Bruce Amacker

Borrow a FP gauge for a start. It should be 20 cranking and 50ish running, IIRC. FP is not critical running. Borrow an amp clamp to check glow plug amperage, it should be 190ish KEOE initially and drop to about 125 after 30 seconds. If it's above 100-120amps initially it's not your problem in weather like this, but points to a minor GP problem. It's not an old ambulance, is it? Does it have a main battery shutoff like an ambulance? Side bar- pull the oil filter off and verify the oil filter check valve is in place. It's visible with the filter off. It's staked in place on the early 7.3 and falls out commonly. FP gauge is probably $10-20 at Harbor Freight and a DC inductive amp clamp is $49 at Sears. If all of this checks out, fill the FF with Stanadyne Performance Formula, run it 1-2 minutes, and see how it starts the next morning. Good Luck! Edit: How long has it been since the oil was changed? I've fixed a lot of hard starts with an LOF.....

What's your altitude? There are mountains in PA.....

There is no "spec" but I agree, over 400 at sea level is good. If you are up a few thousand feet, subtract 10%+ from that. If you have one at 350 and the rest near 400, don't worry about it. If they're all 325 or less, it's bad news. Good Luck!

I'm in class this week and the instructor does say this is a permanent code. He has no color coffee table book, just a preliminary B&W copy. If anyone is taking the class, take a color print of the book and PDF of the CTB to pass around if you can. The guys in my class were interested in my copy.

I hear there will be a replacement that looks like a Dodge Sprinter. Ford's not gonna give up on the van market altogether....

Duh. I have no idea why they did it but the parts may have come from the IH version of that engine, the MaxxForce 7, which is a single turbo engine. Sounds like a dumb idea to me, but like we said in a recent post the internet web forums is/are full of idiots. Why these jackasses persist in screwing with technology they barely understand is beyond me.....

Does it leak when the brake pedal is pressed, or all the time? If it's all the time, it's probably a 60PSI safety switch for turning on the light/buzzer. An internet search confirms this. Pump the pedal down and change it, no big deal. Good Luck!

WTF are you talking about? Or, what's doing the talking?

Your numbers all seem in line, make sure FP stays up at full load and deadhead the pump, I usually see 4000+ on a good pump. IH will give you this test over the phone, but not in print for liability purposes. 9 times out of ten when it sets this code at speed it's a bad pump. I can't remember it ever being anything else. Ditto on checking base LPOP, too. Good Luck!

Here's my draft list. I already put 85 slides in the presentation regarding problems: In no particular order, except the last couple: 10: Failure to properly torque injectors 9: Failure to consult the service manual for procedure 9. Failure to visit internet forums for help 8: Failure to check coolant for additive packages 7. Probing electrical connectors and damaging the terminals 7: Failure to clean battery connections and load test the batteries individually 6: Failure to check cranking RPM with a scan tool on a hard start 6. Not checking TSB’s and update letters from the manufacturer 5: Failure to use the proper IH/Ford diagnostic sheets to their best advantage 4: Failure to understand an electrical voltage drop test 3: Failure to verify clean power to the ECM/FICM/IDM (voltage drop through connectors, relays etc) 2: Not having the proper tools/equipment/scan tool to complete the job properly (this is borderline tech's fault and management's fault. Many times with the aftermarket the tech is the shop owner and wants to shortcut things with the wrong tool (scan tools, especially) 2: Failure to take a fuel sample from the filter in a jar and inspect it for contaminates/quality/water 1. Not checking fuel pressure under load on a low power complaint (there's no fucking excuse for this one besides plain laziness)

It almost sounds like oil aeration to me, from the HPOP starving. Has the oil been changed lately, and has the engine been apart lately? I had one years ago that the tech used the wrong silicone on the pan, which depleted the anti-foaming capability if the (new) oil making it aerate badly. An oil change fixed it. (SOB!) I'd put an oil pressure gauge on the low side and make sure it is at spec, and then do the "oil hose tap looking for foamy oil" from the OPS/EOT hole at WOT. There's a TSB on it somewhere, I looked and can't find it. It has a picture of a guy with a pop bottle and an oil hose showing foamy oil from an aerated system. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? It might be one of those full color HPOP guides..... Good Luck!

