I have a 96 F250 psd - it seems to be starting fine - replace all glow plugs last February. Now it seems to be cutting out once I get going. any suggestions on what it could be - the first place to look? I got down the street, then it just cut out and coasted. I got it restarted and back home, but it sputtered the whole way.

 

Probably the CPS (Camshaft Position Sensor). Do a search on this site for "CPS" or "Camshaft Position Sensor" and there's a couple of good threads with this title with questions and answers.

Now. I have a 2000, and the '99 through '03 psd is a little different from the '94 through '98, so I don't know if your problem might be different. I had problems recently with it cutting off (at idle....not actually going down the road) and sputtering and giving hard "coughs" while underway, but I took the advice on this post and changed to the International "blue" CPS and it's been working like a charm since I changed it.

Might want to see if we have any "pre-1999" psd experts on this site to make sure.

Steve

 

I second the cps

 

Thanks - any idea how to check if it is bad? I have to special order the part - going to call Ford dealer tomorrow to see if they have one.

 

OK....good....."1996pwrstrk" is a 1996 owner and can verify the similar aspects of his engine to mine. Reference ordering.....I got mine directly from International. Check your local listings for an International truck dealer. If one is close, you don't have to order...they'll probably have one in their parts department (mine in Charlotte, NC did). Ask for the camshaft position sensor for your year, make, model.....and hopefully the "blue cps", DT-466 will go on the pre-1999 also, but they'd be able to tell you. Paid $94 plus about $8 for taxes and walked out with it and had it installed within the hour at home.

Supposedly, the International is superior to the stock Ford, but I can't really verify this, and I'm assuming you've read other "threads" and "posts" reference this part and this problem. All I can say is that a lot of the old timers with the Ford on this site are aware of the problems with the CPS, and that mine worked like a charm when I changed it.

p.s. There's a post on this site titled "How to change the CPS in a Ford 7.3L powerstroke diesel" which I used when I changed mine. A bit of a bear to get to it and change it, but simple, straightforward procedure. Good Luck

Steve

 

Oops....ignored part of your question (reference diagnosing)........I can just tell you some of what my truck was doing.....

1. It would "cough" or "hiccup" every now and again while underway
2. It would occasionally (once per week or so) just "die" while in "drive" but at "idle" (like when you're sitting at a stop light or coming to a stop).
3. The tachometer would NOT move when cranking (usually it flutters a little when cranking). Mine STILL does not move, but all other "symptoms" have cleared up.
4. Towards the end (before I changed it), it got so bad one time at about 40mph that after it "died" and I re-started it, I got underway and at about 30 to 40mph, it "sputtered" for about 30 seconds when I was trying to accelerate. It slowly started to smooth out, but the problem was simply getting worse, so I got it changed a couple of days later, and "voila"!
NOTE: The "sputter" was kind of like a gas engine in SERIOUS need of a tune-up and/or fuel filter change......

-Does any of this sound like you?......

Steve

 

sure does - thanks

 

cmpd1781,

I wonder if the sensor you used is the reason that the tach is still not working? Maybe the application that it is for doesn't have a tach. Just a thought.

Gene

 

OK we put a new CPS in tonight and no change! Should it work right away if that was the problem? Started the truck up and she is ideling very sluggishy. Any ideas on where to look next?

 

Can't say......Mine worked right away. Is it still cutting out?.....I'm assuming you followed the directions for changing to a "T" (i.e. taking out the proper fuse first)....I don't mean to ask stupid questions. I printed out the changing instructions and had it sitting next to me when I changed it (including putting a film of fresh oil on the rim of the gasket). I never really had problems with starting or idling (except when it idled and "died" when I was at a light---I had the shifter in "drive", mind you......It NEVER died when it was just in "Park" and was running.....). I gave you my symptoms on an earlier post and you agreed that you had some of the same stuff, so CPS is probably it. There's a few people who had a "bad" CPS (new) and I'm assuming they changed them. What I'd do is re-post the problems you had with ALL the symptoms (no matter how minor you think they may be).....add in the fact that you changed the CPS, then see if anyone else could advise different. I can tell you that out of all the CPS postings that I've read, I've never really heard anyone mentioning a "sluggish" idle after starting.

But re-post the problem IN A NEW THREAD and your attempted fix. There's a hell of a lot of guys (and gals) out here in this website who know a lot more about Fords and diesels than I do.....I'm kind of a novice overall...I've just had pretty recent experience with the CPS situation. Good Luck.

Steve