Dead again!
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Highlands TX
Dead again!
The ole ford hung me out again today. After a week of running without a problem after I removed the old Diablo chip I thought I had nailed it down to a bad chip. WRONG!!! Took the family out boating and when I went to get the truck and back the trailer into the water the truck started and died after about two seconds of running and would not restart. I had to leave it and come to work, my buddy is trying to get it back to my house as I type.
I had a programmer in the truck so when it would not start I hooked it up to see if there were any codes registered, the scanner could not maintain communication with the truck, what does that mean to you guys. The scanner would throw an error/ check connection when trying to read the codes or change the tune. Obviously the communication issue is probably keeping me from running?
I have been battling this issue for about 3 or 4 weeks now, 3 cam sensors into it, and still having issues. I also noticed that the WTS light did not come on with the last attempt to start, that was the first for that one. No SES light so I'm guessing no codes.
Thanks
I had a programmer in the truck so when it would not start I hooked it up to see if there were any codes registered, the scanner could not maintain communication with the truck, what does that mean to you guys. The scanner would throw an error/ check connection when trying to read the codes or change the tune. Obviously the communication issue is probably keeping me from running?
I have been battling this issue for about 3 or 4 weeks now, 3 cam sensors into it, and still having issues. I also noticed that the WTS light did not come on with the last attempt to start, that was the first for that one. No SES light so I'm guessing no codes.
Thanks
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 2
If the wait to start light light is not coming on that is an indication the pcm isn't getting power. Check the fuses. Common for the fuel bowl heater to short out. If that fuse is blown unplug the fuel heater connection on the back side of the fuel bowl at the bottom and replace the fuse.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,158
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From: Paramount, Ca
I've had a few of the common issues but haven't ran a cross that one yet. Going to go check if I can get my hand to fit back there to release the connector if it ever happens to me. When I got my truck it did have the bad lighter and fuse for the obd port was blown so we couldn't read codes.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Highlands TX
About 3/4 tank, this is not a fuel issue, hell I never got it into gear much less got down to the launch. It's electrical, just dieing, my buddy got back over there and it fired right up without a hitch. The WTS light cycled just like it is supposed to, acted as if nothing was wrong.
Does disconnecting the fuel warmer just take the element out of the circuit and allow the circuit to continue to operate as normal? As if it were there and operating correctly.
This was the first time that I didn't see the WTS light come on during my three weeks of dealing with this. Will the fuel warmer going bad cause the tach not to jump as if the CPS was faulty or is it the fact that the fuel warmer is jacking with the PCM (voltage) that could be causing the tach not to move when it won't start?
Any way to test the fuel warmer? If I get it started I still won't be convinced that it is fixed. I've put about 30hrs on the truck since pulling the chip and being convinced it was fixed last time.
Thanks for everyones input, I need all I can get.
Does disconnecting the fuel warmer just take the element out of the circuit and allow the circuit to continue to operate as normal? As if it were there and operating correctly.
This was the first time that I didn't see the WTS light come on during my three weeks of dealing with this. Will the fuel warmer going bad cause the tach not to jump as if the CPS was faulty or is it the fact that the fuel warmer is jacking with the PCM (voltage) that could be causing the tach not to move when it won't start?
Any way to test the fuel warmer? If I get it started I still won't be convinced that it is fixed. I've put about 30hrs on the truck since pulling the chip and being convinced it was fixed last time.
Thanks for everyones input, I need all I can get.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
If the fuel bowl heater shorts out it will blow a fuse. The blown fuse is what doesn't power up the PCM. If your buddy didn't have to replace a fuse, you need to keep looking.
What year is your truck? The tach doesn't bounce while cranking on all year models. What you need to start doing is listening for the fuel pump to come on each time the key is turned on. My guess is the fuel pump is not powering up when you have the no start condition. It has nothing to do with the fuel pump, but it's part of the electrical circuit that's not giving the PCM power. If you turn the key on and you don't hear the fuel pump hum, that will give you the opportunity to leave the key on and start wiggling wires to see if you can find the problem.
What year is your truck? The tach doesn't bounce while cranking on all year models. What you need to start doing is listening for the fuel pump to come on each time the key is turned on. My guess is the fuel pump is not powering up when you have the no start condition. It has nothing to do with the fuel pump, but it's part of the electrical circuit that's not giving the PCM power. If you turn the key on and you don't hear the fuel pump hum, that will give you the opportunity to leave the key on and start wiggling wires to see if you can find the problem.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Highlands TX
Fuel pump comes on everytime.
There is no trend that I can come up with that is killing and keeping my truck from starting. It has happened when, hot, cold, raining, parked after running fine.
Is there a program that can be installed on a laptop to monitor and record all of the important data while running, it is so intermittant. It never throws a code or anything, I hate to just start throwing parts at it. But I cannot trust to run it.
There is no trend that I can come up with that is killing and keeping my truck from starting. It has happened when, hot, cold, raining, parked after running fine.
Is there a program that can be installed on a laptop to monitor and record all of the important data while running, it is so intermittant. It never throws a code or anything, I hate to just start throwing parts at it. But I cannot trust to run it.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Idaho
Has in rained recently in your area?
Had the truck been washed recently?
It sounds to me like a loose wire to the PCM. More then likely the power lead, maybe a bad ground.
Is there corrosion on the battery terminals or alternator terminals? Any at all? If so clean those bad boys up.
I would also make sure you don't have any wire chafing to or from the PCM.
As I said, it sounds like a loose wire to me but the question is which. Also If you got water on the fuse panel this could cause a short. I've seen threads in the past where people talk about weird problems they are having and it's related to water getting in through the Ceil of the windshield onto the fuse block.
Had the truck been washed recently?
It sounds to me like a loose wire to the PCM. More then likely the power lead, maybe a bad ground.
Is there corrosion on the battery terminals or alternator terminals? Any at all? If so clean those bad boys up.
I would also make sure you don't have any wire chafing to or from the PCM.
As I said, it sounds like a loose wire to me but the question is which. Also If you got water on the fuse panel this could cause a short. I've seen threads in the past where people talk about weird problems they are having and it's related to water getting in through the Ceil of the windshield onto the fuse block.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Highlands TX
Found several wires on the main harness with cracked and or missing insulation. Pulling and twisting on the wires did cause the truck to die.
I purchased and installed a new harness (11 year old new harness) funny production date of 10/98, had to order it from a local stealership. The truck started and runs, it seems to run smoother than it did before.
I got my fingers crossed that this was the whole problem!!
I purchased and installed a new harness (11 year old new harness) funny production date of 10/98, had to order it from a local stealership. The truck started and runs, it seems to run smoother than it did before.
I got my fingers crossed that this was the whole problem!!
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 1
From: Northern Idaho
And what I mean by that is where in the wiring harness? Just as an FYI for the rest of us and a place to look to ensure we don't end up in the same boat but if we do now we know where to look.
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Highlands TX
The first set of wires that I found bad were the two going into the fuel bowl heater, but once I got the harness removed there were several bad wires mostly at the point of connection with a plug.
I would and will inspect all of the connections that are easily accessible fairly often now.
Although I bought a new harness from Ford, the manufacture date was 10/98, I just hope it has been in the box the whole time. *ss kicker to pay over $500 for a piece of wire 5' long that is 11 years old.
Oh well she's running like new again, can't complain to bad.
I would and will inspect all of the connections that are easily accessible fairly often now.
Although I bought a new harness from Ford, the manufacture date was 10/98, I just hope it has been in the box the whole time. *ss kicker to pay over $500 for a piece of wire 5' long that is 11 years old.
Oh well she's running like new again, can't complain to bad.
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