7.3L Dies Randomly

Black 02 · Jan 4, 2016

Jomax said:
What ICP brand did you buy? I plug it and see if it goes always. I had the same issue. And my Napa ICP sensor was bad... Put a ford in and never had an issue again.

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It was a Ford ICP sensor through Riffraff diesel out here.

Jomax · Jan 4, 2016

Black 02 said:
It was a Ford ICP sensor through Riffraff diesel out here.

Doesn't hurt to unplug it and see if this issue goes away.

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ToMang07 · Jan 4, 2016

Jomax said:
Meant to say unplug but auto text got in the way lol

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Gotcha.... kinda read it and went "huh?" lol

TyCorr · Jan 4, 2016

I don't think thats the issue at all.

Ipr maybe...pcm or hydra

dsberman94 · Jan 4, 2016

TyCorr said:
I don't think thats the issue at all.

Ipr maybe...pcm or hydra

ipr wouldnt cause that WTS light to stay on though. truck usually just dies and may or may not restart right away.

TyCorr · Jan 4, 2016

dsberman94 said:
ipr wouldnt cause that WTS light to stay on though. truck usually just dies and may or may not restart right away.

Good thing he doesnt have a wts light issue right?

And to answer your relevant question, no.

dsberman94 · Jan 4, 2016

TyCorr said:
Good thing he doesnt have a wts light issue right?

And to answer your relevant question, no.

actually he does, first post said glow plug wait to start light stayed on with the key. Which in my experience with the exact thing happening, PCM connection issue. Whether it be a wire shorting, a bad chip connection, or a bad PCM, Doesn't point to an ipr.

TyCorr · Jan 4, 2016

Black 02 said:
Very odd that typically the check engine light and water in fuel light would come on when it died.

dsberman94 said:
actually he does, first post said glow plug wait to start light stayed on with the key. Which in my experience with the exact thing happening, PCM connection issue. Whether it be a wire shorting, a bad chip connection, or a bad PCM, Doesn't point to an ipr.

A truck dying out of nowhere, does happen with iprs. I keep forgetting you have been driving these trucks for 15 years.

And show me how a wif light is a wts light.

dsberman94 · Jan 4, 2016

TyCorr said:
A truck dying out of nowhere, does happen with iprs. I keep forgetting you have been driving these trucks for 15 years.

And show me how a wif light is a wts light.

yes, thank you, i just went through the truck dying from a bad ipr. never did the RPMs just drop to 600 with a dead pedal, nor did it ever throw a WIF light when it died either. just the typical "check gage" and "red battery" lights like when any vehicle dies. also it never just restarted, always had to cool off first. never did it just restart. never had an issue connecting to the chip after the ipr killed it, never had WTS light stay on when the ipr killed it. WTS light staying on is PCM issue, with the click of a relay under the dash and the pcm/chip working again, the wts light going out, and the truck starting points to a wiring short or a bad pcm connection.

By the way, here's the quote from the first post. WTS light stays on with the key.

Black 02 said:
All of the dash warning lights were on like when you first start the truck, but the glow plug wait light wouldn't go off. It was staying on with the key on. Also, the hydra kept reading 00. I couldn't change the programs on it. Just stayed on 00.

Black 02 · Jan 4, 2016

TyCorr said:
A truck dying out of nowhere, does happen with iprs. I keep forgetting you have been driving these trucks for 15 years.

And show me how a wif light is a wts light.

Guys, I'm not looking for an argument. I appreciate both your help.

When the truck was originally dying (either completely dead or when it would die down to 600 RPM), the check engine light and water in fuel light was on when I would be coasting to a stop.

Last night, the truck wouldn't start. The check engine light and the glow plug light were on continuiously with the key on. The glow plug light would never go off. While this was happening, the hydra read 00 and would not change programs. When the truck finally started last night, the glow plug light went out and the hydra switched to 01. This happened after I heard a very faint click under the dash.

mandkole · Jan 4, 2016

Agree that its a power supply issue--the click is pcm relay getting its power load. Does the fuel pump run when keyed during this time? The fuel pump, pcm and IDM all get the same power load source.

Id be going back under the hood. Definitely be looking at grounds, etc.

V-Ref · Jan 4, 2016

TyCorr said:
"Rebuilt 4r........" in his sig Tim.

Taptalk

My bad

Black 02 · Jan 5, 2016

mandkole said:
Agree that its a power supply issue--the click is pcm relay getting its power load. Does the fuel pump run when keyed during this time? The fuel pump, pcm and IDM all get the same power load source.

Id be going back under the hood. Definitely be looking at grounds, etc.

Yes, I checked the engine grounds and etc. Everything seems tight. I'll look again. I know the one on the back of the head by the AC box is in because it's a biach. I also know the ones on the front of the engine are good.

It's so frustrating because so random. Not like it happens when I hit a bump or anything.

I am about 75% sure the fuel pump was running. I tied the Fuelab into the factory power so it runs for awhile and then kicks off like the factory pump did. I wish it was still dead. It would make it easier to diagnose.

mandkole · Jan 5, 2016

Fug.. Ok, well that leaves key power and PCM to create an on or off signal. The WIF is powered with key so that's ruling out an ign switch issue or something like that. Back to the PCM?

I put the handy diagram up just in case.

Black 02 · Jan 5, 2016

Can the PCM relays go bad? I wonder if the relay is getting weak. Or maybe the PCM is tripping the relay. I definitely heard a click and then the hydra showed 01 and the glow plug light went out and the truck fired up.

TyCorr · Jan 5, 2016

Black 02 said:
Can the PCM relays go bad? I wonder if the relay is getting weak. Or maybe the PCM is tripping the relay. I definitely heard a click and then the hydra showed 01 and the glow plug light went out and the truck fired up.

Of course they can...andy suggested that right abouts in the beginning of the thread.

Jomax · Jan 6, 2016

Black 02 said:
Can the PCM relays go bad? I wonder if the relay is getting weak. Or maybe the PCM is tripping the relay. I definitely heard a click and then the hydra showed 01 and the glow plug light went out and the truck fired up.

He fuse panel under the hood.

You have four black square relays.

From front to back is, pcm, IDM, Horn, trailer marker lamps.

Switch the horn relay with the pcm relay to test.

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Arisley · Jan 6, 2016

Black 02 said:
Can the PCM relays go bad? I wonder if the relay is getting weak. Or maybe the PCM is tripping the relay. I definitely heard a click and then the hydra showed 01 and the glow plug light went out and the truck fired up.

I actually had the relay connections get dirty, truck would randomly die. Unplug and plug in relay a few times and it would fire up. Contact cleaner and a cut up emory board cleaned up the contacts. No issues since.

Black 02 · Jan 6, 2016

Arisley said:
I actually had the relay connections get dirty, truck would randomly die. Unplug and plug in relay a few times and it would fire up. Contact cleaner and a cut up emory board cleaned up the contacts. No issues since.

Truck sat almost a year without heat or an engine through my fiasco. Maybe it's possible they got damp or dirty. I'll check tonight.

Black 02 · Jan 9, 2016

Went to start the truck again and the thing was dead. Check engine and wait to start light stayed on continuously. The hydra said "nS" now.

I wiggled the relays and nothing seemed to happen. I checked and found fuse #12 (20 amp) was blown. It's supposed to be the cigar lighter/OBD II. I am going to go get one now.