765 CAN)
  • SAE J2411 SW-CAN (Single Wire CAN, GMLAN, GMW3089)
  • SAE J2534 Pass-Thru (Calibration ReFlash through OEM supplied server connection)
  • SAE J2818 (also known as KeyWord Protocol 1281, aka KWP1281)
  • UBP - (Universal Bus Protocol, an older UART based protocol used prior to Ford SCP)

 

If your tablet with Torque Pro has a hiccup for any reason, or if the OBDII connections become tarnished or loose - a one or a zero can sneak into the data stream to the truck where it doesn't belong. This can happen with Torque Pro, ForScan, AutoEnginuity, the factory Ford service software... or Morse code with a switch.

Before you abandon what has been working so well for so many for so long, consider the misdiagnosis of the WIF light - and think "root cause analysis"

One of our esteemed members (Tim Hodgson) posted this little gem: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post14405620

Being in the electrical/electronic industry most of my life, I've always had limited success with "contact cleaner" - mostly because it doesn't remove tarnish. After Tim's thread, I bought a whole sample pack of DeOxit products... to see if this is for real. I tried it on some RAM contacts for a PC that had failed, and this stuff removes tarnish instantly while you watch it turn from dull to bright. Spray it on oxidized contacts and watch it foam up like hydrogen peroxide on a wound.

Net results:

• I now stock an ample supply of DeOxit products.
• I have repaired so many failed contacts and restored so many circuit boards/PCs with nothing more than a "pfft", everybody jokingly says "here comes Rich with his pixy dust"... but not in a sarcastic way. Sometimes they even ask me to bring my pixy dust.
• All maintenance supervisors for all of the plants have asked for pixy dust to keep in their shop for troubleshooting or repairing simple electrical problem.
• I showed my results to the vendors who supply our equipment and conduct repairs on them. They have all adopted a "policy" of treating all electrical contacts with DeOxit products for repair and for preventative maintenance.

This reminds me of when I used to backpack (many years ago), and I used my backpacking head lamp at work - I got a lot of stares. On my next visit to the same site, all of the maintenance personnel wore headlamps.

That was a very long way to say "Try some DeOxit on your OBDII and USB connections".

Oh... and don't be afraid to use it on other stuff.

 

Thanks @Tugly . DeOxit ordered.

 

Rodger dodger @Tugly. I'll pick some of this stuff up.
I've also got an OBDLink MX+ arriving on Wednesday just to be sure.
Best regards to you and your current Stinky.

 

This cracks me up with your Avatar... the "new" Stinky is Frankenstinky, with parts of Stinky added to him.

 

I was turned on to the DEOxit products by a master motorcycle mechanic many years ago. They sell a sample pack in a black plastic case that will go a long way before it runs out. Highly recommended. Electrical contact cleaner doesn't even compare to this product. Follow instructions completely when first using product (s) until you get used to it. A good product for all our pigtails in engine compartment.