Bruce Amacker

I had huge problems getting IDS to work a couple of years ago on my XP Pro laptop. I had to uninstall my antivirus to get it to work, merely disabling the AV was not enough. Try disabling all AV and firewalls first, then maybe uninstalling your AV. Once it works, reinstall the AV. Good Luck!

I assume you put a pressure gauge in to verify this, right? The oil and filter has been changed and nothing odd was seen in the housing like a melted standpipe or defective housing drain valve? The front cover looked OK where the pump gears ride? What's hot idle oil pressure after the truck has been driven on the highway? 7.3's have a uncommon problem with gear wear in the pump. They could look fine, but did you check tooth gap like this? I had a 7.3 with a similar start and stall problem, the gap was about .012-.015" and the gears looked fine. A new pump fixed it. We covered this start and stall problem in detail on a 7.3 a while back. If your pickup tube is fine and there's no suction leaks, there's a real good chance it's worn teeth on the oil pump gears or a filter drainback problem. Caution- the first bad 7.3 pump I saw "looked" OK until you got out the feeler gauges. IH has a VT start and stall concern (I'm not sure it was a TSI) for the filter drain valve being bad. IH says: 1. Drain the oil pan (not filter) for 30 minutes. 2. Put a fresh drain pan under the truck. 3. Pull the filter loose. 4 You should get over a pint of oil in the pan from the filter housing. If not, the drain back valve is def. I'm real big on wasting a bit of time doing diag before tearing into the engine and finding nothing. If your hot oil pressure is OK you are not likely to find anything on a teardown. I'd be rethinking the pump and drainback. Even an oil analysis isn't a bad idea on one like this. Good Luck! PS On edit: The reason the oil pump causes this is because with the teeth .015" apart, it allows all of the oil galleys to drain back into the pan past the teeth. The pump is already worn, and has a hard time priming. By the time the pump primes, fills all of the galleys, and builds pressure, the HP system goes dry and loses ICP. If either this or your drainback valve was def, or both, it would account for your trouble. I'd be doing more diag before going inside the engine. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

How about the owner's manual? It has it on page 54, and you can download it at: http://www.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/S...5&VEHICLE=F-450 Good Luck! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I think it's a one in a million situation where sabotage from molasses or sugar in the tank clogged the fuel system. I think this also aggravated a carbon/cold run/ poor lube condition. He was using straight 40W, which is way too heavy for the type of use. The intake valves were all seized in the guides a few months ago, along with rings stuck in the pistons at 18K. The ring problem was caused from heavy carbon buildup, but I'm not sure what causes the valves hanging besides "cold stacking". I doubt I will ever see a stranger case study. He knows the importance of a oil analysis to find the root cause, but with the border problems, I'm not holding my breath. Wow.

How fast do these codes set? Anthony had a weird one lately where the J1939 data link between the Allison ECU and the DT466 ECM was causing a conflict. He unplugged the J1939 at the tranny and everything worked fine over the J1708. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

Funny you should ask. In one of my last posts, he pulled the engine down to find severe cylinder sleeve ridges and stuck piston rings. The tech put in a Works Kit (sleeves, pistons bearings, etc), removed, cleaned, and lapped all of the valves, and assembled it. Yesterday afternoon he called and held his phone up for me to hear the engine, which had just started. This guy is happy! He has Truck #2 to do the same thing to waiting in the wings. As far as the oil analysis goes, he knows it is important, but country borders are the hurdle. It's out of my hands. I'll keep you posted on updates. Thanks!

VGTDC Variable Turbocharger Geometry Duty Cycle Percent VGT_F Variable Turbocharger Geometry Fault Fault/No Fault VGT_MES Variable Turbocharger Geometry Measured Percent Closed Percent Yes, it's in the PID list and in the IDS. The only capture I have of it is KOEO reading 9.89%. Bummer.

