I’m at a total loss of where to even start with this intermittent issue. The truck will seemingly run fine then I’ll get a shudder around 30-40mph with the steering wheel shake and it gets worse the faster I go but surface streets only let me get up to 50-55 so I don’t know if it’ll work itself out. The truck also then falls on its face and giving it throttle will run the boost up but not get me anywhere. Yesterday when it happened I noticed the trans temp climbed up to 185 but I can’t recall if it happened the other times.

Truck has 202k on it; new engine, trans, injectors, everything at 193k, turbo is about the only OE thing left on the engine. Everything was replaced with stock equivalent, I’m not after power since I tow a lot. Oil was changed last week, fuel filters were changed over the weekend, CTS gauges say I’ve got around 60psi fuel but I think that gauge is on the way out. It will read anywhere from 0-100psi when it’s really cold outside out but reads normal ranges when warmed up.

I don’t know if the transmission is even a qualifier yet since I don’t recall the temps the other times and I’m not sure how it would cause the steering to shake, I do know I’ve had the trans act up on me twice but seemed to work itself out. Falling on its face would lead me to believe injectors maybe but they have 10k miles on them and again steering wheel shake. I cleaned the EBP sensor and tube yesterday thinking that would be the high boost problem but it happened again on the next drive.

Newer track bar but everything else on the steering is oem as far as I know. It could explain the steering shaking but what about the power loss?


where do I even start that explains steering shake and power loss that only happen together?

 

You need to pull codes, and then you'll probably need to read live data. If you don't have a scan tool, get one before you proceed. My guess is that you've lost one or more injectors. As long as you accelerate slowly and not stress the engine, it drives fine on 7 cylinders. But there's a point, especially when towing, that it can't make that next gear shift, and will buck and moan trying to get there. If you can get past that and into 6th gear and highway speeds, you can often cruise for hours as long as there's no steep inclines.

Another situation is when a leak on one cylinder slowly migrates over to the next cylinder through the oil rail. That truck will drive fine for a few miles, regardless kinda of stress, and then start driving, poorly, as the first cylinder loses pressure, and then get a lot worse as the second one fails. Park for a short time, and it will repeat that cycle.

 

No codes form the CTS, doesn't mean there aren't some soft codes it can't see. Live data such as IPW, ICP, IPR, EBP all look good from what I can tell but again that doesn't mean the computer isn't making up for a bad injector. Turns out there's a reputable diesel shop (according to a local diesel group) right down the road from my new house so I don't have to drive an hour to my usual guy. They'll be able to run the contribution/balance tests and whatever else to diagnose the issue. I THINK this happened right after my oil change I know the problens started Thursday but don't remember the oil change date, it could be coincidence or it could be the oil causing oil side issues on the injectors if it is I'm gonna be upset, I didn't use my regular oil and instead decided to use up the T5 I had sitting around. I also now have 9 gallons of T6 sitting in the shop because someone bought it thinking of me and the oil shortage *rolls eyes*

I blew up the last motor because I had a faulty injector that went undiagnosed while towing from Washington state back to Texas so I'm very iffy now when it comes to someone saying injector problem and I'm just taking it to a pro. Some of it may be my fault since I've only put 10K miles on the truck in the last 3 years so they weren't getting worked maybe like the turbo does? Anyway I'll shut up and thank you for the insight.

 

Shop owner ran a contribution test that shows a nearly flat line with and without the compensation programming turned on, so at least in that moment the injectors were firing perfectly. He did some other tests on the scan tool that made the RPMs change and stuff with nothing abnormal.

I found a text message that showed I changed the oil 5 days before I noticed the problem without much driving in between. He suggested since I had just changed the oil to dump it as I might have gotten a batch of oil the injectors just didn’t like. If that doesn’t solve it he said it’s a drop off kind of thing so they can try to replicate and diagnose it.

 

I don’t know if this was my problem, and I’m no actual mechanic but I’m sure this isn’t helping.

also anyone know the minimum rotor thickness off the top of their head.

 

Yeah, I can't get my dog to hold a wrench either. You'd think he could pump a jack handle anyway. Did they gnaw up your calipers like that. That'll cause a shudder.

 

She’s not as bad as the one in the background, that one is an attention princess. Something happened during my trip up north because the brakes had plenty of meat when I left and it’s only been 6k miles.

