Keith Browning

This is fine and dandy IF the bolts want to cooperate. On a few occasions I have had those bolts bind making hand removal the only option which really sux but what can you do. As for removing them, you don't need to really and leaving the bolts hanging helps with aligning the cab to the frame as you are lowering the cab 'cause they always seem to move while you are working on them.

But it is no BS! Thats why it made it into the directory. I am actually going to order some and see if it is better than Gold Bond.

That was my favorite though the amazing hill climb is impressive.

Thank you Jim. That picture is worth looking at to make the point about respecting high pressure fuel lines. It's like a kid watching porn for the first time - they want to look away but they cant stop watching. It leaves an impression. Cracking open any common rail fuel line while running or until the pressure has bled down is very dangerous.

You are joking right?

The oil in the CAC tube is related to the crankcase over fill condition. The injectors can still be at fault even if the engine is not affected by the recall. Any leak in the high pressure fuel system will dilute the engine oil. To be honest, I don't have an accurate answer as to how this is causing melted pistons...

Rob, the glow plugs are oil covered because a little oil pools around where they sit in the head. The plugs seal at the bottom of the body where the electrode/element sticks out. When you pull them out the oil covers them like that. As for your compression readings, if we take your readings of 380 PSI as a baseline and multiply that by 0.10 we get 38 PSI as your maximum variation. Cylinders #2 and #8 are basically "there" meaning you have a base engine concern. I recently had a problem engine that had both a mechanical failure and a performance related failure, a piston beginning to melt. That cylinder tested only slightly better than the numbers you posted. According to what the Hot-Line Engineers and my FSE are telling us, excessive crankcase oil levels are contribution to engine failures, affecting cylinders predominantly on bank #2. The first thing you need to check is for oil in the lower CAC tube which is a good indication of what is going on and what you are likely going to find. This is not necessarily 100% accurate though, my engine had NO oil in the lower CAC tube. I recommend that you neatly organize your test data and contact the Hot-Line and see what they have to tell you. You are likely headed for a cab in the air and pulling the left cylinder head. Keep Ford in the loop and document everything you do or are told by Ford - I recommend printing your Hot-Line contact every time it is updated. I am also informed that this is also the reason for the injector recall. Is this engine affected by 09B08?

Now that is the type of scary stuff we see here in the North East. I cringe when I see that kind of rust and you have to be very careful about disturbing things you have no intention of replacing. Nunan recently had a job where the head bolts were so rusted you could no longer use a socket because the bolt heads were rotted round.

Navistar announces 15-liter diesel Mar 19, 2009 10:44 AM, By Jim Mele, editor-in-chief LOUISVILLE. Navistar will add a 15-liter diesel to its MaxxForce engine line by combining the basic block and architecture of Caterpillar’s existing C15 engine with its own fuel and emissions systems. Ready sometime in 2010, it will offer on-highway and heavy-haul fleets a higher power option then its MaxxForce 13 engine with ratings from 435 to 550 hp, according to Eric Tech, vp & gm for Navistar’s engine group. Like the company’s other diesels, the new 15-liter will use EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) only to meet the new 2010 emissions regulations, or what is being called “an in-cylinder solution.” The other common 2010 emissions solution is SCR (selective catalytic reaction), which treats exhaust gases after they leave the engine. Late last year, Caterpillar announced that it would not develop a heavy-duty truck engine to meet the 2010 requirements and would exit the truck market. At the same time, it entered into an agreement with Navistar to produce a severe service truck under the Caterpillar brand as well as work on other unspecified projects. The MaxxForce 15 is the first of those projects to be formally announced. Navistar has a working version of the new 15-liter on view at the Mid-America Truck Show, but said it would not be available until sometime after January 2010. Preliminary specs for the Cat-derived diesel include 15.2 liter displacement, twin-turbocharger with intercooling and aftercooling, a direct injection fuel system based on Navistar’s current MaxxForce technology and peak torque ranging from 1,550 to 1,850 lb.-ft. The company also introduced a special Harley-Davidson edition of its LoneStar conventional tractor. Painted in the traditional Harley-Davidson black and silver with orange highlights, the newest LoneStar will be limited to just 250 units in 2009. Special features include extensive use of chrome and the Harley-Davidson logo on the exterior, as well as a highly customized interior with rosewood cabinetry and a special edition instrument cluster.

