idm question

97f350stroker · Feb 29, 2012

Ok so its a little too late to ask this now but its been haunting me. I went to fire my truck up one day and nothing took about 12-15 cranking cycles to fire then once it did as soon as I gave it throttle it died and would not start. Took off the cap to the bowl and no fuel in it so I went ahead and changed the fuel pump. Got the bowl to fill back up and began my cranking cycles to get the prime back and nothing, not even smoke coming from the stacks. I did not have the tools to do a compression test so I went ahead and took it to Ford where they said I had excessive blowby and my motor was shot.

So my question is could it have been a bad idm being that I wasn't even getting smoke from the exhaust. It never threw a CEL, not sure if a bad idm will or not. I'm just curious I'm about done with my new motor full of goodies to put in but would like to know if I could have been driving my truck these last 6 months

PSDEng · Feb 29, 2012

Very possible. Actually, I would consider it highly likely that your problem was exactly that. Now, you can throw an IDM code w/o throwing a CEL. Very possilbe that it could have been a PCM problem as well. I just went through a similar situation. With that being said, I think one of the smartest investments you can make is Auto Enginuity. That way, when the Ford dealership says you need a new motor you can say, no I only need a new IDM.

97f350stroker · Feb 29, 2012

Well I wasn't to upset about it was a good excuse to get another motor and start adding the parts I have been wanting anyway. But yes you are right I do need AE, I usually refuse to take my vehicles anywhere but I gave in and I'm thinking I shouldn't have lol.

I was just curious so that when I swap motors I'm not freaking out when the new one wont start. Ill try to swap it out with one I know is good this weekend and see what happens.