Do the Ford gassers ECM (or whatever ford's acronym is for engine contol module) have a learn mode? I have been letting my truck sit for days at a time because I've been out riding the Harley, and whenever I fire it up after about 3-4 days it sounds like a typical GM engine when it's in learn mode. 1-2 cylinders pop off and it gradually comes to life with all sorts of knocking, pinging, and smoking. After about 30 seconds to a minute of idle it purrs like a kitten and does the same every startup afterward until it sits again for a few days.

I also have been getting yelled at by insurance because my myrate box (plugs into OBD2 port to monitor driving) keeps losing signal. Now at first I thought the box was shoddy, but with the symptoms of 'learn mode' I wonder if my ECM/ OBD2 is losing power after a few days of sitting?

Also my CD6 headunit is on the fritz... at startup it likes to automatically turn the volume up until it's maxed out. Now either I have the electrical gremlins, my truck is possessed liek Christine (the volume only goes up when I light a cigarette... ironically right when I get in the truck), or somethin else is going on... and until my truck pulls a Christine and starts fixin itself and running without gas I think this is a bad thing..

 

If I recall you have several miles on the motor. The issue with running a little rough is common for a high mileage gas motor that is not driven every day.

Electrical gremlins I cannot help you with, it is puzzleing.

 

Well its just the initial startup that puzzles me, almost as if its running in speed density (which I do not know if ford has) then as the computer begins getting feedback from the sensors and 'learning them' it switches out of speed density to a MAF based or MAP based tune. If Ford runs speed density an electrical gremlin could explain it all

 

Never had that problem with my V10. The only thing I ever noticed is that when I unplugged my battery after installation of my exhaust, the gauges did a little self test, and I let it re-learn idle trim, as outlined in the manual. After that, the tranny had to learn shift points, but that's basically it.

 

that truck has had a hard time befor you parked it CHECK THE GROUNDS.... yes it has a re-learn mode p1000 is the code you gotta drive it acording to the manual to reteach it how you drive

 

Check your battery connections and also your battery, even check the starter. I had a similar problem on an 04 5.4. I would not run it for a week, then when I went to start it, the gauges would reset and run rather rough for a while. I replaced the battery, it helped, but not perfect, then I took the starter off and had it checked and it was pulling way to many amps. Replaced, and now not a problem. Just a suggestion.

 

That's not a "learn mode". It doesn't forget after only a few days of not running.

It does run in "open loop" at startup and quickly goes to closed loop.

Check for vacuum leaks, a stuck IAC, things like that. Also, clean the MAF and change the fuel filter if it hasn't been done lately.

 

How does the ford open loop work?