The story> 1999 F250 powerstroke 7.3L 4x4, has a superchip microtuner -which has been set back to factory standards for a while. I did re-tune it up, and then back, hoping that maybe something didn't "take" -but the problem was the same regardless of its tuning.
Things were great until Christmas afternoon, when I gargled a waterpump, and limped the truck back home (still had plenty of water, but I could see the shaft wobbling on the pump, and it was bleeding fluid, so I got it there and parked it, then purchased a new pump (nobody stocks the remanufactured ones -and they only guarantee a year -I paid the extra and got the all-new-pump.
I installed it and bandaged the scrapes (grin). Plugged in the two plugs that the book says to pull (water temp. sensor, and another plug under where the pump mounts -not sure why I was supposed to pull that one, it was not in the way, but I followed the rules as listed in the Official Ford Motor Company 1999 Workshop Information CD ROM I acquired from EBAY.
Ok, Fire up the engine, and it feels like its skipping or missing a cylinder. However, the power seems to be there, and there isn't much in the way of a fuel economy drop-off, either. But feel the exhaust and its definately not smooth feels like its skipping, but no smoke from unburned fuel (that I can see, and I don't see any when I accelerate), and the engine/truck shakes a little (like a gas-burner would if you pulled a plug wire). It is worse at the lower RPMs and under a load, and oddly enough, its not consistent. Its always missing, but sometimes doesn't seem as bad as others (in the same RPM range).
I polled the computer with the Microtuner to see the DTC code and came up with P0603 which the book lists as "Internal Control Module KAM error"
Now, I went back and checked to see if I had either not pushed either of the two connectors back on all the way (I had, and there is no way to confuse the two -besides the fact that the water temp. sensor works fine) and that I hadn't accidentally knocked any other plug loose (I had not). I cleared the code, started the engine, drove around a little, and checked, and the code was back.
Can anyone tell me if this is the likely cause of my rough running motor, and what does it mean? Is it something I can fix, or am I out some bread (and can you give me a rough estimate of what one of these ICM KAM things cost?)
Lastly, is it something that I have to drag back to FORD or would I be safe letting a local shop fix?
Sometimes, I miss my old 6.9liter diesel. All mechanical, no chips. But I wouldn't trade the 7.3 for anything when its running good

 

KAM is Keep Alive Memory. I believe that code is fairly common when a chip is installed, but some others here may have other info.

 

KAM Keep Alive Memory. Seems simple enough! (ugh, can't believe it wasn't obvious -especially listed right above the ROM error for the internal control module (p0605).

Hmm. Well, that in of itself shouldn't cause the engine to run rough, should it? I mean, I wouldn't think so.

crap. guess I'm back to squre one... I really hate dumping the truck in a shop -like most on here, I'm very much a hands-on kind of guy. I love diesels, big and small, but this is the first diesel I've had that was essentially run by computers. I feel a bit lost with it -and its far too expensive to go experimenting with, if you know what I mean. I have to rely on this beast.
I have been running Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant and Injector Cleaner through it (local Flying J truck stop -where I get my fuel) on the odds that the problem was a dirty injector. The fuel and air filters are clean, and no water in the fuel reservoir (I flip the lever and drain a bit out every oil-change, and if the weather has been really wet, I'll drain it more often just to be safe -never have had any water in it, though, and I drained it this time just in case).
Suggestions?

 

Sounds kinda like what I just went through. Check this thread out.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=322292

 

thanks for the link. Wouldn't expect the harness to be brittle, but I'd be genuinely surprised to see the injectors suddenly clog just when I replaced the water pump -however, since I did have to reach down between the wires to get to my pen that I dropped in the valley-pan, and it all kinda creaked (hell, it hasn't been meddled with (the wire harness) since the factory put it together) I can probably buy that idea -but I don't want to haphazardly replace wires. I guess I need to put 'er in the shop, open the wallet, and let a pro diagnose and fix the beastie. I'm kind of resistant to putting it in the dealer, however, since the cost is a$tronomical to have them look at it, much less actually do something to it. But I may have to do just that. Dunno. I wriggled the wires and pressed on the connectors, but no dice. I don't want to keep running it like it is (aside from the fact that its just painful to have my diesel not run properly, I'm afraid of doing damage to the engine. Its my daily driver, and my job is 20 miles away on the superslab. I'm a bit nervous that the heat variances (from a cylinder that isn't fireing, to those that are) among other things may do harm.

Sigh. Have to shop for a mechanic on monday, and decide to bite the bullet and take it to one of 'em or to Ford itself.

