7.3L diesel advice

[casadejohnson]

I just ordered real Gauges tonight. I went with Isspro EV2's. All the kits I found for the OBS trucks had the gauges that did not match the factory gauges. I shopped for days before I went back to RiffRaff and put my own gauge set together. for $20 more than the best price I found on a gauge "kit" I got exactly what I wanted. I hope to get them and start the installation by the weekend.

LOL. When you asked if I had gauges, I thought you meant for my Bronco. The gauge set I linked will go into my new dash I'm working on, not my F250. I'll check those gauges out. Thanks.

I just downloaded the Torque program that Rob showed us in Moab. Hoping to get a few minutes with it soon, to see what it offers for my truck. Just from setting it up I can tell its a more user friendly program than Car Gauge Pro.

The gauges you got are still pretty nice! I have been looking for a similar app to Torque for the I phone and none look as cool. I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

[ZOSO]

Android FTW!!! and I can use the app and talk on the phone at the same time. bluetooth stereo. Or I run torque on my tablet.

[Justin]

I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

If you decide to go this route I've got a spare Motorola droid with a windshield mount and owe you a major favor.

[Eck]

I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

If you decide to go this route I've got a spare Motorola droid with a windshield mount and owe you a major favor.

Maybe the extra windshield weight will keep you from flipping the Bronco backwards!

[casadejohnson]

Android FTW!!! and I can use the app and talk on the phone at the same time. bluetooth stereo. Or I run torque on my tablet.

I don't see me parting with my iPhone any time soon but every once in a while I find something cool like this that is not Apple friendly. Also, the Blue tooth OBD2 connector for I phone is much more expensive. My concern is putting the Torque App onto a phone without having service on the phone. I'm guessing it could be downloaded via computer or I could just activate the phone temporarily with a prepaid card.

[casadejohnson]

I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

If you decide to go this route I've got a spare Motorola droid with a windshield mount and owe you a major favor.

I may take you up on that offer. I just need to decide if thats the way I'm going to go.

[casadejohnson]

I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

If you decide to go this route I've got a spare Motorola droid with a windshield mount and owe you a major favor.

Maybe the extra windshield weight will keep you from flipping the Bronco backwards!

Funny! Only problem is that it would be in the truck not the Bronco.....That said, we did watch a truck like mine walk up the escalator in Moab like it was a speed bump.

[Justin]

I'm thinking about buying a used Android phone on Craigslist just to use for the App. A one trick pony of sorts. At least I could use the app and talk on the phone at the same time that way!

If you decide to go this route I've got a spare Motorola droid with a windshield mount and owe you a major favor.

I may take you up on that offer. I just need to decide if thats the way I'm going to go.

Cool, just let me know. It's yours if you want it.

[ZOSO]

Android FTW!!! and I can use the app and talk on the phone at the same time. bluetooth stereo. Or I run torque on my tablet.

I don't see me parting with my iPhone any time soon but every once in a while I find something cool like this that is not Apple friendly. Also, the Blue tooth OBD2 connector for I phone is much more expensive. My concern is putting the Torque App onto a phone without having service on the phone. I'm guessing it could be downloaded via computer or I could just activate the phone temporarily with a prepaid card.

Just make sure the used phone you get has wifi. Or go get a small android tablet.

[Justin]

Sort of OT, but I also use my phone for trail maps. I use oruxmaps with maps downloaded from google maps and .gpx files from trail damage. Very helpful.

[ZOSO]

That too. I use back country navigator.

[cravenbronco]

Has anyone had problems with the turbo to intake tube butterfly
for cold air intake? I have to try to start it and after a few times it pops real loud then it will fire up.. that is the only thing i can think of that would do that.
any advice?

[Gunnibronco]

I got to spend some time with the F250 this weekend. Its a real PO story, if you know what I mean. Its amazing how people allow minor maintenance turn a good vehicle into a basketcase.

2 gauge lights out
About 10 incorrect fuses
No license plate lights
Engine coolant gauge doesn't work, popped a replacement sensor onto the pigtail & heated with a heat gun- gauge ran ok. Will replace when I drain & refill coolant, looks like I have another ECT sensor to install, see below.
Problem with the trailer brakes/lights-apparently blows fuses when a trailer is attached
4 dead glow plugs
GPR ok, but replaced it with a 200a relay
Airbag lights- driver seat issues- will look at them later, but did find the PO had cut the seat belt warning wires on the driver seat, and found another cut mystery wire under the seat.
Found a wire shoved into a fuse, runs to the alternator. Apparently it triggers the alt to run. When I disconnected it, the Alt light came on. Now I need to trace the proper wire back & see where the problem is.
I'm sure there are other things I'm forgetting, but those are on top of my list to fix.

