[SuperDuty2004]

Hey, just wanted to introduce myself and tell ya'll about my truck. I'm Eric from Mid-Michigan and I am a proud owner of a early 2004 F-250 SuperDuty. I've had it for about 2 years and have ran into a few bumps in the road, but with 170,xxx miles I think I'm doing alright making my way 'bullet proofing' my truck, slowly of course. Recently married and bought house, therefore everything i do MUST be on a strict budget unless absolutely needed.... says the wife haha. So in short i cant do anything until its broke, lol. Basically to make a long story short, i have done a few injectors as needed, 2 being reconditioned injectors and one new dealer injector. I also had the HPOP replaced while stranded last new years UP north. I installed a sinister EGR delete kit including up pipe, and have been using T6 synthetic oil and Motorcraft filter every 5000. Been replacing fuel filters with OEM filters every 10000 miles. I've also upgraded a few steering/suspension/driveline components along the way.

On to the current issues, which are being taken care of. The truck bucks, shakes, and misses terribly when cold. Also get the magic blue smoke while idling cold. The engine never warms up on cold days, I'm even lucky to see it get up operating temperatures when its 60* out. To take care of these issues, i have a new thermostat, 7 new injectors coming, updated stand pipes/dummy plugs, new ICP and IPR, and the 'blue spring' fuel pressure regulator upgrade kit. I am hoping this will fix my issues. If not, I will have a lot of explaining to do to the wife when she sees that $2200 didn't fix the problems.

Thanks for reading and I would be happy to hear your advice on how you feel I'm doing or if I'm a complete idiot haha.

Eric

 

[deesle]

So the only thing I think you are going into left field on is that you do not have things pin pointed. I would probably diag it a bit more before throwing too much money at parts. I would test the following: Coolant pressure, compression, injectors (easy for ford to test, if not spend the money for AutoEnginuity) at a minimum.

EDIT Ford can test it for you for an hour of labor usually, sometimes you have to read between the lines with them since they can be a bit shady at times. I had mine diag'd and they told me a different story each time I asked. First they said it needs all injectors, then they said 3, then they said 2. So just be careful. In my view its best to be able to test everything yourself.

 

[southend]

Welcome, first and foremost you need to consider this.....http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/showthread.php?t=259257
Sounds like you may have a ficm problem, and failed thermostat. You can google ficm check procedure.

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

 

[SuperDuty2004]

So the only thing I think you are going into left field on is that you do not have things pin pointed. I would probably diag it a bit more before throwing too much money at parts. I would test the following: Coolant pressure, compression, injectors (easy for ford to test, if not spend the money for AutoEnginuity) at a minimum.

EDIT Ford can test it for you for an hour of labor usually, sometimes you have to read between the lines with them since they can be a bit shady at times. I had mine diag'd and they told me a different story each time I asked. First they said it needs all injectors, then they said 3, then they said 2. So just be careful. In my view its best to be able to test everything yourself.

Thanks for the information. Last fall/early winter i used REV X in my oil system. It help a lot. I figured it would only be a bandaid for the issues i was having, but i was just trying to buy some time before i had to do injectors/routine maintence. Considering that the oil treatment helped so much, I feel I'm 99% sure i have a few injector problems, and i dont want to continue picking at them replacing one at a time. I would like to get a gauge set, what are you guys using for gauges. I don't want a tuner, but i know some tuners will supply me with most all the info i need.

Thanks

 

[southend]

You should test fuel pressure and ficm, if you are having injector failure. To monitor and pull codes, I use edge insight cts, scanguage II is good, and if you are an I phone junkie, the dashboss is good from what I hear.

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

 

[xjeeper]

FICM caused my cold start problems, also do not forget the lift pump, and filters my 04 started withsimilar cold start problems and a $30 home FICM repair did the trick for a couple years, I saw low FICM voltage this summer and got a new BPD FICM in preparation for this winter.

 

[SuperDuty2004]

Alright, I will check the FICM while im in there next weekend. Thanks for the info guys, ill look into the insight and scangauge.

 

[xjeeper]

Dealers have been known to get an injector code, or two, or4 and replace them, when a FICM was the real problem.

 

[kdawgg11]

Welcome sounds like FICM to me to but my opinion

 

[SuperDuty2004]

If it was FICM, do you think REV-X would have made much of a difference?

 

[southend]

If it was FICM, do you think REV-X would have made much of a difference?

No. But with that said, as ficm's warm up, they tend to respond better. As stiction does.

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

 

[SuperDuty2004]

Alright. Im going to diagnose the FICM to make sure it is putting out correct voltage. When i used REV-X last fall, it made a huge difference.

 

[Tuscany]

Ok Southend is right on here. When diagnosing any injector problem you start with the electrical side first. Take the batteries out and get a good charge on them then have them load tested individually. Then put back in the truck and check the charging system. If those check out to be good than check FICM voltages at key on engine off, key on engine cranking and key on engine running. If it drops to 45v at anytime suspect a failing FICM.

If the FICM is bad repair/replace then diagnose the injectors.

Also with an early 04 MY truck you still have the 03 engine and that doesn't have stand pipes or dummy plugs. The late build 04's do but not the early build.

 

[SuperDuty2004]

Ok Southend is right on here. When diagnosing any injector problem you start with the electrical side first. Take the batteries out and get a good charge on them then have them load tested individually. Then put back in the truck and check the charging system. If those check out to be good than check FICM voltages at key on engine off, key on engine cranking and key on engine running. If it drops to 45v at anytime suspect a failing FICM.

If the FICM is bad repair/replace then diagnose the injectors.

Also with an early 04 MY truck you still have the 03 engine and that doesn't have stand pipes or dummy plugs. The late build 04's do but not the early build.

I'm still trying to figure all this out, whether or not i have an early or late '04. When i did the other injectors, i did not need any special tools to remove the oil rail, i just pryed up easily for removal. Is that an early or late '04?

 

[xjeeper]

What is the build date of the truck,and does it have an electriacl plug on the passenger valve cover?

 

[SuperDuty2004]

No, there is no electrical plug on passenger side valve cover, but per mitchel online, the early engines you need a few special tools to release high pressure oil web that sits under valve cover and the later engines you just easily pry up. This is why im confused.

 

[southend]

No, there is no electrical plug on passenger side valve cover, but per mitchel online, the early engines you need a few special tools to release high pressure oil web that sits under valve cover and the later engines you just easily pry up. This is why im confused.

As far as the early year, there are hpo hoses that connect to the oil rail. Those hoses have an stc fitting that uses a tool to disconnect them. I didn't use that tool, I just used two screwdrivers to gently disconnect them. Then the oil rail is unbolted and lifts up.

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

 

[SuperDuty2004]

On mine i just used a prybar and lightly pryed up on it to remove it. i guess thats what i can remember though. I dont remember the line to disconnect. So the early builds dont need the stand pipes and dummy plugs?

 

[southend]

On mine i just used a prybar and lightly pryed up on it to remove it. i guess thats what i can remember though. I dont remember the line to disconnect. So the early builds dont need the stand pipes and dummy plugs?

No standpipes or dummy plugs on early 03 - 04. Standpipes dummy plugs on 04 with the icp on the right front valve cover, but not stc on the hpop.

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

 

[SuperDuty2004]

well guess ill get some money back when i return the parts. Thanks for the info.