Hi all, this is my first time into any Diesel engine this far and I need some help. I bought a 108k mile ex-county F-450 with low power.
The truck starts hard cold, idles very rough for the first 10 seconds or so and absolutely struggles to get above 2700 RPM whether in neutral or going down the road, takes forever to get to 60 mph. Also have white or sometimes heavy dark smoke. The truck uses no coolant doesn’t build any real pressure in the coolant reservoir. Oil looks good.
Everything below was done in 3 or 4 different stages and had no impact on how the truck runs or performs. The ford dealership can’t even get me in for a diagnostic run until the end of Feb…Small town rural area…
I bought an auto ingenuity with the ford bundle, KOEO - no codes, KOER no codes, engine power balance looks fine. I took it to another diesel shop they had no codes as well.

• New EBP sensor
• EBR tube cleaned
• Map hose in great condition
• New Turbo to cooler hot side boots, top boot was deteriorating with definite signs of leaking
• New ICP sensor and pigtail
• New IPR valve and pigtail - old IPR valve had a half melted connector and the screen was missing when I removed it.
• Cleaned EGR valve
• Cleaned turbo, turbo has less than 10k miles and is in very good condition
• Swapped turbo actuator - no change
• Fuel pressure 70 dropping to 60 @ WOT, blue spring kit installed
• Fresh oil change with new stock oil filter, air filter, both fuel filters, new coolant and coolant filter.
• ECT and EOT within 12 degrees
• MAP readings look good

Today I pulled the injectors. The pic below is what came out with the #6 injector. I have no idea what this material is or what it could have caused. Help please.

 

What is the production date of the engine or truck?

 

Truck was built August 03, I don’t remember the exact date think mid-month.

 

The late 04's began in late September of 03, so yours is an early 04 as you said, but only by a month or so. 04 production began in June of 03.

Anyway, I would be looking at the high pressure oil system data. ICP psig, ICP volts, ICP desired, IPR % duty cycle.
Get data at cold idle and hot idle.

 

Ok thanks here was what I had on scan gauge before I pulled the injectors, not everything you asked for but a start.
cold idle and warm


idle

 

I see a crush washer piece and what appears to be small pieces of o-rings. As for the other large black piece, not sure on that one, perhaps your oil feed line to the turbo is coming apart?

What are your FICM volts?

 

The Diesel shop said the FICM tested good and yesterday I glanced at the FICM volts on AI it looked good 46, 47 I think.

 

Just an FYI - the 03 and early 04 engines do not use the EBP sensor. Now, this does assume that your PCM was updated in 2006 or later to install the "06E17action, or Field Service Action 06E17, or SSM 19141". ALMOST all of those engines have had the update.

The high pressure oil numbers you posted look good.

Most generic diesel shops will only look at FICM voltages to determine if they are good. This is by no means a complete test of a FICM. The only way to get that is to send it in to a competent person with the necessary equipment (FICMRepair.com or CircuitBoardMedics.com). If you have access to a known good FICM, then it would be a good thing to try it.

That "melted" IPR connector is troublesome. Are you sure that the wiring in that harness is good "on up the line"?

 

I don't understand why it did not have codes.

Need a better picture of the end of the injector. I would say in the previous life someone replaced the injector, but left behind a compromised o-ring and maybe crush washer - the need to see the bottom of the injector. Things going through the oil system would not get into that area of the injector bore. With the IPR, did it have the heat shield insulators over it?

 

I have an 05 6.0 F-450 dump truck that runs great and always has, I also have an 06 6.0 F-250 that was lightly wrecked as a project truck. Would the FICM from the 06 interchange ok? I really don’t want to mess with the 05 dump truck.

The heat shield on both the IPR and ICP (this one is at the back of the engine) wasn’t in great shape. The are both well insulated now. I went upstream on the wIring harness quite a ways and all looks good.

I will post more pics of the injector today.

Thanks everyone!

 

yes .

 

Ok thanks, I won’t be able to get the truck back together before tomorrow evening/night. I will see how it runs and swap FICMs then. Is there a bench check I can do on the FICM? Is the PCM from the 06 interchangeable with the 04?

Anything else I should look at while the valve covers are off and the injectors are out?

Thanks again

 

Ok, today I finished up the injector replacement and the truck run’s about a million times better. Starts great, clean exhaust, smooth idle, seems to run well. But, I am showing two issues on AE, the first is all my FICM readings are in red even though they look like good numbers - screen shots below and the second is I now have fault code P1400 - also screen shot below.

Ideas?

Additional info - I have an 05 6.0 auto, standard cab F450 dump truck, tommy lift gate that is bone stock and runs great, truck’s weight 10,700 empty. This truck is an 04 6.0 6 speed ZF, standard cab F450 flat bed and I’m guessing weighs maybe 8,000 lbs. The trucks have similar mileage, even though the 04 is now running a million times better the 05 still feels like it performs better.

 

Is the EGR system still functional on both trucks?

If so, have you pulled and cleaned the EGR valves?

Air filter getting restricted on the 04?

Have you ever cleaned the MAF sensor on the 04 (use MAF cleaner or electronics cleaner)?

Are you sure you don't have any intake leaks or CAC leaks on the 04?

MAP sensor hose leak free and not plugged? Port for the MAP sensor hose on the intake verified to be clear (not plugged)?

I know you said the MAP readings look good, but it sounds like you are not looking for a large improvement anymore.

 

EGR is functional on both trucks. I cleaned the EGR valve. Could the valve be week?

04 has a brand new air cleaner

I have not cleaned the MAF sensor, I will do that

The MAP sensor hose and fitting are good.

You’re right not looking for big improvements anymore, I don’t know why the FICM readings are red??? Is that a concern??? Also since I had all power unhooked does this require a relearn for the turbo?

As far as intake leaks I am not sure and I don’t know what the CAC is???

Thanks!!!