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94 f350 PSD- cranks/ white smoke/ no start

14K views 130 replies 7 participants last post by  Tom Horn 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all and thanks for this forum- you all are gracious for sharing your knowledge on these old 7.3's- Thanks

Now as the title says- I have a problem, @ 3 weeks ago I parked for the nite and the next morning- cranks at @ 250rpm,WTS lite functions, engine oil pressure good. Went to change fuel filter and noticed the fuel heater element was no longer attached to the plate so I pulled the fuel bowl and cleaned it up put back together with reseal kit from Diesel O Rings (removed the heating element but put the plate back in) also all new fuel hoses. Checked the IPR and it ohmed at 10.5 ohms / supposed to be less than 10 ohms so replaced with motorcraft IPR from DOR. New one ohms at 0.1 ohms- good/ right? Also replaced the IPR connector/ soldered the connections and shrink tubing. Cranking fuel pressure is 48 psi at schrader valve. HPOP was full ( after sitting for three weeks)

Put everything back together and still no start so I ohmed the GP's/ injectors: GP's ohmed at 0.6 ohms on 5 of them and 2.2, 3.1,12.6 on the other three, need to replace them. GPR checked OK
The injectors ohmed at 2.6-2.9 ohms- so I think they are gtg.

I found oil in the ICP sensor so changed it with a 'Standard' brand from ORileys/ not Motorcraft. I am wondering if this could be the culprit?
I have checked all fuses under hood, in cab and all are good.

Old girl has @240,000 and has really been trouble free with regular filter changes and general maintenance.
Hope that the collective here can point me in the right direction to solving this.

Sorry for the long post but I am new to diesel's and wasn't sure what to try next? So thanks.

Thought that I should mention I just changed the oil and filter.
 
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#2 ·
If it is only showing 250 rpm check your CPS. The computer needs to see 450 rpm iirc. Are you reading this off a scan tool or just from the dash.

Any codes, the local parts houses usyally don't have the correct scan tools to properly read the PSD codes.

What is the ICP showing during cranking, again the computer needs to see above 500 psi.

Ant smoke out the exgaust pipe
 
#4 ·
Morning heavydoc, I have no scan tools or access to any. I have a digital vohm meter.I have changed the CPS- twice- and the dash tach says 250 rpm for each of them so isn't that an indication that the CPS is good ? Is there any way to hook-up a conventional tack to a 7.3?

IIRC the computer needs to see 450-500 PSI (not rpm) at the ICP. I am trying to find a high pressure oil guage to check the cranking injection oil pressure. Any recommendations?

Yes I had white smoke at the exhaust after the FB rebuild.

Thanks for the reply
 
#3 ·
The 450 number is for the ICP vice the rpm. If you are getting white smoke the HP oil and fuel should be good. Check the fuel pressure while cranking as it should be at least 25 psi at minimum 100 rpm crank speed. To check the glowplug relay (GPR), measure the voltage drop across the GPR's large terminals. While the GPR is active (up to 1.5 to 2 minutes after the key is turned to Wait-to-Start) put your meter leads on the large terminals (one lead on one large terminal and the other lead on the other large terminal). This measures how much voltage is being "lost" across the relay. A reading of 0.3V or more indicates a bad relay. Also, check the relay’s control wires (smaller wires) disconnected from the relay for battery voltage at the Red/Light Green striped wire and ground at the Purple/Orange striped wire (check both when the key is turned to Wait-to-Start). Cheers!
 
#5 ·
Just went out and chkd the GPR- results- battery voltage across two large terminals with key off-- key on shows voltage drop to .74/.76 volts. Time lapse @ 1 1/2 min and the GPR clicks and the voltage returns to 12.58 v. I think the GPR is bad- right?

Thanks for the reply Patrick- I believe you hit the nail on the head. I will order the White-Rogers (Stancor) GPR from DOR and go from there.

What are your feelings @ the non-motorcraft ICP? Should I get the OEM sensor.
 
#6 ·
A couple of other things I have a question about:
1) there is a '1" cube' shaped gizmo in the wiring harness (in front of the fuel bowl area) Pt.# 1821712C1. I googled this and it says it is an 'international control' ?? What is it's function? Is there any way to test?

2)Also, what is the difference between the gray CPS and the dark blue CPS?
 
#9 ·
As Tom said, the cube is associated with the Water In Fuel circuit, It is a solid-state switch. It shouldn't affect the starting. My thoughts on sensors is to use OEM only (unless of course you're forced to use aftermarket, nothing else available at the time, etc). Cheers!
 
#10 · (Edited)
Ha Patrick, Thanks for/on the confirmation of the 1" cube. After a month's worth researching on this forum I believe, as you and many others, that Ford PSD require OEM (for stock trucks at least).

When this originally manifested- the crank/ no start issue- I found oil in the ICP so I ran to O'rielly and picked up a new ICP (Standard #PC139). Now I've learned to buy OEM for this truck. Kick me please. On a positive note though I was able to come up with the HP oil guage so tomorrow I will know if the HPOP is gtg or in need of replacing. Fingers are crossed and my prayers have been said.

I did some window shopping and actually found out that I can do SD valve cover upgrade for almost a c-note less than if I stayed with the OBS. A little bit of time/ soldering will make this a non issue in the future- a good thing.

Now this morning, with the new GPR in I was getting 12.68v across the two large terminals- the same voltage as the batteries. During cranking the voltage dropped to .17v-.13v (GP's heating) and @ 1min 20sec later the GP's kick off and the battery voltage- across the large terminals on the GPR now show 10.47v and ended at 12.36v, is this about right? the dash tach was showing 250 rpm, the engine oil pressure idiot gauge showed @ vertical- about half scale? BUT no smoke !!!! no start!!!!!

Does anyone have a pinout diagram from the IDM connector out to the various components. I would really like to ohm that harness out- all the connections plugins look good so I'm not expecting wire troubles but ?
 
#12 ·
So when the relay is active and your test leads are on the two large terminals, you will be measuring the voltage drop across the relay. If it is indeed 12.68V, you have a bad relay. Alternatively you can measure the voltage on each large terminal (terminal to ground) and subtract the two values to get the voltage drop. Heavydoc has you covered on the tests for ohming out the wiring from IDM connector back. Cheers!
 
#14 ·
The initial voltage of 12.86 is only there for a moment and then it dropped. I will check voltage from terminals to ground in the AM.

Heavydocs post was not readable and the tech bulletin he ref. is @ a FICM (fuel injection control module)?
A shame, since it looks like that bulletin (that is to small to read) has a bunch of good info. in it.

Appreciate the help-
 
#13 ·
Update on diagonistic's- HPOP pressure was zip- nadah not even a needle flicker (measured at the ICP port on the oil rail, and/ but there was oil in the passage). If the IPR valve ( new from DOR) is not doing its thing could that cause a no oil pressure issue? Maybe a bad wire in the harness?? Or is this "0" oil pressure a bad pump thing and only that. I hope not.

I found your post Patrick on an old thread with the pdf on the pinout for the 42 pin connector- Thanks for posting that. We are supposed to get rain tommorrow afternoon but I think I'll have enough time to pull the engine top harness out so your pdf's will be very helpful. Boy I am so hoping I find a bad wire/ or two. Is there anything special about removing the harness??

Heavydoc- I appreciate the effort but the first part of your post is unreadable and when I googlefu 'GB tech bulletin 103 I get the part with the engine down to the IDM connector and thats' it. ??? The #104 concerns a FICM ?
 
#16 ·
Thanks heavydoc that helps a lot. Is there any way to view all the text that your unreadable post showed. You know- all the stuff before and after the pictures?

The wife just informed me that "we" are going shopping in the morning and then going to get the grand-daughters in Tulsa (an hour drive-both ways) they are coming for a long weekend. So I probably won't get much of a chance to do anything till monday. Thats OK- we have fun when they are here- and life will go on.
 
#19 ·
Uh? so what happened? Just when I was gonna mention has the valve covers gaskets ever been replaced and where did you check the glow plugs? If it is white smoke makes me think it be something without the glow plugs not heating properly. But!??? FICM is a possibility just never see it happen much.
 
#20 ·
Well the weather finally cleared this afternoon and I removed the upper engine harness. Using a digital VOM I checked continuity and resistance; from the 42pin plug to each plug-in and found that the fuel heater wire had melted the insulation from it and around the other wires at that point. I could not find any wire to wire (copper to copper) arc or burn so I'm not positive that is the problem or not. But I fixed all that bad wiring.

The rest of the harness shows continuity where it should be and all the wiring now shows 0.1 ohms. Should I go ahead and dismantle the harness and check for another melted wire? I mean since the harness is already out and all. I'll do that tomorrow

Tom the VC's are still on but I checked the GP's and injectors at the plug-ins on the VC gaskets and they are good except for #1,#3,#6 GP's- They are on the list to change. The only time I had white smoke was the first morning, no smoke since.

I checked the HPO at the ICP port in the head and got nothing. I replaced the IPR valve but nothing. I remember reading in an old thread about momentarily putting 12v to the IPR while cranking to check the HPOP. Does this sound familiar? Do you unplug the connector and then use a jump wire for + and - on the IPR or what?

Does a 1994.5 PSD have a FICM? Where is that little puppy hiding?
 
#21 ·
No FICM on the OBS trucks. In our case it would kind of be the IDM (silver box below the driver's hood hinge). The IDM provide the high voltage DC needed to "fire" each injector when the PCM commands it to do so. I probably wouldn't put 12V directly on the IPR (use jumpers with plug disconnected if you did as the circuit wires do go to the PCM and you don't want to mess that up), rather I would check to make sure the IPR coil is not Open and that there is 12V on the IPR plug when the key is in the run position. Since the heater wire has compromised some of the wiring in the harness, make sure that the IPR wiring in the fuel bowl wiring harness is in good shape. Cheers!
 
#24 ·
I was going to use another IPR plug-in/ with 12v to one pigtail and wire for ground pigtail. The only reason I want to do this is to test the HPOP and I will have a remote starter switch to handle the momentary engine cranking as well.

I won't be able to test the 12v at the IPR plug-in until I reinstall the upper engine harness. The IPR does ohm at 9.5ohms/ no short to ground.

The fuel bowl wiring harness is where the damage was and I replaced all but 1 wire/ soldered all connections and did them one at a time. Here is an interesting question thou; I did not have any wire as small (18 gauage?) as the factory wiring so I used 16 ga. wire- will this mess with the PCM as far as the signals to and from it are concerned?

I still need to physically inspect the wiring in the rest of the engine harness. I pinned out the harness from the 42 pin plug-in and it showed that the rest of the harness was good.

I did notice some oxidation/ corrosion on the male pins at the 42 pin plug-in and in the corresponding female pin sockets. What would the recommendation be for cleaning the pins/ sockets?

I really appreciate all of the help with this.
 
#25 ·
Tom, I was going to RxR the VC gasket's, just not sure about the condition of the UVCH? if there good then I'll probably just do the gaskets but if the UVCH is bad i might just do the SD/VC gaskets and UVCH. More wire splicing I know but a worthwhile upgrade. We will see? New FoMoCo glow plugs for sure.

And yes I tried plugging the truck in for @ 3hrs- didn't help.
 
#26 ·
The problems with the wiring is the connection on the valve cover gasket and the plugs. Not just the wiring under them

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
 
#28 ·
Hi Tom, I was planning on replacing the VC gaskets- just not sure whether or not I'll do the upgrade to the Superduty gaskets and UVCH. ??

Well it rained here on and off so I dismantled the upper engine harness and did not find anything that would indicate a melted or burnt wire so I rewrapped the harness. Now the weather person tells me that it is going to rain and have to wait till Thursday to install it back on the truck. Boy how I wish I had a shop.

Do you have any thoughts on cleaning the pins/ sockets on the 42-pin connector?

I really do appreciate the assist, you and the others, are providing on solving my crank- no smoke- no start issues.
 
#30 ·
I didn't know you could upgrade to Super Duty gaskets seeing how the SD had one connector and the OBS trucks have two. I guess it could be done but I don't see the advantage of it. But, as you mentioned cleaning pins well yes absolutely clean all pins run resistance checks with the terminals by using a male or female terminal whichever is needed if you know what I mean. If you have a male terminal get a female terminal and just slide in and out and feel if it seems to be making good contact. You may have to go to Ford and get some terminals. Also clean and clean with electrical spray and make sure the rubber gasket is good. Then use some dielectric compound not a lot but enough to seal it up and protect from corrosion. Ford is Bad about connection problems on the electrical connector. Drive a man nuts! If you got good eyeballs which I don't use a good eye and a lot of inspection. Look for the color of the terminal to be bright and shiny not the green color of death I see so many times.
Good luck on this sounds like a bear of a problem I don't know how else to advise you without hands on. Chances are it will turn out to be something really simple. ? :D
 
#29 ·
The problems is in the pins that pass through the valve cover gaskets and the connector, not the wire. Look at the outside pins, they are the ones for the glow plugs and is where the problem occurs.
 
#31 ·
The advantage of the SD setup is heavier gauge wire used for the glowplugs over the OBS setup (which are prone to burning). Cheers!
 
#33 ·
#35 ·
For OEM VC gaskets, OEM UVCHs, and Alliant pigtails (prices from 2 different vendors):

VC Gasket: $66.89 - $79.89 each
UVCH: $43.36 - $49.85 each
Pigtail: $29.95 - $32.85 each

So for parts about $280.40 using the cheapest of those prices. Add in a bit more if you need to purchase heatshrink tubing and solder, etc. Cheers!
 
#36 ·
Thanks Patrick, guess I be waiting till it starts messing up again. I do have one truck that needs this asap but it is used seldom. Hate to sound ignoramus again but why the VC gasket and the UVCH both? I never pulled VC cowers on a SD.?
 
#37 ·
The 99+ trucks use only a single plug on the valve cover gaskets where as the OBS trucks use two. So the under valve cover wiring needs to be changed out if you go with the 99+ style to utilize the single plug under the covers.
 
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