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Need some help...

Old Mar 4, 2009 | 03:59 PM
  #1  
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Need some help...

I was on my way home from work and was driving about 10 minutes when all of a sudden I lost power big time. It was like it was running on 4 cylinders or something. CEL was on. I pulled off the side of the highway just to take a look under the hood. I left it running because I didn't want to shut it off and not be able to start it again along the side of a busy highway, and it was idling VERY rough. I don't know what it's like to pop an intercooler boot so I checked those, they were good. I didn't know what else to check so I got back in and limped it about a half mile to an exit then drove another mile til I got to a parking lot and pulled in. Shut the truck off. Sat for about a minute then started it up again and it ran fine. Drove all the way home fine, about 15-20 miles. Are these bad CPS symptoms? Help me out guys.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:11 PM
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Sounds like the CPS to me Adam but my problem was the truck cutting off completely after starting out about a mile away, not every time though. I got to find a black one, my truck is running rough from this dealer installed gray one. Also, i got a SC code reader if you want to see if there,s any codes.
 

Last edited by big poppa; Mar 4, 2009 at 04:13 PM. Reason: SC code reader.
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:19 PM
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I would check the UVCH, to be sure that is not coming apart. If you have a spare CPS, it may not hurt to change it out. Good luck.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:21 PM
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UVCH. The under valve cover harness comes unclipped and will cause the engine to run like crap. Let me find a video clip to see if it sounds familiar... If it is the UVCH, you can take the covers off and plug the harness back in. You can also do the quarter mod which uses a shaved down quarter to hold the inner part of the clip up, making for a better hold.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:23 PM
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another vote for UVCH or chaffed wire somwhere
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:23 PM
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Thanks Mike, I'll let you know.

Thanks Rick, I'll check that out. No spare CPS...stupid, stupid, stupid.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:29 PM
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I'll check it out thanks guys.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 04:30 PM
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Miller beat me to it... anyway, here's a video clip of what my truck sounded like with a bad UVCH...
046.flv video by camodown1 - Photobucket
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 05:33 PM
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Well I checked the UVCH and everything is connected good. The wires aren't chaffed or rubbing on the VC. I don't know. Maybe Ford jinxed me with that damned recalled CPS letter I got yesterday. I'll have to get a new CPS. We'll see what happens. Could this be from a dead battery? If one battery dies will the truck fire up? I've still got the factory batteries and the window on the passenger side battery is red, but the truck starts alright and there is no battery light on the dash.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:07 PM
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When my UVCH came loose it was on the inside, not outside. Therfore I had to pull the valve cover to find it.

Come to think of it, That was the first problem I had with my truck and thats how I found FTE.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:10 PM
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Would the truck start up fine and run fine after shutting it off if it were the UVCH?
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:12 PM
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I guess I must be stupid - But I just don't understand why Ford cant get this cps thing right. The first batch was bad & now these arent much better( maybe worse) Seems almost convinient in this bad economy that these things are bringing them in more work , and screwing up these trucks. How hard can it be for all those R&D guys to get the cps right. Sorry -enough rant for now but the more I think about its kinda pissin me off
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:18 PM
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Mine did almost exactly as you described. It started running fine as quickly as it started running like crap. I was afraid to drive it at the time so I left it parked until I replaced the UVCH.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Adam0331
Would the truck start up fine and run fine after shutting it off if it were the UVCH?
Yes. The plug is just loose, not disconnected. This will give you an intermittent connection which works sometimes and not others.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2009 | 06:59 PM
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Thanks, I'll pull the VC tomorrow.
 
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