[bismic]

When pressurized gas breaks through a seal at over 200 psig differential, perfectly good seal material can degrade....if it has insufficient physical properties. This is because gas is compressible and liquid is incompressible (much energy is released with the gas "escape"). We already know that leaks are way too prevalent, and our seal material hasn't proven to be anything to brag about. The top quality seal materials are expensive!

Just because some people have done it and gotten away with it doesn't mean everyone will. If you do not have a leak at 200 psig nitrogen (or air), you WON'T have a leak at 4000 psig oil. There is simply no need.

Use at your own risk, but the philosophy (of not using excessively high pressure gas in hydraulic system pressure testing service) comes from industrial experiences much more broad than the automotive repair industry.

 

[6LiterTeter]

Circuit Board Medics kindly exchanged the FICM (extremely professional). Will install shortly. Had a dream last night that it was a blown head gasket. May not be too unrealistic…

 

[6LiterTeter]

Update. Circuit Board Medics replaced the FICM and even installed the PHP tune no charge. This resolved the slight bobble/funky idle. The p0278 did come back however.

Dug up the old paperwork from when my Dad first bought it with 112k miles on it. He took it Powerstroke Specialty (powerstrokehelp) where they did some work and a thorough inspection. Guess what? “P0278 DTC present at this time”. I’m thinking this code has probably been there for the last 127,000 miles. dad never really checked the codes on the Edge. Showed him how but he never could remember weeks later. He watched the PIDs like a hawk though and was quick to call me when he saw an issue.

I realize the code probably indicates something is amiss but with years of perfect oil analyses, diligent service history, and many miles of heavy pulling as needed it might mean I need to stop fretting about it so much and just drive it. When it needs an overhaul or a motor, we’ll just do it and come out better not having to finance a new truck.

Only thing left to do is paint (can’t find anybody) and figure out why I have a driveline vibration after a complete rebuild/balance/rebalance of the driveshaft.

 

[6LiterTeter]

Latest update… the IPR valve is original and wasn’t replaced with the oil cooler (Motorcraft) a few years back. My master tech friend tells me the IPR valve should always be replaced when the oil cooler is R&R’d. Because of the obvious crud breaking loose. He swears this can cause a contribution code and, has seen it several times. I’m asking for opinions on this… yeah, I know what they say about opinions.

 

[6LiterTeter]

Update… haven’t messed with the IPR because I’m just not convinced. However I did get a random fuel delivery error code (p1348 I think) the other day and started combing the forum. Noise from the cmp/ckp resonated for some reason. Went out to a cold engine. Cleared codes, reset adaptive tables, and then went under and wiggled the harnesses and wiring for both cmp and ckp sensors. Started cold engine and it ran smooth as glass until 138ect and then a p0266 appeared along with a “bobble” at idle. Hm. So the contribution code “moved” from 6 to 2. I obviously have cam and crank sync. Might do an expensive experiment and replace both sensors and pigtails. This is a weird one but I’m going to figure it out.

 

[6LiterTeter]

“If at first you don’t succeed, throw parts at the sombitch”.

 

[bismic]

I believe that the part number below is the correct one for replacing the check valve that FordDoctor mentioned earlier (03 engine):

3C3Z-6N853-BA

SNUBBER VALVE OIL RAIL 03-04 6.0

RRF3C3Z6N853BA

oregonfuelinjection.com

 

[6LiterTeter]

Needed some Bismic and Hydro in my life today. Thank you for that. Ordering that part from Autonation WBL. Slingin parts

 

[bismic]

I hope it helps. Sometimes you have to do a bit of that unfortunately.

FordDoctor has seen a lot, and his thoughts are valuable!

Another post of his identifies shorts in the injector harnesses in the 03 engine as possible problems, and this can happen without throwing codes (but certainly not common to not throw a code). While the engine is running, the injector harnesses need to be poked and prodded!

 

[6LiterTeter]

An update here… I drove an hour and a half to the airport Monday morning at 3:45 a.m. 24.5 mpg according to my Edge CTS2. Noticed some surging and weird idle (revving/lunging a bit at stoplights). Other than that, pretty good except for an occasional shift flare between 2nd and 3rd.

An aside… picked up my rental car at LaGuardia at 8:30 and drove in to Paramus NJ. The traffic was a nightmare.

Drive back from the airport at 11:00 pm that same day (Self employed gotta do what ya gotta do) and noticed the same symptoms. Had some open road so I gave it a few full throttle runs. Had the heater on. ECT and EOT were around 186/190 respectively. Heater was blowing like Fukushima (I know probably still too soon). After doing so, the weird running condition seemed to smooth out. . No weird idle at stop lights other than the bobble associated with cylinder 6 contribution.

