I removed the EGR cooler and added a four inch exhaust to my 03 F250 this weekend. Once I got everything back together I cranked it over and it would just sit on the edge of firing. It was acting fuel starved. To remove the EGR cooler I had to take the intake manifold off and the fuel and oil filter housing. The fuel filter housing is now full of fuel, but all the lines were opened to remove the unit.
How long should I have to crank to get it to fire? I tried starting it about 30 times and no luck. I am pretty sure that everything is back together right.
Anything in particular to look for? Just keep turning it over?
This job was a real PITA and I really don't like working on this thing.

you have to crack the injection lines to bleed the air off that entered the system.

I cracked one on the passenger side and it had fuel. I couldn't get to the other side, to crack it. This thing really is shoehorned in there. I have been doing a little searching and it may be related to the High preasure oiling system. I am going to make sure the oil is full.

Make sure the batteries are fully charged up. If they are weak at all, it will not be helping you (anything under 11.5V and the FICM will not tell the injectors to fire). I just did an EGR delete on an 04 6.0 and fought it to get it started again. If the truck ran fine before then it is probably something simple. There are a TON of wires and plugs that need to be disconnected and reconnected (as you probably know very well). If any of them are loose you may have a problem, especially the plugs to the FICM. Is the truck smoking at all from the exhaust? Do you have a scanner that can read ICP pressure?

It took me 10-15 minutes of on and off cranking to get the 6.0 I was working on to fire after doing the EGR delete kit.

It is smoking a little bit, and is trying to fire. There is fuel in the filter bowl. It ran fine before. I will charge the batteries before I try again. I will check all the plugs(that I can reach) and make sure they are seated. I don't have a code reader. What does FCIM stand for?

Did you do the "turn key, but not start, for 30 seconds" bit three times? This is what you do when you change out the top fuel filter to refill it and the lines. I'd that a couple times to make sure everything is full of fuel. You may have to do it a dozen times or so.

Good luck.

Al

FICM is the fuel injection control module. Basically the IDM for the 6.0L trucks. It sits on the drivers side valve cover. If it is smoking then it should be pushing fuel to it, which means the FICM should be working. Give it a couple more tries with the fully charged batteries. If you still cant get it to start, get a scanner that can read ICP pressures, FICM voltages and things like that.

you have to crack the injection lines to bleed the air off that entered the system.

it doesnt have a P or rotary pump.........



heres what i do if i have a tuff one(you may have another issue altogether though that was unrelated.( you have the oil filter base assembled correclty?)
crack the fuel filter and turn the key to crank and let it spray out(will be messy, so rags ontop of it are a good idea, then spin it back tight.
lay on the started with fully charged batteries for 30 seconds and she should fire. as long as you did not open the high pressure oil side up anywhere you should not have any delayed start issues.

make shure your ficm connectors are fully seated(module on drivers valve cover)... or you desturbed wiring that was already borderline and now is not woirking at all by the drivers valvecover

did you reground the ficm at the last rearword intake bolt on the drivers side?

you most likely have a problem with some module or wiring you destrurbed because they start REALLY well even with fuel bleed down. i start them ALL the time with no intake manifold or valve covers. i just reinstall the oil/fuel housings and connect there lines, and install my turbo oil block off plate and run them with all that good shit missing and they always fire right up.....

. If it is smoking then it should be pushing fuel to it, which means the FICM should be working. Give .

not exactly. i have been seeing a rash of junk ficms lately. ALOT of no starts(2 today). they almost fire, but wont quite go, they spit sputter, and smoke, but wont run. then they sit a while, they run fine for 1 key cycle, then the next they spit spuuter and puke. also a few with driveability issues that need ficms to get rid of codes.........


bad news on a ficm, they cost about $800 and usually takes over a week to get from ford ebcause so many are falling there arent being built/shipped fast enough.

if your realy hurting i have a ficm that you can "borrow" it run fine, but sets a performance code.

also, ficms need to be prgramed to your PCM and TCM after install via a ford WDS or IDS

True, if the OP has access to a good scanner, verifying the voltages at the FICM would be a good start. Do you know if the International FICM is the same piece as the Ford one? I know each one would need to be programmed either way, but International quoted me somewhere around $500 for a new FICM, compared to Ford's $800.

True, if the OP has access to a good scanner, verifying the voltages at the FICM would be a good start. Do you know if the International FICM is the same piece as the Ford one? I know each one would need to be programmed either way, but International quoted me somewhere around $500 for a new FICM, compared to Ford's $800.

you got a International part number on that?

Unfortunately I dont, he might have quoted me the wrong price, but I asked him twice because I couldnt believe the difference in price. I am lookin on Google right now to try and find an FICM PN from International.

Still have not found the part number, but I am thinking about it more, that $500 was in my head because it was the cost of the International FICM, plus the $200 cost of Innovative Diesel programming it with a performance burn. I think the FICM from International was closer to $300.

