I finally got the Cam Position Sensor replaced, but nothing as improved. The truck (95 F350) will barely starts and will only run (very rough) for about five seconds. There's a good bit of smoke and Check Engine Light comes on. Oil pressure by the dash gage looks OK. Fuel pressure at the fuel filter when it runs is about 30 psi. I put in a new fuel filter when I started having this trouble.

What type of code scanner do I need to read this truck (again a 1995 model). I've tried two: Auto-Tech (whose tech support later told me could not scan this vehicle for engine codes because Ford only used the computer for transmission monitoring) and one borrowed from a friend. I believe it was called EZ-Xray. Neither worked. Is there any way to get the Check Engine Light to flash the code? Chilton says no.

Possibly related - About two months ago I had smoke come out of the wiring harness on the front harness where it plugs into the valve cover gasket (passenger side). That connection completely melted. The parts man at the local Ford dealership said he's seen it happen before and that it is really nothing to worry about - usually just a short in the gasket.

I replaced both harnesses inside the valve cover (I messed up the rear one taking the valve cover off). The rear harness on the outside looked fine but the front plug was slightly melted at the first pin. Ford told me that the only way to replace that plug was to buy the entire $1500 wiring harness. I tried the existing plug and it seemed to work so I didn't worry about it. Two months later I'm having this problem.

I'm praying it's not the fuel injectors (big $). Any chance it's the catalytic converter? I assume this vehicle has one.

I wish I could read that dang code....

 

You can buy rebiuld kits from your IH dealer and try to fix them, Sounds like you may have a couple more burned out, also check the level of the HPOP and make sure it is within a 1/4 inch from the top. If the HPOP is not full it will not fire the injectors.
Seeya Jim

 

Well If you burnt up some wires in the Ijector harnes I would start there. Sounds like an electrical problem. Also like staed above make sure the HPOP is Full and ya might have to go as far as getting the HPOP pressure checked. It needs ALOT of Pressure to run.

 

The HPOP res is full ( or at least within 1/4" of the top).

I think it is time to get thee to a mechanic.

Another thought, I've read that the fuel pressure should be between 20 and 60 psi depending on engine speed. If I had 35 to 40 at idle, would that indicate that the fuel isn't getting "out", in other words, it probably is an injector problem. (Fuel filter is new).

Thanks to all.

 

Knowing the code would sure help.
Don't go to the mechanic and mention that you think the injectors are bad, let him/her diagnose if for themselves. Otherwise, you might pay for new injectors when that's not the problem.

 

optimum fuel pressure at the valve on the side of the fpr is 75-80 psi at idle. (best checked with a liquid filled guage up to 100psi or more on the schrader (sp?) valve) if your fuel pressure is 30 psi, you might want to try to shim the fpr or maybe the fuel pump is going south.

 

I decided to take the catalytic converter off just on a whim. That wasn't it either. However, for the first time I did notice a cliking noise that seemed to have a pattern to it. Is that the injectors? I kind of assumed that it was, and they don't have anything to inject (back to a fuel supply problem).

One good thing about working around construction sites - I know some decent diesel mechanics. In fact, the one I use regularly has shown me how to do some stuff myself and has saved me some $$. I think this is over my head though.

 

Any luck yet with your problem? I have a similar problem with my 95 F-350.

I can get it to stay on, but it runs like you describe and the check engine light stays on. Occasionally it smooths out and runs fine, but mostly not. Within the past few months I have replaced the fuel pump and Camshaft Position Sensor. HPOP reservoir is full. Also replaced the fuel line that goes into the bottom of the fuel filter assembly.

I used an AutoXRay scanner--it scanned but found no trouble codes. Let the guy at Autozone scan it with his scanner and again it passed. I'm beginning to think this one's over my head, too.

 

Thanks for asking.

The mechanic I use shuts down between Christmas and New Year's so he hasn't looked at it yet. I plan to take it over there sometime this weekend. Luckily he's only about two miles away ( half of it on a dirt road) and I can pull it over with my tractor.

I'll post the problem/solution when it's finally resolved....

 

Are they plugging the test computer in under the hood? If so that is the wrong spot. Even though it has the hook up there it isn't connected to the trucks brain. It is under the middle of the dash in the cab. When you plug into the under hood connection the computer can run its test and will come back saying everything is fine. Not sure why since it isn't even connected.


"What type of code scanner do I need to read this truck (again a 1995 model). I've tried two: Auto-Tech (whose tech support later told me could not scan this vehicle for engine codes because Ford only used the computer for transmission monitoring) "

Well they are wrong. All PSD's are monitored by the computer. You can pull codes, check injectors, and so on. Maybe their tester can't read it but the brain does more than look at the tranny.

One note, even if a harness for the injectors are fried the test comp will say the injector is done. I'd pop the valve covers and pull the wires and look. You know what a fried one already looks like. The wires are normally fried due to moisture. Hit the connections with something that displces water before you reconnect.

 

Both scanners that were used on my truck plugged up into the OBD-II port inside the cab under the dash. I borrowed an Auto X-Ray, and the one used at Autozone was, I believe, an Actron scanner (bright yellow). You can find both of these doing a Google search, or at Ebay.

Although some scanners say OBD-II is the standard for 1996 and after, Ford had it in these trucks in 1995. Still there may be something out there (probably in the hands of the dealer) that reads a lot more than these generic scanners do.

 

I'm kinda a newbie here myself, but I just had a similar problem with my '96 F-250 PSD. I went to start it after driving it all morning with no problems and it would not fire. At one point it would start and run for about 5 seconds and then quit.

I had it towed to the Ford dealership where they diagnosed it as a failed injector drive module (OBD code P1298). I had the module replaced and it runs like a top.

 

Well I've dodged a bullet of sorts. The injectors, HPOP, fuel pump, etc. are OK.

However, the wiring harnii (plural for harness?) under the driver's side valve cover were fried. Apparently the same malfunction I had on the passenger side several months ago (described earlier). I didn't notice it because all of the damage was on the inside (on the passenger side it was on the outside also).

I could have probably fixed it myself had I known what the problem was. But I'm still glad I took it to the mechanic. Getting under the driver's side valve cover looked like a little more surgery than I wanted to undertake anyway.

The bad news, still a several hundred dollar repair (while in there he's replacing glow plugs too). The good news, it's not a several thousand dollar repair.

On the previous note about the scanners, I was also plugging into the plug that is just left of the ashtray. I forget what scanner the mechanic said he used, but it apparently worked....

Thanks all.