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Engine Lope after start up

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Old Mar 31, 2025 | 02:11 PM
  #1  
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Akdan
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Engine Lope after start up

Hi folks thanks in advance for throwing out some input.

I have been battling a hard lope on cold start ups since new on my 22 7.3 250 (27000 miles now). It occurs about 15 seconds after start and lasts for about 5-20 seconds on cold starts at temps under 40 degrees F. It has been to the dealer many times trying to resolve it. I was told it was normal for the first few visits. On the last visit they started looking into the engine and found the cam was significantly worn and a scored cylinder. The wear was significant enough that the engine was replaced. On my first cold start the lope reoccurred so it is either something in the programming or possibly in the transmission. The transmission has had a lot of weird noises(one even recorded by the computer) and behaviors(sticking in gears-happened 3x on down grades), occasional banging into another gear, and most often a complete stumble between 3/4&3/5 gears. According to the dealer everything checks out and my trans issues have never been duplicated. I have a suspicion that the transmission/torque converter is the problem, but haven’t made any headway. Any of you experience something similar?

thanks

Dan
 
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Old Apr 1, 2025 | 12:22 AM
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charlie g
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in my dealer service experiences a short cold lope is common, as the sensors start coming more on line, try writing a pm to https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/member.php?u=958174 that is our site ford rep who MAY be able to help ,advise you better
 
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Old Apr 1, 2025 | 06:30 PM
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Transmission won't have anything to do with it on start up .

Transmission sounds like it's own issue.
 
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Old Apr 1, 2025 | 08:46 PM
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Sounds like the cam phaser might be slow to react when its cold.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2025 | 06:27 PM
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Thanks for the reply’s, the reason I was thinking it could be the transmission is due to the severity of the lope/surge. It moves the entire truck and acts/sounds as though the engine is coming under load, then unloading, then loading again for a for about 20 seconds. I have chased timing and vacuum leak is on other vehicles and it’s very different. It is a similar motion to something off balance. It is also strange that it did it on the old engine and with the new. The start and idle characteristics of each motor is slightly different, much better with the new motor
 
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Old Apr 3, 2025 | 11:17 AM
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Weird I remember when the 7.3 first came out people saying it would lunge forward in park on start up. I don’t know anything about Transmissions but I wonder if the torque converter is slightly locking and unlocking causing an on off load on the motor?
 
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