Like Alex said, make sure the sensors are bottomed. I think Keith had one or two CMP's where they were held up by rust, you might want to pull them out and buff the flanges. Perhaps looking at the CKP reluctor (and probing it with a screwdriver) is not a bad idea in case it came loose on the crank. Look through the hole with a penlight while someone turns the crank very slowly. (This may require yanking the A/C) I'd only pull the pan after coming to at least two reasons to pull the pan- bad waveform, loose reluctor, low cranking voltage, etc. I was involved with one not long ago that had a BENT reluctor tooth on the CKP, too, and the shop changed the short block without letting us know what bent the tooth. (Damn!) The scope pattern showed the bend very clearly, I have captures if you want to see them. Overlaying the harnesses is a good idea. I've seen a few situations where the wire "looked" good but bled voltage through the vinyl insulation. It was a real MF to diagnose. IH has a lot of problems where overlays fix it. Getting out the scope is another option, I've posted known good waveforms here somewhere, and don't forget the remote possibility of a bad starter causing CKP interference. Someone on DTS had that a year or two back with a LCF where a new starter fixed it. Sorry to give you a laundry list, I'll look in my Sync notes for more stuff to check... Good Luck!

Hey Guys: I'm writing a new class about the top ten things technicians do wrong in the shop. The problem is, I've already got 14 things on the list. I'd like to hear your experiences- what are the top ten things you see guys in your shop doing wrong? I'm not talking shop safety here, more on a technical level regarding diag and wrenching. You can post just one thing or as many pet peeves as you like, and I won't put mine up until later. Being that this is Friday and Grampa likes to get lubricated, I'm looking forward to a nice healthy list..... Any takers? Thanks!

What's cranking RPM? A good one is 215 warm, I like to see a minimum of 175 cold.

You do know of TSB 09-8-5 telling us to check and correct the coolant PH with VC-8, right? 2201 - 6.0L & 6.4L DIESEL ENGINES CHECK NITRITE LEVELS USING ROTUNDA 3-WAY ANTIFREEZE TEST STRIP KIT #328-00001 RECENT DEALER COMMUNICATION "6.0L AND 6.4L DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE" PUBLISHED 3/30/09 EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR NITRITE LEVEL CHECKS OF THE ENGINE COOLANT AS PART OF SCHEDULED DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE. THIS STEP IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL FOR VEHICLES UTILIZED UNDER SEVERE SERVICE SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS (TOWING, LONG IDLE/COMMERCIAL DELIVERY, OFF ROAD/DUSTY, BIODIESEL) IN ORDER TO AVOID ENGINE FAILURES. USE THE ROTUNDA 3-WAY ANTIFREEZE TEST STRIP KIT (#328-00001) TO CHECK NITRITE LEVELS OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. THIS NEW PRODUCT OFFERED BY ROTUNDA INCLUDES 1 BOTTLE (50 TEST STRIPS) OF 3-WAY HD ANTIFREEZE COOLANT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND A SAMPLING KIT WITH VIAL AND SYRINGE. KIT COST IS $28.99 AND CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT www.FORDROTUNDA.COM (SEARCH PRODUCT NUMBER 328-00001) OR BY PHONE AT 1-800-ROTUNDA (768-8632), OPTION 2. 2227 - ANNOUNCING MAINTENANCE REMINDER 09L04 ANNOUNCING MAINTENANCE REMINDER 09L04 - CERTAIN 2003 THROUGH 2008 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 6.0L OR 6.4L DIESEL ENGINE - CUSTOMER MAINTENANCE REMINDER. THIS HAS BEEN POSTED TO FMCDEALER.COM. TSB 09-8-5 - DIESEL COOLANT MAINTENANCE - SERVICE TIPS SPECIAL FIELD ACTION 09L04 - Certain 2003 through 2008 Model Year Vehicles Equipped with a 6.0L or 6.4L Diesel Engine - Customer Maintenance Reminder