Confirmed a 1999 motor in my 2002. SN seems to make it a forged rod motor, but didn't pull the inspection plug to look. Problem is that 2002+/- Superdutys with manual trans had an extra ECT sensor. I have an intermittant CEL pop up, I think is the missing sensor. I can't find the pigtail for that sensor, so I think the engine harness is from the 99 motor, probably. I'll have to dig out the ECU and check the pin arrangement. If the harness was from an automatic truck, the trans temp sensor goes to the pin my truck uses for the ECT. I just don't know where to install the 2nd ECT, I have a friend with a 2002 manual F250, I'll try to see where the sensor is on his truck. But I bet the fitting isn't available on my truck. Its supposed to go on the front cover, under the serp tensioner pully, and I can't see anywhere it would fit. They probably used a different cover with a fitting.

The Torque program for the phone is very cool. It shows my ECT @ -40*, so my ECU thinks there is a sensor, but the reading is obviously off. It is very easy to use, lots of cool, helpful gauges: HPOP, EBP, ECT, etc. It also can do a lot with HP, torque, gas mileage, etc. It was also able to connect to my 06 Chrysler 300C, when Car Gauge Pro could not.

But, Car Gauge Pro does a much better job with error codes. The Torque program has not pulled any codes. Car Gauge Pro pulls codes everytime. I think Torque is only looking a powertrain codes, CGP pulls & clears SRS, ABS, and many more. I had an "ECT under minimum value" code once, cleared it, but it hasn't returned. I've also been able to pull & clear codes on cars at work. Very handy when we have have replaced broken wheel sensors. They trigger ABS lights that we couldn't clear. We'd send them to another shop to scan & clear.

[ZOSO]

You will not read ECT off the torque. The coolant temp is direct to the gauge cluster and does not go through the ecm.

[Gunnibronco]

You will not read ECT off the torque. The coolant temp is direct to the gauge cluster and does not go through the ecm.

The 6 speed trucks in 01? 02 & 03 had the extra ECT sensor that fed the ECU. My truck SHOULD have 2 ECTs one for the gauge & one for the ECU, but it does not. The extra ECT feeds the ECU through the pin that automatics feed the trans temp to the ECU.

Check out post #4:
http://powerstrokenation.com/forums/sho ... hp?t=14767

The ECT value is active on my Torque program, but shows -40*. Something other's have noted when the ECU ECT sensor is bad.

[ZOSO]

There ya go. I know if i try to bring ect up on mine it reads -40. Try and look up trans temp then and see if you get ECT.

[Jesus_man]

Sorry to hear about the stuff you are running into! All the mods I did, I tried to do them in a manner that they were 100% reversible. But it also happens that the truck may have broken down on him at some point in time and he rigged it to get home with the intent of fixing it right and never got to it. That's just not my style. I want it fixed the right way and I want to enjoy it, not repair it just to sell it!

[Gunnibronco]

Thanks,

I got a "deal" and I knew there might be problems. The tires/rims seem to be the worst of it. I wish I had known about the rim offset before I bought new tires. I've been offered a free set of 16" OEMs, but can't find the right size rim used to put my new tires on.

The glow plugs make starting it very hard. Even with the spring weather, I have to plug it in for 30-45 minutes to get it to start.

Otherwise, they are just issues I should have expected.

Rob, next time I'll check and see what the trans temp reads.

[ZOSO]

Chad I have a set of near new glowplugs i'll sell ya dirt cheap. I replaced all mine not knowing they were done not long before i bought the truck. They all ohm out good. The issues I had was the uvch came unplugged.

[Gunnibronco]

Rob,

I checked out my friend's 02 F350 today. He does have a sensor, above the CPS, behind the tensioner pulley. My truck has a threaded plug in that location. Looks like it might be the bottom part of the water pump.

I ran Torque on his truck. The ECT read -40*. The "Trans Temp" read just under +40*. I'm guessing its reading the ECT, but the sensor's resistance range is different. So it's miscalculating the temp.

Know anything about building custom gauges for Torque? I see they are basically formulas, but I haven't done any real reading on them.

[ZOSO]

I dont know much about building gauges. Im not the techy.