I don't think the VGT has a feedback system in it and relies on the EBP to provide feedback. (didn't they learn from the 6.0 this doesn't work?) The VGT CAN bus is for actuation only. There's lots of stuff inside the actuator, but I don't see a position sensor, and the MaxxForce7 manual specifically states it uses EBP for a feedback device. IH had a boatload of troubles with a similar actuator on the DT engine. You could have a problem with the sensor or the actuator. The sensor's cheaper to try on an intermittent, I guess. Good Luck!

I heard of stuck valves/bent pushrods several times on the early 6.0s, caused by "lot rot". I haven't heard of one for a while. I wonder if they're putting a couple thou more clearance in the guides. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

For anybody that responds to this, please use time or hours as an answer. It is highly illegal for competing shops to discuss pricing policies using dollars. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Many of our fleets are really busy in the warm months and slow in the cold months. We groom them to bring the trucks in during the winter and have us go over the truck thoroughly to prevent breakdown during the busy season. This has worked incredibly well for us and has reduced breakdowns and tows to only a few a year overall. We (Mike, who bought my shop) still have several fleet accounts I originally sold in the 80's due to the low breakdown rate they have. It's not the repair bill that the fleets hate, it's the unexpected breakdowns which KILL them in the busy season. Add-ons are where the money is- fixing lights, adjusting the clutch, etc, as a basic LOF is a break-even gig without them. We get about 1.5 hrs. for basic and 12-14 hrs. for a MD #3 P.M. depending on the kind of chassis and engine. The add-ons on a #3 are a great money maker. Average RO on a #3 is probably $4K. LOF: every 5-6000 miles, depending on the engine. Annual (also called #3PM, C Level PM): Basic LOF includes checking trans, diff, all lights, tire pressures, coolant level and PH, brake fluid, P.S., belt tension and condition, clutch adj, lube sticker. All items are initialed by the tech on the job sheet. #3 P.M. Checklist for Truck #________ Mileage________________ 1. Complete chassis inspection. Check tierods for play, check kingpins for wear and play. Check kingpin thrust bearings for deterioration, check spring hangers and shackles for wear. 2. Complete driveline inspection. Check u-joints, transmission rear bearing and pinion bearing for looseness and leaks. 3. Complete brake inspection- Hydraulic brake equipped: Remove all wheels, remove all calipers, clean and lube caliper slides, checking pads for rust separation and uneven wear. Install factory shims if calipers are loose. Air brake equipped: Inspect condition of linings, drums, slack adjusters, and seals. Adjust brakes if necessary. 4. Check all brake lines for proper mounting, rub-through, and excessive corrosion. Check all brake hoses for dry rot cracks, bubbles, rotted crimps on fittings. 5. Minor engine tune-up. Adjust valves, test glowplugs when present. If equipped with late model electronic controlled engine, perform computer evaluation with factory diagnostic equipment. Pop test injectors for pressure and spray pattern. All diagnostics done by ASE Certified Auto/Truck Master Technicians with L1 and L2. 6. Replace water filter. 7. Replace wiper blades. 8. Cooling system inspection, including pressure test and tighten all hose clamps. Check water pump bearing for looseness and seepage. 9. Check belts for tension and cracking. 10. Complete chassis lubrication. If any fittings do not take/purge grease properly, take measures to correct this. 11. Check starter draw, it should be 450-500 amps, 750 maximum. (mid range diesel) 12. Check alternator amperage and voltage output and oscilloscope test diodes. 13. Remove battery cables and individually load test batteries. Clean connections if corroded. Protect with anti-corrosive coating. 14. Check and repair all exterior signal and clearance lights. 15. Check body clamps for strength. 16. Check the mounting of all hazardous material placards. (if equipped) 17. Replace power steering filter and change fluid if burned or discolored. 18. Change oil in transmission and differential, straining oil as it drains, looking for abnormal metal particles. Watch for discoloration in oil (water contamination). 19. D.O.T. inspection and paperwork. 20. Test drive truck to evaluate roadworthyness. 21. Check chlorine tank mounts for strength. Check floor of bed for strength and rot. (as required) 21. Visually inspect turbocharger for oil or exhaust leaks. Inspect charge air cooler for rotted tubes and proper mounting (if equipped). 22. Lube throttle linkage pivots and shutoff cable with Tef-Gel (if equipped). 23. Check PTO cables for smooth operation and wipe grease on exposed cable ends (if equipped). 24. Check “filter minder” on air cleaner for restriction, and replace filter if restricted. (many diesel air filters are designed for 100,000 highway miles) 25. Visually inspect harmonic balancer for looseness or leaks. (silicone fluid filled) 24. Bring to attention anything that will not make it through the coming busy season. Stake body trucks- 21. Check chlorine tank mounts for strength. Check floor of bed for strength and rot. Van body (box) trucks- 22. Rear rollup door- check thoroughly for bad rollers, hinges, broken tracks, frayed cables, loose bolts, etc. Lube well, including upper regulator bearings. 23. Service power tailgate. Check electrical connections for corrosion, and hydraulic oil level and possible water contamination. Is that enough for you? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I have nice pics of a broken 6.0 F-series fuel heater I found by accident. We changed the pump for a different problem and on teardown the heater was broken in half with no symptoms. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I've never seen a VT365 or any 6.0 without an EGR. Early VT's use the same EGR as Fords, later ones use the digital version with the separate EGR driver similar to a CF (VT275). Eichman, you did mean no EGR valve wiring, right? Not a typo meaning no EGRTPC wiring? I wonder what the hell that fits, like some kind of export or industrial application. It makes me wonder a lot of things, like what the PCM strategy is and etc. I have seen some pretty weird trucks out of the country. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

