chip issues?

[mandkole]

Kind of a weird deal.. I started the truck yesterday first time in a week, drove it 3-4 miles to a buddys place to mount the tires. Was there for about an hour or so, went to start it and it went into a crazy top fuel blower romp (400 to 1200 rpm) and heavy fuel smoke. I shut if off and attempted refire, it did the same thing. It was dark at this point, but stuck it in gear and drove it home. It seemed to run fine with some more noticable cackle.. As I pulled in the shop, the idle was kinda funky so I put it in park, kept it running and got out. More fuel smoke. I shut it off and thought, crap, there goes a nozzle.

I started to close up the shop , but decided to refire it. It actually ran fine and no smoke other than what was still in the pipe.

Today, I started it cold and it was a typical cold startup. Ran it a few minutes and got the oil to 110deg, shut it off. Fired it about an hour later...same damn romping/smoke.

At this point, I shut everything off and pulled the chip. Refired and it idled quite smooth (and much quieter), but it wasn't real happy running the singles. Pulled it outside, washed it, and fired again hour later-- no issues. Pulled it in the shop, disconnected the batts and cleaned the pcm board. Reinstalled the chip, plugged everything back up and refired-- romping again.

Chip give it up? It would seem strange that the chip would just suddenly crap the bed. In the interest of disclosure, it romped just like this once about 12 months ago, but the refire was fine. This was the first time it kept doing it on refires.

thoughts? I've even had CPS thoughts but it idled real nice with no chip.

 

[mandkole]

No unusual codes; 475, 603 and 541

 

[mandkole]

No one has any ideas? Has anyone heard of this scenario? What is confusing is that when everything is cold, it will start on the chip without issue and the HPO data is very normal--also good fuel pressure, fresh oil change and its worked well up to this point. Im struggling with where to go short of just swapping parts (chips, sensors, etc).

Ive not driven it enough to get it real warm and actually a little concerned with doing it because I don't want to get stranded.

 

[pullandpray]

My truck did this when I first got it. took it to a shop if I remember right it was a low voltage issue so the idm was actually turning on and off. They replaced the fuseable link the alternator and cleaned some electrical connections

 

[mandkole]

^^ interesting.. Voltage issues have crossed my mind since this is not a DD. I'll get some time over the coming days to start looking at a variety of things.

This truck has required no real effort up to this point, so I guess its my turn in the barrel..

 

[mandkole]

Its beginning to seem like its in the switch or the chip.

First attempt to cold start was a hard romp. Shut it off. Rekeyed and another romp. Off.. Played with the switch and keyed a clean start (cold haze). At this point, I noticed that I could move the switch through all 6 positions and it did nothing--even the whisper tune and no start didn't work.

14V at the battery at idle.

(While it was idling, I pulled the ICP plug for grins and it went to default with CEL. Put plug back in ,restarted, the CEL turned off and it went back up to 875 where Bill set it.)

After idling it to 110F oil temp, I felt confident enough in it so I took it out and drove it for a little while. Nothing unusual. After 165F oil temp, I got on it a little (in what was supposed to be the max effort tune) and saw only minor levels of smoke at low boost tip in. It actually felt like the tow tune. This seemed to make sense since I saw ICP at 32-3300 which is not likely for the race tune (closer to 2900-3K). I forgot to check PW... crap. Got back home and it idled clean with no smoke.

While idling it after the drive, the whisper and no start worked again.

Anyone have other ideas or thoughts? I may try a new 6 pos switch.

 

[lincolnlocker]

sounds like pcm isnt reading your chip. did younclean tye contacts to much?

live life full throttle

 

[mandkole]

I just wiped the contacts a little with lacquer thinner.--nothing aggressive. The contacts are real good. The strange thing is that the pcm 'reacts' to the chip but the chip settings don't seem to respond consistently to the switch.

Im feeling better that its not a mechanical issue yet, but we'll keep playing with it. Im going to have the PW screen up all the time to see what it does if the romp comes back, plus need to confirm what power level is being commanded.

 

[lincolnlocker]

I just wiped the contacts a little with lacquer thinner.--nothing aggressive. The contacts are real good. The strange thing is that the pcm 'reacts' to the chip but the chip settings don't seem to respond consistently to the switch.

Im feeling better that its not a mechanical issue yet, but we'll keep playing with it. Im going to have the PW screen up all the time to see what it does if the romp comes back, plus need to confirm what power level is being commanded.

switch itself might be bad..

live life full throttle

 

[V-Ref]

I got a bit too frisky power washing my truck, and ended up smoking a TS6 chip...ended up having to drive the pickup without it about 2 miles home with no chip...

After that ordeal, I decided right then and there I needed to get a 200% nozzle tune flashed on the pcm, so as to never get stranded like that again. Last I researched Bill could do that for you, and sounds like you've worked with him before.

 

[mandkole]

^^ How do you figure you that out? Where would it have shorted to kill the chip? What were the symptoms?



This is really feeling like some sort of power supply issue and probably linked to lack of use and battery charging. It could be the chip and/or switch but not sure-- could be happening when the system is keyed. I really need to get the glow plugs looked at and make sure all of the things that consume power during KOEO are well fed.

is there a real good wiring diagram that can be traced to what happens when you get in the truck, key the power on, then crank?

 

[lincolnlocker]

whats your voltage doing at idle?

live life full throttle

 

[mandkole]

its 14V-- pullandpray's experience is very interesting and his was fixed with power supply troubleshooting due to the IDM actually going on/off. Im hoping that I can see something on the scan gauge if it ever does it again.


I drove the thing last night and it was like there was nothing wrong. The power level was as switched and it ran perfect.

 

[lincolnlocker]

above 14v?

live life full throttle

 

[Layson]

I would call up the last owner of that truck and see if there is a warranty....LOL

 

[mandkole]

LOL

 

[mandkole]

above 14v?

live life full throttle

no, at 13.9

 

[lincolnlocker]

no, at 13.9

from what i found, the 7.3s i deal with start doing funky things when voltage drops below 14v.. 14.2v and above is where mine are happy...

live life full throttle

 

[mandkole]

from what i found, the 7.3s i deal with start doing funky things when voltage drops below 14v.. 14.2v and above is where mine are happy...

live life full throttle

I'll keep an eye on that at little closer... it could be a little low. Most seem to report that a correctly set or operating alternator's regulator is up as high as the mid 14V range. The downside is that batteries begin building more pressure and gassing more when exposed around 14.4-14.5.

 

[V-Ref]

^^ How do you figure you that out? Where would it have shorted to kill the chip? What were the symptoms?

Illuminated CEL, and truck wouldn't crank Pulled chip, illuminated CEL extinguished, she fired right off but ran like a bag of hammers (Addicted4 quote). Got the truck home, put the spare TS6 in place, back in business. Rang my tuner of choice with a 911 plea, and had a 200% nozzle flash on the PCM.

I'm not sure on the short, but it couldn't be read or written too after that "event"...I'm not certain this applies directly to your issue...it was more rhetorical in nature to see you get a baseline towing type tune burnt on your PCM just in case you don't like the idea of getting stranded because your TS6/hydra/DP chip fails.

Admittedly, I have damaged an anvil, chipped a bowling ball, ruined hammers, and rendered kevlar equipment un-serviceable....so I guess that makes me hard on stuff