DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

ON A 1997 F-350 PSD I HAVE A FLAT SPOT IN THE ACCELERATION AROUND 2200 RPM. THE SPUTTER LAST ABOUT 2-5 SECONDS AND PRODUCES ALOT OF RAW BLUE EXHAUST. NO CODES COME UP DURING TESTS AND HAVE REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS WITH NO SUCESS. THE TRUCK OTHERWISE STARTS AND RUNS WELL.

DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

Hi
What's your mileage?
Does the truck accelerate well once past 2200?
How is the idle? Smooth, shaky, noisy, like the motor is "hammering"?
Check your fuel quality first. If there has been any evidence of contamination, change filter immediately. You may not have seen any, but if kids or someone in your area has put sugar in your fuel, then it will be time to pull the tanks, flush lines, replace 8 injectors and clean housings.
Second, looking at the fuel filter housing, check to see if you have a little bowl screwed to the bottom of the regulator assembly. Remove the regulator and bowl, unscrew the bowl, and clean the screen inside. If it has dirt it will impede return flow and cause poor performance.
You may have to replace the accelerator pedal assembly, there have been problems with the sensor on it causing delayed off idle action among other things, which will not set codes.
Check the turbos impeller blades which you can see by removing the intake tube. Do they look sharp or rounded? if they are rounded, you are due a free engine. The airbox has been letting sand in which has damaged the turbo. Among other things. I have seen some worn right to the shaft. Ford is replacing motors for customers who complain about this.
This may sound really dumb. Do you have a bug shield on the truck, if so remove it and drive the truck. It has been found that the shields interfere with the motors power output.
Lastly, check fuel pressure at the regulator. Install gauge at the schraeder valve there. Start truck and bleed air out of gauge. At idle the pressure should vary between 40 to 60, raise to 3000 rpm, you should see greater than 70. Return to idle, shut down. Pressure MUST hold at minimum 40. If not, there is an injector with a bad oring and it is allowing pressure to bleed out, possibly into the high pressure oil galleys when off.
ALL injectors must be pulled and re-ringed if this is the case.
That's all that I can think of right now, I'll have to check my manuals for more ideas.
I work on these engines all the time, so I have run into many interesting problems with them.

DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

GOOD DAY FRED!
MY FUEL MILEAGE EMPTY IS ABOUT 20 MPG CANADIAN(APPROX 16 U.S.) ONCE PAST 2200 RPM THE TRUCK RUNS FLAWLESSLY. THE IDLE IS SMOOTH OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL SHUDDER DUE TO THE DUELMASS FLYWHEEL. THE FUEL FILTER HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE, THE INJECTORS HAVE BEEN DONE ONCE COMPLETELY AND ONCE THREE ONLY. PRIOR TO REPLACING THE INJECTORS THE O-RINGS WERE DONE AND THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR REPLACED. VARIOUS DIFFERENT TECH. HELP GUYS HAVE SUGGESTED THINGS SUCH AS; TURBO,CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR,FUEL RATE CONTROLLER,MAIN PCU,TURBO POSITION SENSOR,FUEL PUMP,FUEL PUMP PUSH ROD,AND EVEN REMOVED THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND NEVER ONCE CHANGED A SINGLE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SPUTTER. MY LOCAL DEALER HAS DONE EVERYTHING I OR HE COULD THINK OF, INCLUDING ALL THAT THE HELP LINES HAVE SUGGESTED. I HOPE THIS MAY HELP YOU HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM,WHICH HAS BEEN THERE SINCE NEW. THANKS FOR ANY TIME YOU SPEND ON THIS.

TODD

DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

Wow!
That's sure alot of parts to change, and they didn't do anything. Says something for your dealer's diagnostic abilities.
First I'd check the fuel pressure as I stated before. It may be low, causing this, why it runs fine at high rpms is a mystery at present.
At idle, does your truck sound like it "chugs" over and over? That would not be the flywheel. (you have a manual trans, correct?)
Did the dealer retorqe the injector hold down and shoulder bolts to the new specs?
I'd check the boost pressure, minimum is 16psi. You may have a bad MAP/boost sensor, at that particular load level, it's readings might be off.
You wouldn't have good power if the turbo wasn't putting out all the way.
The CMP sensor usually doesn't cause a sputter, usually stalling and no starts, especially when hot.
The IPR (injection control pressure regulator) could cause this, you'll need to scan it to determine if the pressure is correct, the sensor that reports to the PCM could be at fault too. Even if pressure is right, the PCM will send faulty control data to the IDM.
The IDM (injector driver module) usually, is either good or bad, it may drop an injector, causing a miss.
I have seen the injector electrical connectors under the valve covers melt, and cause all kinds of problems, they have been redesigned.
Also, does your truck have the "rate change" injectors that are only for California spec vehicles? There was some accidentally put in fed/canadian spec engines.
I would scan the truck and check that all values are in proper ranges at normal operating temperature. One may be out, but won't throw a code.
The last thing, which is a long shot, is that you are sucking air into the oiling system. It will cause a myriad of driveability problems. there were numerous bulletins about missing pickup tube orings, and cracked tubes as well. If the high pressure pump picks up air, this can cause these symptoms as well. Run your truck at 2200 rpm, and shut it down, then quickly pull either the oil pressure switch or the plug in the reservoir to check for aeration. The level should be within an inch of the top and NO air.
That's about all I can think of now.
Let me know how you make out
Fred

DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

Okay -- here we go again.
Intermit. Problem of stalling out within minutes of start up for the first time of the day. ( First time I go to start the truck that day. )

Now that problem started, I crank, and cranked, and cranked, eventually it would start and the truck would run fine. ( Work perfectly for the rest of the day - starting, shuting off, sitting, starting, shutting off. )

Now that problem has gone away all of a sudden, but my fuel consumption is WAY HIGH for no good reason. Here's the kicker. The high fuel consumption problem comes and goes when it feals like it, while I am driving down the road. A run to the store of about 30 miles normally takes about 1/8 of a tank or so. When the HFC ( High Fuel Consumption) kicks in - uses almost 1/2 a tank. Halfway to the store it might stop the HFC and run normally, it's a thing on it's own that does not change with diff. driving conditions. Night, morning, day, 25 mph, 65 mph, all the same. Rapid fuel loss.

Smoke - always had smoke since I have owned the vehicle. Black / Drk smoke under heavy acceleration. Alot of smoke.... do not know why.

Also within that last 3 days there is a new noise. Almost sounds as it someone is screaming in a very high voice, but not very loudly. Starts between 55 and 60 mph. Same with the HFC, sometimes it is there, sometimes it is not.

Not to mention the fact that between 60 and 70 mhp there might be a wicked shaking similar to having a tire with a broken steel belt in it. This also comes and goes when it pleases itself.

Acceleration is odd. Starts to go just fine, but after a second or two, it's like some of the power goes away. You all know you can hear, and I mean HEAR and engine being used like the driver is Earndheart. It starts out that way, then kinda dies down a mite. When letting off the pedel to slowdown, the getting back on the pedel, is where you will most notice this situation.

At this point, this is my first and only ford. Nothing but and expensive, hard to work on, POS. So far... who know I could be wrong and this whole ford thing. But would really love some help seeing as how the locals round here know about as much as Gomer Pile. 'That ain't right, but I don't know why.' Is a phrase I hear too much, especially from my local dealships that couldn't even get an oil dip-stick for that truck.
Evil words need to be expressed... must fight them.... must fight.. (*&*&%

DIESEL MISS OR SPUTTER
 

TMEYER, I have the same " sputter" with my 2000 F 350, 190k mi.. Not so much at a certain rpm but when cruising at constant speed. Then I put my foot in it and its ok.
I will look at my rpms next time.

No modifications. Have changed cam sensor.

Have you checked your EBPV at the turbo? Is it stuck almost closed? That will reduce power and burn way more fuel if its not open all the way.

14 year old thread...one of the oldest I've seen bumped! Very nice search find!

Stewart

Yeah, I am going to go out on a limb and say neither TMEYER or Fred are going to respond. :-X04

That is funny. I didn't even look at the date when I responded.