I think I found it. Try 1845117C2 at the International dealer and see what they say.

they have a IH number right on it. if the last few numbers have a "C" thats it. i have called international(we have a big account) and the number didnt cross so i just order them from ford after that just becuase when i get it i want it to work and not come back.

im shure IH is cheaper, but wheter or not it will accept ford programming i dont know. when you program it is kinda a big deal, and reprograms several modules around your new ficm.

I am lookin on Google right now to try and find an FICM PN from International.

ill snap a pic of my junker test one i have laying around.

when you program it is kinda a big deal, and reprograms several modules around your new ficm.

I always wondered how Eric at Innovative Diesel was able to program a brand new one without the truck, or PCM there, but they have done it successfully plenty of times so I didnt ask any questions. I think I did find the PN, its a few posts up.

I worked on it last night. The oil preasure comes right up, there is oil in the filter housing I checked the Ficm connectors, everything seemed good. I didn't get a good charge on it though. It will be sitting on the charger all day today with the block heater plugged in as well. The ground for the FICM was reatached. It is making black smoke when cranked, and raising the EGT to about 70 degrees when cranked. It is almost firing, but just not quite there.
If I cann't get it tonight, I will buy a code reader. Any suggestions on which code reader I should get?
Thanks for all the help. The truck ran fine before it was dissembled. I did touch the alternator wire to the intake manifold while working on it when on of the grounds had been bumped into its terminal.

ford ficm with the IH parts numbers on both sides.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/702039/fullsize/ficm1.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/702040/fullsize/ficm2.jpg

It sat on the charger all day yesterday, with the block heater plugged in as well, and it wouldn't fire. I didn't have much time to spend on it, though. I should have more time tonight. I am going to disconnect and reconnect every connector I can get to, crack the fuel filter bowl an fill it, throw some more diesel in the tank(it is on E, but deffinitely not empty), and throw some oil in the oil filter housing so it is topped off.

What code reader would you guys recomend?
Thanks again for the help.

It sat on the charger all day yesterday, with the block heater plugged in as well, and it wouldn't fire. I didn't have much time to spend on it, though. I should have more time tonight. I am going to disconnect and reconnect every connector I can get to, crack the fuel filter bowl an fill it, throw some more diesel in the tank(it is on E, but deffinitely not empty), and throw some oil in the oil filter housing so it is topped off.

What code reader would you guys recomend?
Thanks again for the help.


i have a snap on modis(4k plus) and a FORD IDS system(4k) for workign on the 6.0's. never had to work on one with anything else, but hes two features you need.


-you need to be able to monitor "live" data stream
-the device needs it owns battery source, as powering off the vehicles DLC wont cut it on no starts on diesels because the amperage draw you create while cranking will shut off a scanner thats powered up off the truck.

Got it running this last weekend. I am still not sure if it was wiring or the HPOS that was giving me trouble. Thanks for all the help.
The EGTs are much lower now. I was getting a puff of white smoke at startup before and that is gone now. There is a lot more turbo noise now. The exhaust isn't really loud, but I can really hear the turbo spool up when I am on it. It spools up quicker, but there isn't much noticable gain in power. I haven't really gotten on it yet or towed anything with it yet and the roads around here are like a skating rink.

I have an idea what this might have been...

did you fill your oil filter up before you put it on? I ask because I was rather rudely kicked out of Wyotechs diesel program; yet while I was there I was told that filling your oil filters before you put them on the engine could cause vapor lock. Since the oil is used in the injection cycle on these engines... just a thought.

And I'm rather serious about filling the oil filter before install. They said NEVER EVER do it. The seconds a truck without oil is nothing compared to the damage of vapor lock.


micky

I have an idea what this might have been...

did you fill your oil filter up before you put it on? I ask because I was rather rudely kicked out of Wyotechs diesel program; yet while I was there I was told that filling your oil filters before you put them on the engine could cause vapor lock. Since the oil is used in the injection cycle on these engines... just a thought.

And I'm rather serious about filling the oil filter before install. They said NEVER EVER do it. The seconds a truck without oil is nothing compared to the damage of vapor lock.


micky
what you could fill up on this style fitler before you scew the lid up will not cause a problem.. they do not have a typical spin on..........

Got it running this last weekend. I am still not sure if it was wiring or the HPOS that was giving me trouble. .

start it up and poke and proud at the wiring gently with a WOODEN dowl or hammer handle and make shure the thing does not choke or die as those 03's have a lot of harness problems, and catching it now will make it so it doesnt leave you stranded later............
harnesses are CHEAP and redily available from ford because of the amount of problems.

stop stroking and start cumming!

stop stroking and start cumming!

why, they keep me more than busy working on the strokes. i have to many trucks for the 3 bays i work in....


anyways, its probably your ficm connectors, just had one with exact same starting issues you desribed after some amature took it apart. turned out the rearest FICM connector was only partialy seated and had one backed out pin.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/705810/fullsize/stackedstuperduty.jpg

Thanks for all your help Burnedbronco. I think that you are right and I will be picking up a spare harness shortly.

Thanks for all your help Burnedbronco. I think that you are right and I will be picking up a spare harness shortly.

you can pick up a brand new from ford injector harness and complete engine harness for under $500...........