Thank you again Wess. It's kinda hard to watch you trouble shoot these diesel engines. Our Son was a diesel technician working on fuel trucks. He also was going to school and aided the instructors and helped other students. He passed away in June 2019. He would have really loved your channel. Have a wonderful day you are truly blessed. You remind me of him so much.
@Jbog07 yep, I watch Taryl Fixes All and they're throw away items can't even change the gear oil in them. The innards are metal but the transaxlen housing is like a glass reinforced plastic. Briggs also uses plastic cams in their engines as well.
@@PRL1290 that’s a garden tractor version. Not a tough torque. He will be fine. And it’s shaft driven and it has a Kohler 25 horsepower v twin. Known to be some of the most reliable engines in small equipment.
I guess im asking the wrong place but does anybody know of a method to get back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost the account password. I would love any tips you can give me!
@Bryant Brooks I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now. I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
As a mid-90s ambulance owner... These things are complete wiring nightmares. The amount of auxillary wiring in the dash is INSANE. I pray you find a mechanical issue and don't have to start digging too deep in the elec
Ford dealership technician here. There was a technical service bulletin released way back, about a water shield installation to protect the IDM from water ingestion due to where they are situated on these vans. This was why the Ford diesel class instructor I had at the time liked to refer to 7.3 IDMs as "water traps" and 6.0 EGR valves as "carbon traps". Usually high ICP like what you were getting would be a result of aerated engine oil, hence why timely oil changes are especially important on any HUEI engine. Back then, to verify it wasn't aerated, we would start and run the engine at redline (about 3200 RPMs if I remember correctly) for a few minutes while watching ICP and IPR readings and confirming ICP readings would remain steady at around 1800 or so, not some stupid high reading. IPR on a 7.3 at operating temperature should be in the neighborhood of 9 to 11% at idle and up to about 45% at elevated RPMs depending on operating conditions. If you see it increase to 65% then you have a high pressure oil system leak somewhere because that is the max duty cycle. I've vaguely recalled the IPR spool valve nut were prone to falling off into the "valley" too. Wow, it's been YEARS since I've gotten my hands dirty on a 7.3!
Some have pointed out, without the injectors firing, there is nothing bleeding off the high pressure oil. So it continues to build until it hits the relief valve. I should have thought of that!
Wes, I too was eating IDM'S on my 2000 7.3L Excursion. The issue was the rectifiers/diods in the alternator. I found on ebay a heavy duty rectifier for my alternator. US made and supposedly for high amp alternators. (plus I installed a new voltage regulator). Autozone alts were giving me fits, but the real culprit were the high amp alts (Chinese) I bought on ebay. Chinese alts can have dog shit rectifiers. I rebuilt my high amp ebay alternator with the new US made heavy duty rectifier and the problem went away. The IPR spikes you are seeing "may" be related to the rectifier leaking, confusing the voltage regulator into sending more voltage, then the leak stops, voltage spikes briefly, voltage backed off, but the damage is already done to the IPR. Spike voltage fries an IDM, maybe! Good luck!
Saturday morning magic! I've said it before, I'll say it again...Wes...You are 100% awesome! You really do understand the digital's! It's a pleasure to watch you work! Thank you.
I like the deductive reasoning going on. So many shops that work on things, would find something they thought was wrong and throw new parts at it, calling it good.
what? no push bar on the cub cadet? 50,000 miles and 500,000 miles worth of idling! 7.3 in a van has a larger turbo because they dont have an air charge cooler. it will be interesting to see if the connectors are melted together shorting out the idm. the 25 miles thing suggests to me that it could be temperature and expansion that helps to induce a short. cant wait to see you dig into this one. these are my favorite types of repairs.
Yeah, it may well have 20,000 idle hours! The owner says one valve cover was removed and no issue was found. But there has to be something happening and the valve cover harness is such a common failure.
I had a similar issue with my PSD van.. 3 bad IDMs.. I was using reman units... Turns out they were filling full of WATER!! Ended up getting a new revision from Ford directly... There were some TSBs regarding water ingress on some vans.. but if I were you I'd pop that old IDM apart and see if it's got water inside! All the reman modules I got were all old versions with bad seals... The new revised one fixed me right up! That location gets a lot of runoff from the windshield, and spray from front tire fender area. BTW.. you're lucky that's a cutaway chassis.. you can't pull the valve covers on a PSD van without removing the motor mounts.. but cutaway chassis are WAY easier to pop the body bolts loose and Jack up the cab, than to pull motor mounts and roll the engine back and forth.. it was 21 hours of labor to pull all the injectors and glow plugs on my van...since mine wasn't a cutaway.. good luck man!!
something else to consider - ambulances do a lot of idling.. and the PSD engines vibrate a LOT at idle.. this one may be old enough that it doesn't have the 'auto idle up' built into the ECM - even with that - they still vibrate everything all to hell.. i always zip tile EVERYTHING - wiring harnesses can chew thru themselves on those vans! doesn't hurt to do a shakedown test, and peel back the harness covers and visually inspect all the high voltage wiring as well..