That is one of those little bits of good to know information that is hard to remember... but I ONCE saw that pick up screen at the bottom of the tank clog from in tank debris... a landscaper using a rag as a fuel filler cap. If I recall there were leaves and grass clippings in the tank. Of course, running the fuel pump inlet restriction test will remove any doubt whether you need to go there or not.

Jim I feel for you as I just went through the same kind of runaround if you recall my posts on it. I had the same inconsistent results with relative compression that caused me to head down the wrong path during my diagnosis. Had the test indicated the two problem cylinders the first time my experience would have been much different. I think we may have discovered that for the IDS relative compression test to be accurate the engine must be at operating temperature. With my engine cold or only as warm as 5 or 10 minutes running in the shop had gotten it, the worst reading I saw was -2% on cylinder #2. After warming the engine up and then driving the hell out of it for 10 minutes I saw a much different picture. Cylinder #2 dropped to -8% and cylinder #8 suddenly showed -5% in relative compression. If you recall, #2 had a missing wrist pin retainer and #8 had a piston crown beginning to melt and score the cylinder. What does this tell us? I'll repeat this: Perform engine performance diagnostics at full operating temperature.

His name is Rex.

Now I see your problem. Yes. And guess what I broke putting the elbow back in place? At least I shot a couple pictures before I broke it.

Do you mean the switch from metal to the plastic? It was Customer Satisfaction Program 05B29 http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articles/article-05-14.php

Holy SHIT I just blew some spicy chicken sausage gumbo out of my nose!!!

Sytem restore resolved the issue - if anyone is interested and runs into this themselves.

Able Transportation from Staten Island. Following mine, and Jim's golden rule, start from scratch and assume nothing has been done... I balanced the tires and the vibration *seems* to have gone away... there is also general harshness to this van known as a "boom" while driving. This accentuated the tire balance issue. I am awaiting a third opinion on the fix. This one drove Chris nuts and I finally got my head around it today. There is more to the story but I am still a little too confused myself to tell it to you straight. Yes, Chris is on my team - in case you were confused about my involvement!

Are you guys pulling the CAC tube off and then removing the intake elbow? I loosen both CAC clamps but not remove the tube. Then I unbolt the elbow and swing it all out of the way. This of course if for those clack plastic tubes.

Alrightie! I am done teasing you guys. This forum is officially open. I have learned that we will be seeing this engine before the end of this year in 2010 model F-Series trucks along with urea injection. This is not official information but it comes from an excellent source. I may also move related topics from other forums over... so don't get upset thinking you posts were deleted!!!

Ooof! Sorry to hear that but misery loves company. Somebody hit me with this link that looks like it will be helpful: http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_19166&sliceId=1 but someone else just suggested using system restore and then NOT updating your Adobe Flash Player.

Thats all I can think of. PCM? Maybe... there is only one way to find out.

Interesting Kevin. The only times I have seen a high idle on a Power Stroke the ICP was the culprit, and if memory serves me, biased ICP sensors were the problem. My experience with IPR valves typically causes a lack of power condition or stalling on decel. If you mean the accelerator pedal the pedal itself would have to be binding and not returning to full off position. Remember there is an idle validation switch and not just a TPS. Any discrepancy between the AP and the IVS and PCM ignores it and gives you idle and only idle. If you notice TP and IVS are off idle while the engine idle speed is up look for a binding pedal or floor mats/carpet interfering with the pedal.

Be sure you are checking OASIS for open recalls. 09B08 addresses bad fuel injectors that I recently learned are suspect in many engine failures caused by melted pistons, hydrolocked cylinders and damaged EGR coolers.

You have never heard a 6.4L with an injector dumping fuel? Without a doubt the worst sound I have ever heard coming from a diesel engine!!! You are right about the fuel starving and noise though. Both 7.3L and 6.0L engines tend to clatter in a very characteristic way when fuel pressure drops. How much do you think low fuel charge pressure affects timing? Another example is the fuel "cackle" that the 7.3L had. I don't know where they come up with these terms but the few I ran into sounded like a knock in my opinion. That was due to variations in fuel pressure caused by the firing of the other injectors in bank 2 affecting cylinder #8. Personally, I think there are several possible conditions that can cause fuel knock but they all lead to the same thing... and I am looking for the right words... along the lines of "improper combustion." The more I find and read about this, I see terms like "abnormal combustion" "long ignition lag" "low cetane" "misfire" Good topic.

Sounds like a job for Rex!