After having some at length discussions with an electronics expert this past weekend who knows about designing electronics (the FICM would be tinkertoys to this gentleman) he suggested that moving it to a much cooler place would not only benefit it's longevity but allow use of different upgradable components. He was concerned about why the solder joints were "melting" the way they were since it takes relatively "low" heat to do that.

Without trying to start any kind of debate about "mods" to the FICM, I'm simply looking for the electrical connectors to be able to extend the harness into the under dash section of the truck and still maintain the shielding in the harness. I'd like to be able to construct a simple plug and play harness that doesn't require any splicing, or at least a very minimum, by the end user. Can anyone point me in the right direction to where I could find this kind of hardware?

 

That idea was proposed some time ago...

The idea is to relocate it, and give it a dedicated power supply and also its own cooling system.

It is a matter of tracking down the connector supplier and keeping the lengths short (to minimize other problems).


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ml#post8307366


IMHO, it is an excellent idea.

Even the simple act of relocating it to the chassis (without hardly any change) as it is in the E vans, the FICM failure rates drop substantially --- though the E van have a lower output.

If you want a really simple to do mod:

a) without any change to the harnesses (or using E Van harnesses), can you move it to the chassis and take the FICM off the engine?

b) If you can find an area where heat shields (shiny aluminum is fine) can protect against radiated heat, an insulated hose that brings in chilled air or outside air (even from the cab) to directly cool the FICM.

Start with that.

Dedicated, regulated power supply is the next low hanging fruit.

Without doing the math --- I would keep cable extensions to 1ft or less.

The issue is not just shielding --- but resistance loss with longer wires and the connectors, and a bit of reliability lossd as more connections are added.

Doing the math may yield a slightly better number --- but that is work!



You are on the right path --- keep in mind the FICM engineer dingos at Navistar didn't get it all wrong.

They were off by a bit --- nowhere near the whopping errors that would have resulted in double digit failure rates during the warranty period that characterize the real bloopers.

There is a certain tradeoff as to how much you want to "fix" it without introducing additional risks that trip you up.

A relatively short extension (or if the E van cables were used for a straight relocate to chassis) result in much gain with little loss.

Active cooling, heat shields that reflect radiant heat that do not impact on airflow around the FICM when stopped, is another low risk low hanging fruit.

 

Bear in mind, I have replaced my share of FICMs on E-Series vans too. Although I will admit, FICM failures are far less frequent than they are on F-Series applications. Something else noteworthy and perhaps coincidental, FICM failures seem also to be far less frequent on 2003 engines for some strange reason (despite the fact they ARE the same part for 2003 to 2007 applications). That said, there HAS to be something in the calibration strategy of 2003 engines to cause this. Just my two cents.

 

Yup.

Like the FICM killer inductive heating flash.

The Ford software dingos that thought that up didn't look at the parameters of the hardware while running off to roll out a "better" idea.

 

They are the same part number now but the FICM's weren't the same in the beginning I don't believe, i.e. reference the 4 screw and 7 screw FICM's. There were definitely some internal component differences. This was extensively researched in a thread on TDG, I believe. Also, every component will have some rate of failure at some point in time no matter what it's used for. That being said, I still believe that the electronics would function better in a cooler environment. I also wonder how many that bought the 03 trucks and experienced the nightmare of SO many reflashes in the beginning just never took their trucks back for the later reflashes. I totally agree that the 03's had some great running calibrations in the beginning but some of the motors just couldn't handle them.

 

the early style was also mounted to a different bracket that is far more stable and should suffer less vibration.

 

The electronics parts business people will tell you that no two batches of parts (or even the same parts in a single batch) are ever the same!

That is especially the case when it is automobile grade parts, which are a specialized part of a specialized niche business.... loaded with trade secrets, knowhow, and stuff that we just don't let on to outsiders.

Suffice to say that the identical part number (whether at the module level, the component level, or whatever) is like saying "F350".

No details about build, model year, options, etc.

You got to really know the "biz" to know what the real part number is.



I do have one minor point --- it is not just heat.

It is vibration AND cold (read thermal stress).

 

I'd be interested in buying a new E-series harness or getting a salvage yard one to try to relocate the FICM. Where does it mount in the E-series?

 

Don't bother with salvage yard parts --- you are going from the frying pan into the boiling oil on that one when you get used harnesses.

It mounts on the side of the engine bay...

 

Which side? I've used salvage yard parts a lot, just have to be careful of getting it off a low-miles vehicle and inspecting it thoroughly.

 

drivers behind the degas tank.

 

I should have asked for a photo to be taken when it just got worked on.. too late..

 

Thanks guys. Since the PCM to FICM harness would be long enough to mount it on that side, looks like you would only need the two FICM to injectors harnesses.

 

well really not the case. you would need a section of the injector harness, a section of the engine harness. then you would have to the male side connectors made to plug in to it to make it plug and play. getting the female connectors wont be that hard. the male side will be a night mare.

 

Suit yourself --- that is a mission and safety critical part in my books.

No amount of inspection can reveal the kind of faults harnesses have --- not even $$$ specialized harness testers used in manufacturing.

When I ghetto most of my parts... and insist on new harnesses.. I am telling you something...