Surging??

Hey guys.. my truck has been playing games with me the last few days. On the way to work in the morning it always idles fine but when I start to accelerate it feels like its surging somehow.. kinda like if you were to switch from a lower tune to a hot tune. It will sometimes take off way more than what it should based on how I have the pedal pressed and then the bottom kinda falls out really quick like it got kicked in the balls and then will shoot back up to normalish/more than it should. It has done this in the past but it hasn't shown up the last 3 months and now its back. Only does it in the morning.. on the way home its perfect again (which I assume is irrelevant). Also it occurs in stock setting as well as any tune. My thoughts have been leaning towards a funky tps or something fuel related as I was at roughly 1/4 tank. I filled it up and it still did it after leaving the scene of the crime as it were. Last time I checked the icp sensor it had no oil in it when the problem first occured. Sorry for the long post but I wanted to include as much pertinent info as possible. Any thoughts on this would be awesome... Thanks

Try pulling the chip out and see if it still does it.

:whs:

It also sounds like the TPS could possibly be causing a problem.

Thanks for the ideas, I'll most likely do that tomorrow as I need to take it out to reburn it anyway. I was driving today and accidentally kicked my pcm shuffling my feet and it killed the truck. I just checked the pcm connector bolt and it was tight. I assume its a chip connection issue then. I had it duct taped well when I put it in but I guess maybe it has worked loose somehow. Have any of you guys cut out the back end of the black plastic case so that you dont have to deal with that PITA connector when removing your chip? Just a thought.. Thanks

Illinois7.3 said:

Thanks for the ideas, I'll most likely do that tomorrow as I need to take it out to reburn it anyway. I was driving today and accidentally kicked my pcm shuffling my feet and it killed the truck. I just checked the pcm connector bolt and it was tight. I assume its a chip connection issue then. I had it duct taped well when I put it in but I guess maybe it has worked loose somehow. Have any of you guys cut out the back end of the black plastic case so that you dont have to deal with that PITA connector when removing your chip? Just a thought.. Thanks

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I only cut a hole for my wires.

If I am understanding you correctly you are saying that you want to just be able to take out/put in the chip without undoing the PCM. I believe you have to disconnect the PCM anyway when doing anything with the chip, so I wouldn't waste my time.

Yeah I had the feeling it wouldnt work for some reason.. couldn't possibly be that easy

Could it possibly be your EBPV? Since it only does it in the morning during warmup kinda clues me in on that. Thats what it would feel like when mine would open and close when I had it.

91turbogsx said:

Could it possibly be your EBPV? Since it only does it in the morning during warmup kinda clues me in on that. Thats what it would feel like when mine would open and close when I had it.

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To add to this... Have you checked for codes? I know on my truck it threw a soft code about the EBPV.

No I have not been able to hook the truck up to check for codes. And also it did it on the way home even after the engine was warmed up.

Illinois7.3 said:

Thanks for the ideas, I'll most likely do that tomorrow as I need to take it out to reburn it anyway. I was driving today and accidentally kicked my pcm shuffling my feet and it killed the truck. I just checked the pcm connector bolt and it was tight. I assume its a chip connection issue then. I had it duct taped well when I put it in but I guess maybe it has worked loose somehow. Have any of you guys cut out the back end of the black plastic case so that you dont have to deal with that PITA connector when removing your chip? Just a thought.. Thanks

Click to expand...

All I have to do to pull my chip is put my keys in my pocket, reach down and pull the chip out.

I do have to pull the duct tape off first. Adds about two seconds.

Illinois7.3 said:

No I have not been able to hook the truck up to check for codes. And also it did it on the way home even after the engine was warmed up.

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I'm having the issue of surging after warmed up also. My truck runs great cold, but once it is warmed up it will surge at a stop while in park or drive. It does it regardless of whether my chip is in or not. I am going to do the EBPV delete once I find a good write up on it.

Oh P.S. Fill out your sig so we know what you have.

Well its been an eventful afternoon. I took out my chip and modified the black plastic box so I never have to mess with this connection again and when I go to put the connector back into the PCM I had it seated (or so I thought) and went to tighten it and then the damn bolt broke on me. Also one of the pins on the PCM kinda got bent and pushed into the box. (Which I was able to fix). I musta over tightened it I guess but I didnt think I was... kinda hard to put alot of force on a tiny 1/4" ratchet. But anyway after narrowly avoiding giving myself a stroke I got it all put back together and it started up and drove just fine, now I just cant secure the connection till I get that fixed.

Now.. 3 questions...

1) Did that pin being bent and pushed in hurt anything? It drove just fine after I fixed it but I dunno...

2) What do I have to do to fix my bolt situation? I know I'll have to get an extractor but is it possible to just get a new bolt from Ford or what all do I need?

3) Do any of you guys have an idea on how I can secure the connector while I wait to get this fixed permanently? The dealership is only open 730-5.. and my work hours are 7-5 :doh:


Anyway now to the original topic.. On my way to the ford dealership the truck did the same thing it had been before all this mess even with the chip out. I might be nuts but it seems like bumps sometimes would make it act funny. Now that we have eliminated that as the cause whats next on the list?? Still haven't been able to check for codes

Well took the truck on an hour drive or so today and put the cruise control on and the truck never acted up with it on but as soon as I took it off of cruise it would start acting up again. I'm leaning hard on it being a bad TPS.. What do you guys think?

Sounds like TPS if the truck didn't do it while you were driving with cruise on.

And about the PCM, I had a friend with a similar issue. He broke a bolt off blah blah blah. We ended up getting what was left of the bolt out of the PCM, and replacing it with a bolt from the hardware with the correct thread.

Good deal... Knowing how parts departments usually work I assume I would have to buy the whole pedal assembly or can I get just the sensor? Or would I be better off finding a junkyard unit??

I believe you can just order a TPS.

I believe Dorman makes just the switch.

ok this sounds like a similar issue i was having, i changed out hpop and ipr in my truckemup, after i changed that i had a check engine light come on, ICP this time, i had a 7.3 in the shop on a crate so i just popped the icp off that motor and swapped to mine. no more CEL. Ever since then its had a similar "surging feeling but only at 1/4-3/4 throttle 1600-2500 rpm. i got to thinking that maybe it was a bad icp so i unplugged it, sending the truck to a default mode (from what i understand? ). i drove it like that and the surge was gone... IM gonna shell out the $ for a new icp instead of findin a junker this time.

Thanks for the help fellas.. I appreciate it.:ford:

Well I check out Dorman and I couldnt figure out how to order the sensor... Do i have to talk to an auto parts store and have them order me one or how can I get one? I called the dealership and after explaining what model my truck was and what I was looking for 3 times he replied with "there isnt a throttle position sensor on a diesel." I told him thanks for looking and hung up.