[Gunnibronco]

First off, thanks Rob for the deal on the glow plugs, and all the advice he's given me.

Replaced the glow plugs yesterday. While I was there, I changed valve cover gaskets. I know about the 50c mod, just thought it was best to swap them out. Torqued down the injector hold down bolts & rocker arm retainers while I was there. Injector bolts were all good, but quite a few of the rocker arm bolts needed tightened.

I had already swapped out the glow plug relay with the 200a one from Amazon. When I was replacing the GPR, I noticed one of the signal wires to the intake air heater relay was broken, inside its sheeting. Fixed that too, so it should be good for when winter returns to Gunnison. Its always sooner than you expect.

After seeing Robs truck in Moab, I added an LED to indicate if the glow plugs were on. Nice simple mod.

Truck fired right up! It runs smoother and is probably a little quieter than before, due to the rocker arm retainers.

Thanks to some folks @ thedieselstop.com I've figured some of the wiring issues. The alternator wire is jumped to the fuse panel because there is a difference how this wire is run on the 99 vs 02. I need to figure this out, still. Also, they moved some wires on the 42 pin connector. The PCM is feeding the ECT from the gauge sensor. The ECT gauge sensor is not the same as the PCM ECT sensor (explaining occasional CEL illumination/ECT code). So I'll be adding the proper PCM ECT sensor, and adding the wiring back to the 42 pin connector. The gauge sensor wiring was terminated, explaining the dead coolant gauge. I'll rewire that when I add the PCM sensor.

Its all starting to make sense now. Just hard to figure out what someone else (someone poorly informed) did.

[ZOSO]

Glad they worked for you.

[casadejohnson]

So, it turns out a Power Stroke Diesel is akin to having a crack habit. I might as well have bought a fourth bronco! I now have my gauges installed and am very happy with them. I also need to replace the glow plugs in mine but with summer upon us, I was going to put that off for a month or so. I also have been shopping for the pieces to add an intercooler to my OBS 7.3. I have a 6.0 intercooler but still need the early 99 intake spider and pipes. If I don't find the parts soon, I may bight the bullet and get the Banks Intercooler. Currently at the top of the Power Stroke To Do list is the dreaded up pipe replacement. I believe I'll be going with the Riff Raff up pipes and I figure while I'm in there I may as well upgrade the down pipe since I'm still running the restrictive stock down pipe. Doing the up pipes looks like it will require removal of the turbo so I'm also considering a compressor wheel upgrade while its apart. I'm currently justifying all sorts of parts and upgrades because in addition to my new car trailer, I have also recently inherited a 5th wheel to pull.

[Jesus_man]

Keep at it! Remember, it is nice to know your vehicles intimately so that you can diagnose things down the road!

[Gunnibronco]

So, it turns out a Power Stroke Diesel is akin to having a crack habit. I might as well have bought a fourth bronco!

Yeah lots of fun stuff. I'm trying to not go down that road. Just trying to get things back to reliable.

JD, you are right, I feel like I know a lot more about my truck, just from the last couple weekends, than the PO did.

[Viperwolf1]

So, it turns out a Power Stroke Diesel is akin to having a crack habit. I might as well have bought a fourth bronco! I now have my gauges installed and am very happy with them. I also need to replace the glow plugs in mine but with summer upon us, I was going to put that off for a month or so. I also have been shopping for the pieces to add an intercooler to my OBS 7.3. I have a 6.0 intercooler but still need the early 99 intake spider and pipes. If I don't find the parts soon, I may bight the bullet and get the Banks Intercooler. Currently at the top of the Power Stroke To Do list is the dreaded up pipe replacement. I believe I'll be going with the Riff Raff up pipes and I figure while I'm in there I may as well upgrade the down pipe since I'm still running the restrictive stock down pipe. Doing the up pipes looks like it will require removal of the turbo so I'm also considering a compressor wheel upgrade while its apart. I'm currently justifying all sorts of parts and upgrades because in addition to my new car trailer, I have also recently inherited a 5th wheel to pull.

Don't forget about the side pipe upgrade.

[casadejohnson]

I believe the diesel crowd favors semi stacks to side pipes! If you see me with a set of stacks on my truck, I would encourage you to kick me in the nuts....


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[casadejohnson]

..... I believe the diesel stacks on a pickup are the equivalent of the snorkel on a jeep.


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[akaFrankCastle]

Wait. Those are exhaust pipes? I've been throwing my fast food trash in those because I thought they were garbage cans.