Are you sure the Stanadyne has a water emulsifier in it? All OEMS have TSBs not to use alcohol based (water emulsifiers) in modern diesels. I was under the impression Stanadyne did not have a water emulsifier in it. Their website states: "Helps Remove Water - special demulsifiers cause tiny water droplets to come out of suspension/emulsion, so the filter/separator can more effectively remove water" The Ford rep is probably getting pressure from above to sell the stuff, or a $ incentive, or their stock is getting old and dated..... I don't know where you're getting your prices, but using math I don't get 1/3 the cost. PM22A or PM23A are both $7.89 at our local dealer and they treat 125 gallons. Stanadyne is $6.70 and treats 60 gallons. That means to treat the same 125 gallons costs $7.89 from Ford and about $13.94 from Stanadyne. I can't find the PM22s sold in larger volumes, either, and Stanadyne is available in much larger sizes for better discounts. I see PM22 sold on the internet cheaper but there will be shipping involved. What are you selling it for? Maybe Larry will chime in with a better price for the bigger sizes, STI quoted me the $6.70 for the small bottle over the phone. I need to know this stuff to tell my students..... I've used Stanadyne products for decades and bet money on their performance. I'm sure the Motorcraft stuff is good, but I'll still take the Stanadyne. Many times there's a reason for high/low pricing on competitive products, and you get what you pay for. I have many true stories to tell about Stanadyne products- some of my fleets are buying it in 55 gal drums and adding it when the UST are filled. Have a great weekend!

You old fart, you've got CRS syndrome. Look on page 5 of this thread towards the bottom......

You can do most HP oil checks using a $3 fitting from your local hardware store or Napa. The Napa (Weatherhead) PN is 7897 if you want to wait for it, or go to your local True Value/Ace hardware and get a 5/16” inverted male thread adapter to 1/4 female tube. To verify you have the right fitting, take a 1/2" NF nut with you and the male part of the fitting will screw right into it. Thread is ½” NF with an o-ring, and may be in the brass hardware area, or may be in the nut&bolt area in one of those little sliding drawers. If you don't have an o-ring available, you can use it dry and it will only seep while running, or use an oil drain plug gasket on it. I just bought another one a few weeks ago so I know they're available. This fitting can be used in two ways- to adapt a (3000-5000PSI)pressure gauge into the head for reading live pressure, or for adapting an air line to the head for air checking. For live PSI testing, remove a HP plug from the head (5/8" hex IIRC), on the right side thread the third one back is very accessible. On the left head the front one has the ICP in it, the second plug is relatively accessible, and the third plug has the HP oil hose in it. I know I have pics of this fitting somewhere with my gauge, but I can't find them. A slide from my class: Good Luck!

It should build much more than 800psi cranking, most go to 1500 or 1.5v+. That is a bad pump. Have fun!

Ditto on both Duramax's and Dodge Cummins. I have known people to replace injectors in both without adjusting the IQA and have the truck run fine.

The guys in today's class broke the plastic nipple on top of the DEF injector. You should have finished today, right- but if you didn't, be careful R&Ring the DEF injector for the flow test. The liquid line nipple on top is somewhat fragile. No problem, they'll have it in stock in the parts dept.......!

ICPV should be .17-.24 KOEO, this applies to all HEUI engines. I'm surprised it's not giving a hard start complaint with that code like most will. I'd have them check the reservoir after it sits overnight or over a weekend and verify it's full. Have them check IPR at a hot idle, it should be 9-11%. If all of this is fine, have them momentarily ground the IPR return while it's idling and verify the HPOP will make about 4000PSI. It actually sounds to me like it's a bad HPOP and the code is a 1211, not 1212. I never saw a 1212 set at speed. You could also go for a RT graphing IPR and ICP at WOT and cruising at 65mph. If IPR goes real high (85ish) at WOT and ICP flattens out it could be an indicator. I have seen IPR go to 80ish on a "good" truck at WOT but I don't like seeing it that high. Checking LPOP pressure should be mandatory on the highway too, verifying the HPOP isn't starving. Good Luck! PS You definitely should be paid retail for the repair and who cares whose wallet it is.

Oh, my God. You just reminded me why I don't go to open internet forums. They are a magnet for dumb ass hillbillys....

In addition to the threads, check the return line/switching valve for obstruction. I had one that the switching valve was blocked on the return side causing hard start hot. Using a 5psi regulator in your shop air hose should show flow to the tank when applied to the return hose on top of the pump. While you're there, check the little return check valve on top of the pump. It should be new, but look through it anyway. It's a little glass ball check valve. Good Luck!

According to IDS Tech Tips for V65.11 released today, the 6.7 is now in IDS with new tests for the aftertreatment system. Before today we had to enter an override code into IDS to be able to communicate.