Need help from the experts (again) PO273

[67rstbkt]

Well, just like the title states I need help from the experts again. My venture into the diesel world is not going well. Here's the history: I bought this 2003 F250 about a month or so ago. Soon after (the first week) the FICM went out, so I had FICMrepair fix and upgrade it and I was back on the road. In the meantime, I picked up a scanguageII.

I changed the oil last week with Rotella T6 and added Archoil AR9100. I noticed that the wrong filter was installed, so I ordered a new cap and installed a new Motorcraft filter last night (I left the wrong NAPA filter in there in between).

I also changed the under truck HFCM filter last Sunday. I used an autozone filter because it's what I had at the time, but am planning on swapping to Motorcraft asap.


So there's the whole story. Everything was going well until this morning, I noticed it felt off when I started it (kind of shaking) I drove a couple of miles and then drove back. The check engine light came on and I get code PO273 for injector 5. So did I just lose an injector? Could any of the above have contributed? Anything I need to check first? I do hear a clacking noise from under the driver side valve cover, so I'm assuming it all points to injector 5. Just want to hear your thoughts on this.


Thanks for the help

[justinmix]

Well that code is for an electrical fault of the injector. It's totally unrelated to anything you've done to the truck since it's an electrical fault. It's either something with the FICM, the wiring harness, or the injector itself. My guess would be an injector issue but you would need to do some diagnostics to confirm this.

Did you try clearing the code out and seeing if it comes right back?

If I was working on the truck I'd be doing an injector buzz test and seeing if #5 is buzzing. If it wasn't then I'd plug in a new injector externally and re-run the buzz test and see if it buzzed. If it did that would tell me it's not the FICM or the wiring harness and it is the injector, at which point I would replace the #5 injector.

Number #5 injector is actually on the passenger side by the way.

[67rstbkt]

Originally Posted by justinmix

Well that code is for an electrical fault of the injector. It's totally unrelated to anything you've done to the truck since it's an electrical fault. It's either something with the FICM, the wiring harness, or the injector itself. My guess would be an injector issue but you would need to do some diagnostics to confirm this.

Did you try clearing the code out and seeing if it comes right back?

If I was working on the truck I'd be doing an injector buzz test and seeing if #5 is buzzing. If it wasn't then I'd plug in a new injector externally and re-run the buzz test and see if it buzzed. If it did that would tell me it's not the FICM or the wiring harness and it is the injector, at which point I would replace the #5 injector.

I did try clearing the code and it came right back. The truck is definitely not running right either, kind of rough idle. How to I run the injector buzz test? Or should I just search that?

Thanks

[justinmix]

Sorry, I should have elaborated on that more. The only way to do that is with a scan tool such as AE or any of the more advanced scan tools out there. You either need to get ahold of a scan tool to verify the issue, or you could try pulling the valve cover and inspecting the injector. I've seen the lock nut come off the injector solenoids and cause this code, or the solenoid just burnt up.

I'd also be double checking the FICM plugs and make sure their fully seated, and look over the injector wiring harness for rubbed spots. If all that checks out then you could try replacing the #5 injector, or you could switch that injector out with another one and see if the problem follows the injector. In other words, if you switch out the #5 injector with #3 and then start getting a code for the #3 injector, then it's the injector that's failed. If you switch it and you're still getting a #5 code, then it's a FICM or wiring issue. Make sense?

You can either put in the time and swap stuff around, or have it diagnosed, or pay for the scanner to diagnose it. If I had the truck I could tell you in about 5 minutes if it was an injector or a FICM/wiring issue. If you try and swap around injectors to verify the issue expect to spend about 6 hours doing it, depending on how mechanically inclined you are!

[67rstbkt]

Originally Posted by justinmix

Sorry, I should have elaborated on that more. The only way to do that is with a scan tool such as AE or any of the more advanced scan tools out there. You either need to get ahold of a scan tool to verify the issue, or you could try pulling the valve cover and inspecting the injector. I've seen the lock nut come off the injector solenoids and cause this code, or the solenoid just burnt up.