Wes, long time wrencher here. Wanted to let you know, I learn something new every video you make. I'm not a Ford fan at all, but I greatly appreciate your explanation and diagrams. Helped me get a stuck traveler out of a rest stop. I also greatly appreciate your LOGICAL approach that is sorely lacking in many shops today. Keep producing such great content. Love the will it start videos!
Watching that seen of you towing the van in gave me vivid flashbacks of my mom and dad at our camp. My dad would be on the Case VAI and my mom would be steering what ever needed to be moved. Thanks for the memories...😂
Local guy has one he put a lift gate on it and uses it to pick up scrap from auto shops. Great for that use as the deck is quite low compared to most flatbeds. Charles
@@WatchWesWork I've got a 1998 van with the 7.3 liter "PowerStroke" engine. I love this thing, but with 350,000 miles, I'm worried that I should rebuild the cylinder heads and injectors soon (to help it last more than 800,000). The problem is that getting access could mean having to remove the entire cab from the chassis, something I don't have a garage or other facilities to do such work in. These things are a pain in the butt to work on - removing most of the intake air assembly just to change a fuel filter...ughhh.
I remember when the ambulance service in BC, Canada started using diesel ambulances. It was around 1991, so the 7.3 IDI no turbo. The news did a story about frustrated drivers having trouble making it to calls in a timely manner, because they could hardly get a hill! My dad was on ambulance when his station was first given the diesel ambulances, but by that point they were the powerstroke, so they were actually pretty good.
i think a lot of places in the US ended up just putting turbos on a boatload of government equipment before the turbo was the standard option. firetrucks and ambulances were having trouble with hills and such.
"Hold my beer" moment, LOL! You're like the Sherlock Holmes of fault finding here; logic! Love it. Thanks for posting. Again, love the video of you backing the truck, framed by your garage door, and the ever faithful hound following you at the same pace. This is the best thing about my weekend! Thanks for making it puzzling, interesting, and funny, all at the same time. I'll be watching!
I nearly wet myself laughing at Max who just had to go ta ta in the brrm brrm that wasn't brrming. 🤣🤣 Wes, in case you read this, have you ever considered putting a winch (with a remote control) at the end of the shop so you can pull yourself into said shop? Think of the savings by not having to pay _Wifey's White Knuckle Towing Service_ a retainer to be on standby. The forklift would never get trapped again as long as you can get the dead vehicle close to the shop door. *Thank You* for the videos. They are much appreciated. 👍
Ambulances in the south may have low miles but engines run almost 24/7 , as did our pd cars. Love watching your videos ,it calms and educates me ,thanks .God bless
Here's a thought... verify the alternator output voltage, may be too high (ignoring the dash gauge)... if I had to bet with the info I have available, the power regulators in the idm fry after those 25 miles from overheating :)
@jason9022 I agree, however in that short time period ? They might survive, and who's to say something else isn't fried ? Or can withstand the extra voltage ? In any case I hope for a part 2 soon :D
Kind of makes sense why the ambulance company would have gotten rid of the van only having 40k miles on it. Must have wanted to wash their hands of it after chasing electrical ghosts.
I'm curious about the number of idle hours. I've heard that is usually the big deal with EMS vehicles is time that they spend idling. Back when I pushed carts at a grocery store the fire department would take the ambulance to go grocery shopping. It would be sitting in the parking lot idling the whole time ready to go if they got a call.
Greg Robbins Emergency vehicles are usually replaced by the date, not the miles. Here in Finland they usually have an insane amount of miles on them when they are auction off instead, but the maintenance schedule is usually also quite insane, they replace oil, fluids, belts and all other sorts of wear parts based on the date, not how many miles I’d had. So if you find a used ambulance, try to get hold of the maintenance history as well, it’ll tell you a lot more than the miles. Normal maintenance schedule is usually 12 months between oil changes.
Sebastian Storholm Here in the UK they run Ambulances in to the ground ! Since the NHS split the ambulance services in to larger areas there have been reports of major & dangerous faults going unrepaired, they also seem to fail their yearly MOT tests a fair amount, on anything from the trivial to major issues which is not something you would expect to see really.