 

I would suggest using an infrared thermometer (or even your hand) to see which cylinder isn't firing. Check the outlets at the exhaust manifold to see which is noticably cooler then the others.
Now you know which valve cover to remove. You can double check that it is this cylinder by unplugging the molex connector for this injector and verifying that nothing changes in the way the engine sounds. (at idle, you don't need to worry about oil flying everywhere with the valve cover off, even if you goose it a little). I assume there probably is a way to check the voltage to the injector (it is 110 volt, pulse width modulated, so access to an osciloscope would really help) to test the harness, but I haven't tried it myself.

With the valve cover off you can also check the condition of the connections on both sides of the valve cover gasket to verify that everything looks good, etc. I have heard of problems with the UVC harness where someone didn't route the wires properly from the factory and a wire was against a pushrod. It lasted for a long time, but eventually it wore through and caused a miss. Hope this helps.

 

I,m not familiar with the lucas upper cylinder lubricant. Is that a fuel or oil additive? If it is an oil additive I would change the oil. Never run additives in the oil. It causes the oil to foam= bad running PSD.

 

NightBiker do you know anyone that has a good scan tool that you can use to do an injector buzz test or a cylinder contribution test? I don’t know if the local auto parts stores scan tools have this capability but you may want to see they usually will do it for free.

 

MDB and Real - I don't have equipment like this. Its a bit beyond me (wouldnt know how to use an oscilloscope either, anyway. Wouldn't mind having an infrared or laser thermometer tho...)
Well, I did manage to narrow it down to (I think) #8, but in the end, took it to a local shop -turns out that a mechanic that used to work on my fathers' truck (Bronco) years ago, had a son who worked as a Ford mechanic, and then opened his own shop with a colleague of his. I found the place, and after about 5 mins he confirmed that it WAS #8 and he will pull the injector in the AM and let me know if the injector is bad, or if I blew an O-ring. I told him to replace all the O-rings if I had or if they were of the old-style (square-edged) O-rings (these had something of a reputation for failure) -I'll keep my fingers crossed in the hopes that the injector didn't bite the dust.

Domino -Lucas is a fuel additive -I'd never add anything to the oil. I learned that lesson back in the mid-'80s with a 1967 VW Beetle -caused many headaches. I cleaned out the engine three times before I managed to get all of the additive out. It foamed up so bad that it literally blew foam out of the crankcase exhaust tube (would have been funny as hell if I hadn't known the dire consequences of what I was seeing) . Making a performance aircooled engine wasn't inexpensive back then. Didn't want to watch it tear itself apart.
Well, in any case, even though I (in the end) had to take 'er into the shop, at least I didnt do it without becoming informed. I want to thank all those who chimed in -its very much appreciated. I'm short on time (can't afford to have my 'daily driver' down) and the job looked like it had the potential to get way ahead of me in know-how and finances. These beasts are way too different from their older mechanical (6.9L internationals from the Fords of Yesteryear (grin)) brethren. sigh.

 

Nightbiker good luck and keep us up to date on what is found.

 

Well, let me close this chapter. Sorry for the delay -been real busy, the computers' been on its own for a while.
I blew the "o" rings on the #8 Injector -and the injector itself seemed to be bad (they said it had or was failing -I trust this guy, so after ponying up $850 to replace the injector AND ALL of the Injectors' O-Rings, I rolled out with my old beast doing the Diesel Clatter and turbine whine (grin. Gotta love the whine!)
Why the O-rings on the "good" cylinters? Seems that in '99, Ford was using O-rings with square edges (as opposed to the usual round donut-shaped O-rings) and I'm told they have something of a tendancy to fail after about a hundred thousand miles. Mine only has 170 thousand (it will garner over half a million before I give it up, if all goes well) so I told him to go ahead and replace 'em all with the newer type -chaper while he was in the engine, you know.
Anyway, it touches the wallet like only a diesel can, but I'm happy now
Thanks again to all who replied and offered suggestions.

 

Hey Night can you find out how he determined it was the #8 I seem to have the same thing and would like to find out which one myself.

 

No problem, I know how he did it -I was watching. He had a toy -grin. He had a computer -it looked like a large DTC reader (to read error codes -I use my superchips programmer since it has the ability to read the code) except his not only read, but had the ability to interact with the trucks' computer and he could turn off and on, the injectors individually. Just like we would do by pulling one plugwire then replacing it, then pulling another, until we found the one that made no difference in how the engine ran -and of course, thats the "dead" one.
Sadly, I seriously doubt we could afford one of these hand-held diagnostic computers like his. He read other things that had nothing to do with the injectors, but that was how he found the problem.
Wouldn't mind owning one of those things, since I expect he could change things like the shift-points in the tranny and other things -but then I'd probably screw up the truck something fierce (who among us doesn't love to experiment a little?)

 

Thanks for the update . I did hear some people makeing there own

 

Now THAT is something I'd love to know how to do!
I know its well beyond my ability to figure out -but I can follow directions as well as the next guy.