mchan68 Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Okay, is this something we are going to be asked to perform as a warrantable "repair" in the near future? I was strolling along through one of the "other" diesel forums and came across this: If you have the 4 post FICM (remove little cover on top below are 4 or 7 screws). I do not know if this works for 7 screw ficm. Check the voltage on the screw closest to the fender and ground if less than 45 volts engine running you can repair it yourself and no reprogramming needed (dont touch probe from screw to the case). Remove FICM from truck. Remove the following; small cover on top of ficm, 4 screws that are under cover, 6 screw on other side holding case together. Split case. Re solder 16 places circled in pics. Put back together and check voltage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I don't think Ford would put the techs in this position. I believe it will be a exchange unit, Especially with the legalities involved in repair a major control unit of the vehicle. Ford won't want anyone touching it. Good thought and good find but I don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 So the DC-DC inverters never fail, just solder joints? Bulllllll shiiiiiiiiiiit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I dare you to try fixing one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 I dare you to try fixing one! Well, apparently some DIYer dared to. And it supposedly paid off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 And it supposedly paid off. Yes, perhaps it did for a few guys and this MAY be telling of what is failing in these modules, then again, it may not. I do find it interesting though and it is possible for a light solder to fail if stressed like being subjected to the inductive heating calibration. My point is that Ford will never back you on a claim if you were to try this under warranty even if it did fix the truck. It certainly LOOKS simple enough to perform but I think we have discussed this before - Ford would likely never let us repair ANY electronic module in the field Personally, I would love to try this myself taking a screen shot of the relative PID's before and after the repair along with a good picture of the circuit board before and after the repair... maybe a shot of the other side of the board showing the DC-DC converters... I rarely have the opportunity with a customer pay module nor do I have a module laying around but it could be worth a free t-shirt and credit on an article to someone who does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I thought I already posted these pictures here... I would think that, if all those solder joints are bad, what's saying there aren't several dozen others are questionable? I can see replacing the DC/DC converter assembly, board and all, but I personally wouldn't be comfortable soldering stuff that small - not to mention the fact that I'm not buying a semiconductor sized soldering iron to fix this stuff. What happens if you screw up soldering something or you hit the wrong spot, or the solder bridges something it shouldn't - what's Ford gonna say about that? I don't think (at least I am hoping) that we never have to start resurrecting these things too. For crying out loud, the tag in the Garret turbo box says "DO NOT DISASSEMBLE OR DISORIENT TURBOCHARGER HOUSING" but we're doing that anyway, so I'm sure that eventually it'll come down the pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Obviously the DC DC converter portion is on the RH side. Has me wondering though, if you were to remove that portion of the FICM and relocate it with a length of cable and put it somewhere cool, kind of like a PMD relocate on a GM 6.5 with the DS-4 pump - would it live a little longer? I am thinking that heat is killing these things, since I do see a LOT more failures in the summertime than I do in the cooler weather, but that's just my theory on the whole thing. And electronic parts do seem to have a shorter lifespan when they're hotter than a snake's ass in a wagon rut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 And WTF is WILLIS talkin about? 7 screw FICM? Isn't a FICM a FICM a FICM? 4C3Z 12B599 somethinsomethinRM (depending on LEVEL, but every one I have changed has been a 4C3Z 12B599 AARM or BARM, and they are the same as far as I have seen, just an updated part number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Isn't a FICM a FICM a FICM? 4C3Z 12B599 somethinsomethinRM (depending on LEVEL, but every one I have changed has been a 4C3Z 12B599 AARM or BARM, and they are the same as far as I have seen, just an updated part number. The most current part number is 4C3Z-12B599-ABRM across the board, E or F Series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 I don't think (at least I am hoping) that we never have to start resurrecting these things too. For crying out loud, the tag in the Garret turbo box says "DO NOT DISASSEMBLE OR DISORIENT TURBOCHARGER HOUSING" but we're doing that anyway, so I'm sure that eventually it'll come down the pipe.Not to stray too far off topic, but let's not forget 07S49. Those of you not familiar, that's the recall for the jumper harness on the Escape Hybrids. The point being, I remember when the Hybrids debutted, Ford was adamant about not allowing us to open up any of the HV components. God knows with only 330 VDC, who the hell would want to!!! And now look, with that recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 AB not BA, fucked that one up. I don't even look at the part number anymore, I just walk into parts, drop the old one on the counter, grab a new one from my "special shelf of diesel shit" and write the RO number on the box. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Reminds me of my old(dearly departed)27" RCA TV that I bought new in 1993. While it was still in its 3 year warranty, there was a problem with solder joints in it that caused it to be inoperable. They fixed it for free, but a few years later, it was back with more problems, which got fixed for a cost. Years later, the original problem returned, but after searching it on the internet and looking inside to see if I was able to re-solder the circuits myself, I decided it wasn't worth the effort, and what was to prevent the solder joints from melting again, unless the cause was fixed, not just the symptom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I have a couple of large stand-up vintage video games in my basement. The Asteroids game developed some bad solder joints a while ago, making the video screen freak out. I diagnosed it by gently tapping on the boards to determine which board it was, and removing the board for a look-see. Resoldering the cracked solder joints has made it flawless for a number of years. IH's had similar problems in their dashboards, and resoldering them fixed the trouble, also. I know Damon has fixed some IH ECMs similarly, to make "known good" test units or buy some time until the new one came in. IH had problems with 1998 ECMs causing one dead cylinder.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Resoldering the cracked solder joints has made it flawless for a number of years. Keep that shit quiet, Bruce! Where does a fellow look into getting some of those machines? I got a den that needs an ol' Pac Man machine or something over in the corner. Secretly, I just want the power of feeding the same quarter through the machine 5000 times with the coin door open, after all that money I spent at the arcade as a youngster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 after all that money I spent at the arcade as a youngster. Would that be Fast Eddies on Riverside Drive? Keith, I might have a FICM I could send you if you want to play doctor for a while...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixturbosix Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 I openend up a known bad ficm that had low voltage concerns about 2 weeks ago when I saw this article on another forum.It was not hard at all to get the boards out and find the soilder joints in question.Some of the screws are under the hardning gel type substance that are on the boards but I used a hobby knife to cut through it.I did not resoilder the joints but I did look at them with a good magnifying glass and could not see any bad soilder joints.I may go back in and try it if I get a truck that is under warranty for a ficm concern.I still have the bad ficm on my toolbox.It would be easy to take back apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted December 10, 2009 Author Share Posted December 10, 2009 It appears our "author" has provided us with the fully detailed "repair" procedure for our viewing pleasure: http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/attachm...r_procedure.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmlew Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 The file says it is damaged and can not be repaired? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 The file says it is damaged and can not be repaired?Try this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastendpowerstroke Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I just happened to acquire a bad ficm today so I'll try it. It will need to wait for a while till the dust settles from my change in dealerships before I get around to fooling with it but I'm going to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixturbosix Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Just performed my first FICM repair per the instructions given recently.I had an FICM I had kept off a truck that would not start due to failure.It would not buzz injectors when key was turned.Customer bought a FICM from junk yard an ask if we would install it and program it.The truck started fine and has not been back.I kept his old FICM since there was no core return.What I found during the soldier repair was two of the small rectangular resistors were loose.After repair I tried it on a truck in the shop and it worked like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 AND SO IT BEGINS!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 What a crock of shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 What a crock of shit.Aren't MOST Ford TSBs (To Save our Butts)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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