My bets on this truck: Low GP amperage (should be 195 initial, dropping to about 125 after 15 seconds. It's not your hard start problem if it's at least 140 or so) Poor quality fuel Poor injector spray pattern. If the GP amperage is good and FP quality/pressure looks OK, drain the FF and fill it with Stanadyne Performance Formula (PM-17A). If it runs and starts better, it's a fuel or injector problem. Use a process of elimination to figure out which. Good Luck! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I've seen that on older E40D's from the tranny filter coming loose in the pan and sucking air. Weird. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I'm sure the guys on this forum are better than average or the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, not all Ford dealer techs fall into this category. I hear constant reports from my students nationwide about lies and refusal to repair trucks told them by various SM's. It is truly a shame, and especially true on E-vans. The warranty Nazis tell the dealer they are too high in diesel, so the SM says, "I'll fix that, we won't do any more diesel." Then the lies start. They tell the cust, "They all do that", or give the truck a sunbath for a couple of weeks before the new guy pulls the short straw and has to work on the truck. He hangs the part which is easiest to change, doesn't road test the truck and gives it back to the cust broken. It is a shame. I have large E-van accounts (like ambulance and school bus fleets) that would rather eat the cost of the warranty repair and do it in-house than deal with the grief and down time of having it done at the dealer for free. There are too many people in too many areas telling me the same thing, so I know it's not a lie. I have also experienced this myself firsthand at Ford dealers. In a situation where the SM is lying to one of my top clients, we have physically gotten in the car and driven to the dealer, to have the SM lie to my face. I don't like being lied to. I am 6'5, 265 and have a tendency to have my ugly side show when somebody lies to me. It has not been a good scene. I have had top clients approach me with broken trucks that have been to dealers several times without being fixed. I have to diagnose the truck, write a letter including IDS captures and graphs, and have the cust take the letter to the dealer. Sometimes this gets the truck fixed, but sometimes it blows up in the cust's face. I don't know what the answer is- some dealers are open to a quality, well written letter of diagnosis, others practically tear it up in front of the customer. I have had the silliest things overlooked by techs- repeat trips back (documented on Oasis), and the tech never flashed the PCM to the latest cal, which fixed the problem. Sometimes I feel like giving up. What's the root problem? It has many facets: * Lack of training available to the techs. * Techs who are tired of having it shoved in their backside by the warranty dept. * Ford's "I don't care about the cust" attitude bleeding down from Dearborn in many ways. * No upsells on warranty work. * Ford not admitting they have a problem and installing new parts as kits like IH's Uptime programs. (This is a BIG one) * The general lack of quality people entering our field at a young age, along with a poor work ethic. There is a BIG difference in how IH administers warranty claims compared to how FMC administers the same claim. It is truly a study on the right way to do things and the wrong way to do things. It reflects in Ford's stock price and market share. The small glimmer of hope I hold on to are the guys on this forum. It is a bright spot on what sometimes looks like a very dim topic. "sigh"

