So, I was on my way back home driving through the middle of nowhere Utah late at night, when I had an injector tip crack. I was able to identify which one and unplug it so I could get to Grand Junction, CO (about 350 miles away) where I have family. After a power nap I started calling parts stores and found an injector from Advanced Auto Parts (kinda pissed I couldn't find a motorcraft reman, but I was restricted for time). Installed it and all seemed good so I hit the road again. However, nothing changed. It still had the bad miss (rough idle, jerking/bucking when the torque converter locks up) just like when I had the injector unplugged.

The truck is an early 2004 6.0. It's the number 4 injector.

I finally got home and hooked up my AE scanner to discover a #4 injector circuit low P0270 code and circuit contribution/balance fault P0272. It's definitely missing because disabling it has no effect.

Please tell me this could be a loose connector at the injector or FICM, because I can't afford another injector right now. If it's a bad injector right out of the box do you think Advanced Auto would replace it for free?

 

Also, FICM voltage test show great results. Same with ICP and IPR. And it starts fine, hot or cold. It does appear to run smoother when I first start it and it's really cold. Although it quickly starts missing again once it warms up a tiny bit.

 

That is most likely a wiring problem of some sort, and I'd say most probable is a FICM connector. If an inspection and re-seating of the FICM connectors don't clear it up I'd do 3 things. 1. buzz test after re-seat. 2. ohm out the new injector and compare it to a known good injector. 3. Test continuity from the injector plug to the corresponding FICM plug pins.

 

Out of curiosity, is the middle connector on the FICM responsible for that injector? I remember struggling to fully seat that one, and I'm not even sure I actually got to "click" like the others.

 

This is the best I could find. I can't say with certainty that the pinout never changed.




And here are the plug pinouts.

 

You could try swapping that injector with another one in the truck. See if the fault follows it.

 

Test the injector coils with an ohms meter, compare to a second injector.

 

Thanks for all the info everyone!

Im gonna be going through all the checks tomorrow, will report back.

 

I just did all the tests on my truck so I can give you a few tips while it's fresh in my mind. I had the same codes on my injector #7. The test that was the most definitive for me was reading the injector's high and low circuit pins. I had an open circuit on two pins.

The injector has four pins. 2 pins are the high circuit and 2 are the low circuit. Both circuits are independent, meaning you should get a 1 ohm continuity on the high circuit pins and a similar 1 ohm reading on the other two pins for the low circuit. If there is an open circuit in either side, your injector can't operate. Hope that helps, although it does sound like you may have a sketchy harness.

Try having someone cycle the key while you fiddle with the harness with it connected to your injector. First unplug your gpcm to keep the glow plugs from draining the battery, then unplug the rest of your injectors to isolate the problematic circuit. When the key is turned to ignition, listen to how the injector buzzes during the cycle while you move the whole harness around in vicinity of the ficm, injector, and chafing locations.

 

It is really hard for me to believe the injector was bad to begin with. I mean it wasn't some shady eBay injector. But I also just really don't want to believe that's even possible

 

Injectors from anybody but FORD are junk and your taking your chances. The bad injector before give high and low codes or just the contribution code? Now a new injector not working.... it's the injector.

Swapping the injector will require another copper seal kit. Ohm the coils, buzz test it, swap the plug with another if possible and buzz it again. Make sure you didn't push a pin in the FICM plugs and it's snapped in. Make sure the injector plugs not pushed a pin and not hurt and snapped.

If the tests say it's bad... it's bad, get a warranty injector from them.

Anytime you buy from Advance, buy on line, use code TRT30 and save 30% or $50 off a $150 purchase. Check out and do in store pick up. If you need more stuff, buy more stuff, use code again, keep it under $150 for max savings!

 

Why you should always buy Ford... so you don't have to do it twice or three times!

 

Man, I wish I thought of that sooner

I was really mad I couldn't find any on such short notice

 

Your symptoms sound exactly like mine. Starts great cold and runs perfect until up to operating temp. Then rough idle begins and codes start popping up.

I replaced my injector and all ok now. Before replacing the injector I tried everything in hopes it was not the injector. Hope it all works out for you and you nail that gremlin.

 

Did you happen to ohm check the coils? Did they indicate a problem?