Parked the truck at 12:35 a.m. and waited until 9:30 or so to pop the hood. Sure enough, evidence of coolant spray from the cap. I’m going to perform a traditional pressure test to make sure it isn’t a hose or the cap. Will perform a separate test by teeing in to the hose with a pressure gauge and test drive. I suspect I have a good old fashioned blown head gasket.

Is it causing the p0278? No guarantee. But I’ll find out when we have it apart. I’ll do the revisions while I’m in there as well as all of the other suggested replacement items. Pictures will follow.

 

[bismic]

I sure am anxious for you to get that code fixed!!

 

[6LiterTeter]

I sure am anxious for you to get that code fixed!!

Me too. I still have the parts for the hpo system you suggested and will install while I’m in there. My master tech buddy said he’ll charge me $3500 to do the work in his home shop. I kind of want to take him up on that offer with me visiting every other day or so to snap pics and glean wisdom. I am NOT a mechanic… but I’m good with tools and like to be precise in my work. Realistically this job is probably too much for me to take on at the moment.

I’m 44. Self employed. Planning to build a house and shop next year. We’re nowhere close to being wealthy. Burning the candle at both ends because that is what I was taught to do. Need to make sure this truck is tip-top going in to all of this. Don’t want a payment on a new one.

 

[Alaskanfun]

Circuit Board Medics kindly exchanged the FICM (extremely professional). Will install shortly. Had a dream last night that it was a blown head gasket. May not be too unrealistic…

Man I know when something is bugging me whenever I have a dream about them. Hope you get this squared away without too much throwing of cash at it.

 

[6LiterTeter]

Man I know when something is bugging me whenever I have a dream about them. Hope you get this squared away without too much throwing of cash at it.

Yessir… me too. I’ll update this thread when I have answers. It’s my Dad’s old truck… he is no longer around but I’m going to make it right in his honor (even though he would tell me not to worry about it).

 

[Hydro]

About an inch below the low water line on the coolant bottle -- sometimes will "fix" the problem of blowing out coolant
if there is a head gasket leak, well that is a whole different ball of wax -- pressure gauge will tell if that is the case

 

[6LiterTeter]

Verdict is head gasket failure. The pressure gauge climbed to 16 psi after several full throttle runs.

I’m gonna let my senior master tech friend handle this in his shop at home.

 

[Hydro]

16 psi after several full throttle runs

Kind of the norm for this engine
if you had said that went to 16 psi upon start up
or on the first acceleration
That would be a head gasket failure

I would suggest that a lot of these engines are running every day with a head gasket "seep"
Does your engine have an eminent gasket failure ? ...Maybe
but these are a compression "leaky" engine to start with,

 

[6LiterTeter]

Kind of the norm for this engine
if you had said that went to 16 psi upon start up
or on the first acceleration
That would be a head gasket failure

I would suggest that a lot of these engines are running every day with a head gasket "seep"
Does your engine have an eminent gasket failure ? ...Maybe
but these are a compression "leaky" engine to start with,

Interesting take. Not the first person to say that to me. The upper rad hose is now super “swolen” which I hadn’t really looked closely at… and the coolant definitely has the odor associated with combustion gasses intruding. I think it’s a mild leak/beginnings of failure but I’m all over it. I want to tear it down to see if there is something glaring that lends to the #6 contribution code. It’ll be a chance for me to learn more as it is torn down. My buddy Eric… he has torn down hundreds of these motors, cleaned/sanded the heads and blocks, gone back with ARP studs and no fuss/no muss… guys and girls have been running hundreds of thousands of miles on his work without issue for $3k-$3500. No “revised” pushrods, no o-ringed heads. Just good, old fashioned measuring and common-sense engine building. Many times he’s been asked to use new TTY bolts with the revised specs and hasn’t seen a failure yet. This all intrigues me as everything we read is… contradictory at best. I’m gonna let him pray over it and then accept the advice he gives me. If you met him and had the chance realize what he he knows, you might understand. We will see. He stands behind his work so I’m not worried.

 

[6LiterTeter]

Also @Hydro, you remind me of Eric (in writing) with common sense and ease associated with applied knowledge. You and most of the members here are just way smarter than I am with this power plant and it makes me feel like all hope isn’t lost when it comes to counting on people with more knowledge and skill to help.

There’s your feel good for the night. I’m gonna go cry about the amount of money I’ve spent on both of these 6.0’s this year… still cheaper than a payment on one new truck.

Edited to remove specific names because there are too many to list!

 

[Hydro]

LoL, ...don't know about smarter,(everyone has strengths) ...but I have had plenty of hands on , IH, Case, Steiger, and later on Kubota
These trucks share many similarities , ...tho I find that they are a lot simpler than the tractors

Glad to be included in that list of names, but there are others here that "know their bidness" also , ....too many to list
This is a good bunch of guys that don't give a guy a hard time if they screw up, and try to instruct for the benefit of the forum and these PowerStrokes