I'd also be double checking the FICM plugs and make sure their fully seated, and look over the injector wiring harness for rubbed spots. If all that checks out then you could try replacing the #5 injector, or you could switch that injector out with another one and see if the problem follows the injector. In other words, if you switch out the #5 injector with #3 and then start getting a code for the #3 injector, then it's the injector that's failed. If you switch it and you're still getting a #5 code, then it's a FICM or wiring issue. Make sense?

You can either put in the time and swap stuff around, or have it diagnosed, or pay for the scanner to diagnose it. If I had the truck I could tell you in about 5 minutes if it was an injector or a FICM/wiring issue. If you try and swap around injectors to verify the issue expect to spend about 6 hours doing it, depending on how mechanically inclined you are!

Thanks for he extra info on that. I'm going to re-check connections again, even though I'm pretty sure they are fine. Can I unplug that injector and test for voltage there? There should be 48 volts there, correct? That would eliminate the FICM and wiring too, right? Or am I on the wrong track with that?

[justinmix]

No, your on the right track, I've just never done it that way since I have a scan tool! Guess I'm spoiled. I guess you could try using a multi meter and seeing what you have but I'm not sure which pins are what at the injector. But yes, if you get a voltage reading there then it's not the FICM/wiring harness and is more likely the injector. I remember one tech, Mchan, on here talking about using a noid light he'd rigged up for testing the wiring but I can't remember how he did it....

[67rstbkt]

Originally Posted by justinmix

No, your on the right track, I've just never done it that way since I have a scan tool! Guess I'm spoiled. I guess you could try using a multi meter and seeing what you have but I'm not sure which pins are what at the injector. But yes, if you get a voltage reading there then it's not the FICM/wiring harness and is more likely the injector. I remember one tech, Mchan, on here talking about using a noid light he'd rigged up for testing the wiring but I can't remember how he did it....

Thanks, I'll start out at the wiring then. I'm hoping this is not a sign of things to come. I've put maybe 500 miles on this truck since I bought it and got the T6 and AR9100 to prolong injector life and that just seems like a waste of money now. Unless the injector was already on it's way out, but I really had no warning if it was. No stiction or odd noises.

[justinmix]

Well ar9100/rev-x/hot shot secrets are all things that help free up the spool valve of the injector, which is the issue from injector stiction. Injector stiction is a mechanical issue with the high pressure oil spool valve. What you have going on now is an electrical issue on the injector, not a mechanical issue.

An injector can really fail in 3 different ways. The fuel side, the high pressure oil side, or the electrical side. Most times with 6.0 injectors it usually the high pressure oil side, followed by the fuel side, then last electrical issues, at least in my experience. So at this point I'm thinking it's just a coincedence that this happend, but you'll have to verify what's failed and see.

[67rstbkt]

Originally Posted by justinmix

Well ar9100/rev-x/hot shot secrets are all things that help free up the spool valve of the injector, which is the issue from injector stiction. Injector stiction is a mechanical issue with the high pressure oil spool valve. What you have going on now is an electrical issue on the injector, not a mechanical issue.

An injector can really fail in 3 different ways. The fuel side, the high pressure oil side, or the electrical side. Most times with 6.0 injectors it usually the high pressure oil side, followed by the fuel side, then last electrical issues, at least in my experience. So at this point I'm thinking it's just a coincedence that this happend, but you'll have to verify what's failed and see.

After listening to it idle for a while, I do think I hear some stiction going on. I did find a chaffed wire on number 5, but it was not cut through or shorting to anything (I soldered and insulated it). I'll have to trace out the rest and make sure the wiring is ok. I was able to clear the code using my scanguageII, but it still idles rough and runs a little rough. It smooths out substantially if I get on the gas pedal. I feel roughness cruising at around 55 mph (13-1500rpm). The check engine light came back on after I drove it around and let it idle for awhile, same code PO273.

Another question, I was going through my scanguageII X-gauge codes and programmed in ICP, it's showing 33 right now. That does not seem to align with what I think the guage is for. Does anyone have this programmed in and if so, what should my reading be? (The paper work for scanguage defines it as Injector Control Pressure)

Thanks again

[southend]

This is what happened when I lost an injector. Same type of symptoms.
Why you shouldn't drive around with injector codes!

The icp should show from 500-3000psi at given times while running. I'm not sure how those things are programmed. I've never messed with one.

Sent from my phone that somebody didn't help me get.