I'm new here. I have been reading posts here for a while, especially in the engine swap section. I like this forum.

I just registered to try to solve a problems with this truck:

2006 F450 with 6.0
163,000 miles, 5800 hours.
The truck is a medium duty with a 16 feet dry box on it.
Bough it one year ago at auction, it had just one previous owner, a local part distributor. The truck is clean and straight, I keep it inside an heated garage (in the North East). It did not come with maintenance records.

The truck had always taken an extra second or two of cranking to start, but ran good after that. I do not use it much. I did only 2000 miles in the last year. But just recently, it takes an other 2-3 seconds to start. Then idles roughly. Sometimes it gets better after driving a little, sometimes it still turns roughly at highway speed. I just changed the 2 fuel filters but the result is not better. The air filter is still look new. This problem has nothing to do with the temperature, I do not think it would have anything to do with glow plugs.

A little note about filters: When I bought the truck, the dash was showing that the air filter needed replacement. No big deal I bough a filter and when I got to install it, I saw that the filter had already been replaced for a new one. The computer has been alerting me to change the air filter until up to recently. I do not know if the computer was detecting real restrictions or if just the code had not been cleared after the air filter got changed by someone else before. Maybe someone knows? Curiously, this warning just stop when I changed the fuel filter to try to solve the current problem.

I'm now afraid to take the truck. Is there any obvious things to check first? Is there any known problems and quick fix on these trucks? I was thinking it might just be some sensor issues that prevents the ECU to do it's job correctly. Or maybe the primary (low pressure) fuel pump is acting out? Anyone had this problem? I want to make sure I check the obvious before taking the truck to the shop to check major things like fp and injectors.


Thanks,

 

check fuel press. If you have acess to a scan tool you can check for codes, check ficm voltage, check icp press. and volts.

 

Thanks for your reply. Ok, I will check voltages on the obvious. Also will check all fuses and relays.

Where is the prime pump located? Is it in the tank or along the frame?

What is the easy way to check fuel pressure? and where?

I do not have a scanner and no check engine light is on. That was my understanding that the check engine light would come on if there was any problematic code?

Is there a simple way (paper clip) to check for codes on this truck?

 

pump is on frame rail, there is a boss plug on the top filter housing you can remove down low next to the fuel press. reg. to check fuel press. Youll need an adaptor to check it there though. ces light will not always kick on, depends on the type of code that sets if any.

 

in order to get rid of filter lite there is a sensor on the air filter housing that has to be pushed to reset it. Sounds like you are describing "stiction" runs rough when it is started then runs better at operating temps.. this can be "cred" by uing 2 bottles of RevX, it is a pricey oil additive but it realy works on these trucks.

 

Thanks all for your help.
Ijust wanted to say that all my problems were due to FICM slowly going bad.
FICM is the injector control module.

This modulle makes the 48 volts (from 12 volts) required to firing injectors.
You can test the coltage with a multimeter, check on youtube to see how.
Pleanty of folks rebuild these module for about 200$ or you can buy a Doorman replacement board for like 150$ on rockauto and many other places and replace it yourself (that is what I did).

If yo have this problem, try to put a charger with the highest possible voltage setting (jump start setting), this will help your FICM put out maybe half a volt more and may make a difference in starting the truck or not. Once started, the alternator is makingenough voltage (13.8 volts or similar) that is keeping your FICM generating the correct high voltage.... if you have FICM problems, you better act now or you may get in a bad situation. These always need replacing at some point, especially in the north east (noisture and salt get inside the FICM).