This was the left side and that top piston took a screw clamp with a foot long handle using all my might to break loose accompanied with a very loud snap then started moving back in. I knew the caliper was done for before I got it off just wanted to see how bad it was seized. The bottom slide pin never came out either, it started bending from the hammer blows and never moved so had to replace the whole bracket.

it very well may have been my problem. Symptoms seem to line up. It mostly happened when the truck was hot which for me eas a lot of stop and go traffic - engine temp wasn’t a factor it was the stop and go with the brakes. I noticed it most when leaving a stop and getting up to speed - brakes were just used and pads weren’t disengaging. The shudder was certainly felt through the steering wheel - well calipers/brakes are connected to the steering. I took an hour long drive yesterday and no issues, lots of errands today with stop/go and no issues so far.

 

Yep, looks like the pistons froze. TooManyTools is the brake expert here. I'm not sure what makes them lock up like that.

 

The tear on the piston at the top is caused from forcing the brake pads out before pressing the pistons back far enough to clear the studs on the back of the pads. The first time I changed my pads I was unaware of the studs on the back of the pad and did the same thing. If the brakes were just put back together with the torn piston face that could be a problem.

 

Absolutely what happened with that tear, I usually wiggle a screw driver in there to push the pistons in just enough to clear the nubs then use a piston tool when they're off the truck. But when the little screwdriver didn't move the piston, then the big screwdriver didn't move the piston, and then the 2ft pry bar didn't move the piston I knew it was F'd and just wanted it off. For the other side with the dogs in the photo that was the second one and I wasn't even playing I knew I was replacing the caliper and went full send.

 

I would call @TooManyToys. much more than a brake expert, it was his life at one point and he's one of those guys who will never have enough time to share everything he knows with the world. I'm curious for current pad and rotor recommendations from people who keep up with it. I just put front FoMoCo pads on for now but rotors are near shot and after reading countless Jack posts on the brake industry I'm super sketched out when it comes to picking rotors and even pads now

 

That is a classic case of brake caliper hangup, the pads in constant contact with the rotor(s). It will shutter with steering shake as the rotor heats up, any variation in the thickness of the two rubbing discs, or if the rotors developed hard spots from prior dragging issues. The thick areas expand more to develop friction variation as the rotor rotates. The faster you go, the more heat, expansion, and pulsations. If the hard areas are pronounced, it can be more of a friction variation going over the hard regions as they develop a polished appearance and lower friction.

I usually can push in the pistons easily with a screwdriver, but I prefer to use a c-clamp to clear the steelback nibs. Once the caliper rotates off, I will use a special tool for pushing the pistons back in.

Do you have images of all four pads? Looking from the top can tell if it’s pistons or pins, but pins usually are an outer pads wear problem. Brake hoses can do this too, but it usually only one axle side. Both sides will be calipers, pins, or the master cylinder leaks in the back, and rust builds up between the M/C piston and pushrod. Pads hanging up in the brackets can also cause wear issues, but not the pulsation and dragging brake that would cause it to feel underpowered and transmission temps higher.

Above all others, I prefer the OE Ford rotors, even over the lower-priced “Motorcraft” rotors.

I doubt there are any engine issues.

 

I don’t think I threw the pads away yet, I’ll post a picture in the morning. The driver side had a seized upper piston and lower slide pin and had to replace the bracket. Once it finally came off and i saw all that I didn’t even try to be nice with the passenger side, biggest pry bar came out and ripped that piston off. Slide pins were ok on the passenger side bottom one was getting corrosion. Everything was replaced.

when you say Ford OE I’m assuming like the ones that came from the factory and lasted over 200k miles of my abuse. How do I order those, get them from the dealer and as long as they don’t come in a red motocraft box I’m good?

 

Yeah, those 200k rotors. As long as they don't say "service design." Rock auto shows both the orginal numers I used to work with and the newer catalog numbers. Usually indicated as "OE Design."

But it is both pads and rotors, they work in combination.

From RockAuto. Most online Ford dealers are the same, BUT you really have to look at shipping charges when doing comparisons. With large or heavy weight items, sometimes it's overall less expensive from a local dealer. You really have to compare.

 

I've always used a heavy duty Pony bar clamp; one side on the back of the caliper, and the other on the front of the caliper bracket. Usually no need to push the cylinders in separately after that.