The 6.4 will not run even a split second without (low) fuel pressure like the previous engines will. I pulled the FP fuse when I was hooking up my scope and it died like I killed the key. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

You're talking 6.0? Didn't Keith say they had a problem with the pins walking out of the cam? Short block time. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shrug.gif

Early on, like in '94-96, IH had different lengths of CMP's and a special ($$$) tool to check depth and adjust with the appropriate shim. It was weird- the CMP needs .030-.035" clearance and won't give a proper signal at .020", causing a hesitation. That's all old info and the '97 up CMP was made a bit shorter so no shim was needed on any engine. I know of several trucks fixed early in their life at the dealer by doing nothing more than installing a CMP shim. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shrug.gif This applied to both T444E (7.3PSD) and DT466E engines. The colored cups are for setting the "zero" level in the dial indicator for V8 and I6 engines. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I bought a new car and immediately checked all fluids, tires, etc. The tires were all at 24lb but the light wasn't on. I went on a trip, got some cold weather, and the TPMS light went on. I rechecked the tires twice and they were fine and continued on my trip. Later I unbolted the spare to find it at 20lb. PDI? What's that? Grrrrrr. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif

I won't debate there are some design flaws in this engine, but I also know many of these trucks with 200-300K+ miles and no major repairs. In fact most of them go this far without having the heads come off, as long as they remain stock. Dude, you're in the wrong forum. You should go hang out in one of the public PSD forums where you can shoot your mouth off and people will actually agree with you. There are too many guys on this forum who know what they're doing.

This is a gray area that can be debated forever. In my opinion, Johnny should be prosecuted because he's driving. In my opinion, the mfer's (insert whichever word you like here) and installers should also be held partly responsible. The problem is, how do you truly separate the devices sold for drag racing from the devices used on the street? The truth is that 95+% of these devices never see off-road use. In my opinion, pass laws WITH TEETH to prevent this type of offense. I don't consider myself a tree hugger, but if you look at the global warming thing, we've got big problems coming. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

If I had seen this, I would have explored a dead bank a bit more before teardown. I'd have pulled the FF or FF line, disabled the FP and looked for air coming back (or balloon test) cranking. I'd also have used the homemade light bulb to verify injector power. I agree with Jeff, if you have 4 dead on one side, it's probably not fuel quality as your prime concern. It definitely is your secondary concern, though. Will Ford pay to hang 4 injectors and ship it? The fuel check valve may or may not be a source of trouble, as I can blow through them both ways with my mouth. Checking it is a good idea, for sure. Good Luck! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I remember reading about a company installing such devices that was still prosecuted by the EPA even though a disclaimer was signed. It was something about "knowing it was to be used on-road" even though the disclaimer said off-road. I know Josh isn't going to like what I have to say anyway. I strongly recommend in my classes that NO performance modifications be made to any truck, and spend 30+ minutes talking about why. If you need more power, you bought the wrong truck, it's as simple as that. Also, explain to me why emission laws should apply to some people and not others? That would be like speed limits or murder laws only applying to part of the population. It simply doesn't make sense. There's a reason for these laws (emissions included) and nobody should be exempt. None of my vehicles have been modified and I see no reason to. I get behind these modified trucks in traffic, they stand on the throttle, and I can't see the traffic ahead because there is so much black smoke. I'm sure just ONE of these trucks makes more pollution than hundreds of stock trucks. These guys think they're so hot, and I think they're a*** Just my /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/2cents.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif