Ford Power Stroke Nation banner

2013 6.7 starts then dies after a few seconds after major work

870 Views 12 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  bryank.99
My dad bought a 2013 f350 6.7 with 190,000 miles. The seller noted that the head gaskets were blown and that there was possible fuel injector failure. Just replaced head gaskets and put head studs on it. The truck started and ran fine prior to the work except for the combustion gases leaking into the coolant... Anyway, followed ford workshop manual as closely as I could for the whole procedure (cab off). I got it all back together and cycled the key 10 times and it would crank but not start. The scan tool showed code P2291. Fuel pressure would not build above 146 psi. Checked it out and found the line from the high pressure pump had not been torqued down. Torqued it down and still nothing. Pulled the fuel volume control sensor and the fuel pump was clean as a whistle inside. Not a visible speck of contamination or metal. Checked the sensor's internal actuation by a process I found in another discussion and determined it was not actuating correctly. Replaced the sensor and reprimed the system. Also installed new motorcraft batteries. The old ones were about six years old and pretty corroded. Still would crank but not build adequate pressure. Hit it with one quick shot of either and it fired and ran for about 10 seconds then died. Cycled the key again and cranked it over and it fired again after about five seconds of cranking and then died shortly after. I tired it five more times with the same symptoms. Put the scanner back on and show three codes, P1291, P1292 and TCM intermittent something or other, can't remember exactly. P1291 and P1292 are for injector short to ground on both banks so I removed the clips from each injector and tested each injector for continuity to ground and I didn't find anything. I carefully visually inspected the wiring harness from the PCM to each injector checking for chafes and breaks and didn't find anything.

I have not checked the resistance of each injector or the return volume. I have not tested for proper voltage at PCM terminal and I have not tested wire continuity from the PCM connector to each injector. I have a new fuel filter to put on the rail, but I ran out of time this week to do anything else.

This project is starting to stump me and I am looking for advice on things to check. Is this looking like multiple injector failure or aeration or something like that? I'm running out of ideas. I'm planning to do a resistance check on each injector next.

Here is a youtube link to a video of the start up symptom: 2013 6.7 PSD starts then dies after major work Codes P1291, P1292

Other notes: egr and dpf are deleted.

Also an interesting note is that this harbor freight scanner shows the PCM's top recorded speed to be 158 mph. I find that pretty incredible on a truck like this. Not sure I believe it. No wonder the head gaskets were blown.
See less See more
1 - 3 of 13 Posts
You need to do some more troubleshooting. Verify the low side is completely air free. Check over the injector wiring carefully. Measuring the fuel returns for the injectors would not be a bad idea.

have you tried keeping the throttle to the floor to keep it running?
You want no continuity or very high resistance to ground. Ground is controlled through the ECM. You’re just checking the wiring for short to ground outside of the ECM in that test. It’s possible you have an internal short to ground when that injector driver is energized in the ECM (stuck energized). It’s possible you may have an ECM issue with that internal error DTC and that injector circuit code.

Just a note but the fuel pressure never drops right off from the desired in your video, I’m not convinced that is why it’s stalling.

Did you test all the wiring from the injectors to the ECM?

Unplug cyl 1 injector and see if it starts. I doubt it will but worth a try
Put eight injectors in and it fired right up. Runs rough as expected until IQAs are programmed in. The hold down bolt for injector 5 broke off when I was taking the old injector out and that was a pain to make right. In case anyone is curious, I pulled the valve cover and just used a screw extractor from the hardware store. I put magnets around the hole to catch metal flakes from the drilling. Saw that there's like a $500 kit to get those out but the simple screw extractor worked great for me.

On the first crank after its been sitting a minute it cranks for about five full seconds before it fires which I would consider a little abnormal. I'll have my connector tomorrow to get set up with forscan and I'll look into that a little more if it's still an issue after I program the IQAs.
You need to drive it on the highway to bleed the high side completely. Your starting time is normal if you haven’t done that.

FYI most snap on scanners will program IQA codes if that’s what you’re using.

Glad to hear you got it fixed and thanks for the update.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
1 - 3 of 13 Posts
Top