I live in South-Eastern Ontario, Canada. Here in the province of Ontario, no ambulance may serve in Provincial Ambulance Service for more than to the end of its 59th month. After that, it can be sold to private ambulance operators, such as those that transport patients between hospitals or take patients who are unable to sit in a car or taxi home. Many get through their initial service life just fine, and live on in secondary service for years afterwards. Some get sold off at fire-sale prices because they're not in ideal shape, these often end up in the hands of contractors and such, and have the emerg. lights removed, and become tradesman's vans. I remember being a kid in high school in the early 80's, having a p-t job pumping gas after school until midnight. All the police, fire, ambulances would tank up where I worked because we took the Provincial Gov't card, and because we were open so late when the rest closed at 8, 9, maybe 10pm. By the time I left that job of pumping gas in 1987, they were starting to put diesel engines into ambulances. I remember asking some of the regular drivers for their opinions on diesel power in the ambulances, responses varied but some were genuinely impressed with the power output compared to the 454's, 460's, 360's, even the latest 350, 318, 351-equipped units. The diesels could obviously last longer, make better use of fuel while idling, and weren't as sluggish as most people had expected.
Sometimes I love electrical problems other times not so much lol. I'm not familiar with those trucks but if it's eating modules I'd be looking for an alternator or ground problem. Nice to see you working with the fam!
Being a Ford tech-I've seen cases where charging system issues or low batteries (cheap) attributed to repeated idm failures-as far as the crazy icp-when these modules aren't getting the proper voltages or have a circuit blown-anythings posible.
i had a '67 short bed f100 i bought for 400 bucks back in '96 . in the course of 100,000 miles that i logged on it, i replaced tires,brakes, some wheel bearings,and all of the belt powered bolt on stuff ( both items...water pump and alternator).. had to replace a U-joint on the side of the highway with just a pair of channel locks too . 3 sets of plugs and 2 sets of wires.... 400 bucks... that 300 strait 6 seemed to get the same fuel economy regardless of load...empty or loaded it averaged 20mpg... only 185 ponies under the hood and 4 on the floor..it was a basic work truck.....but it ran regardless of issues....oh ya-only ONE vacuum line ..from the carb to the brake for a simple power assist I miss the days when a construction worker like myself could scratch his head and figure out what the issue was....nowadays you better begood with PC's and have code books..and all of that... cars have been ruined...what ever happened to KISS-keep it simple , stupid ?
Good job, Wes! I agree you still need to find the root cause of the IDM failures before putting this back on the road, or it may very well fry another one in another 25 miles. For what it's worth, I'm a retired career paramedic in Charlotte, NC. We ran 7.3 Power Stroke F-350's for several years but I'm not aware of us having any ongoing problems like IDM failures. As far as I know, the 7.3 power strokes gave us pretty darn reliable service. Ambulances do indeed get a LOT of idle time. We do "central depoyment" with our fleet and "post" trucks at specified locations strategically. We are deployed and sent to fire stations and even street corners (a point close to intersections). In many instances, our tricks are at least idliing the entire shift 10-12-14 hrs at a time. I don't know how the ambulance company (EMS provider) operated where that chassis-cab came from, but I can vouch for the fact that in many areas, ambulances get an INSANE amount of idle time (mainly for HVAC/climate control for the crews). Keep up the great videos, man! :-)
Damn son, you need an assistant bad, If i didn't have a bad ticker I would come help you for free. Otherwise you are doing a hell of a job yourself. I really enjoy watching your expert level work. Keep it up!
I hope there is a part two - this is very interesting! I both love and hate problems like this. Hate them as I'm trying to fix them...but when you finally do find the root cause...I love the feeling of accomplishment! Keep on keeping on! Looking forward to the Deere parts coming in and more on the Deere. Tell your better half that she did a great job driving the ole van into the shop - not easy with no power anything in a vehicle that depends on having power everything. :)
Interesting... I've been building and running 4x4 Van's for a long while. I would go insane if I worked at a shop like there's. Van's for days. lol I now have my own lift kit system for them... been thinking of a way to build like 10 and make a new style gambler 500 platform..FUN FUN FUN. I'm for sure going to stay here.. you are doing great. A bit over my paygrade.. but not for long.. lol thank you for your videos.
@@Military-Museum-LP It may only have 50K miles but being an ambulance it has hundreds of Idle hours, which are generally harder on diesels due to the fact that they don't burn as good when idling resulting in more cylinder wash.
Every PS e4od that has failed me had tge pump welded to the case or the shaft or both bad grounding is def a prob on pre 2001 then it became a guarantee
@@johnstockwellmajorsmedleyb1214 can you explain a little more. My van is a 95 7.3 . Lost power then couldn’t restart it. No fuel is going into the fuel bowl
@@WatchWesWork No Wes he had a plethora of vids on the the 7.3 and icp ficm and no start issues. Powerstroke help has quite a bit too. Bill Hewitt is his name.
Most states set an age limit on emergency vehicles. As a former police officer our vehicles were replaced around the 100k mark. The volunteer fire/rescue were regulated by the state by age of vehicle. You stated in the beginning of the video that the owners company converted the ambulance to the flatbed. Lots of electrical connections had to be removed and reconnected. Maybe the tech that worked on wiring crossed wires someplace causing a surge to the control module. Sounds also like it ran before the conversion. GL Wes.
Geewizz Wes it really is a family business!,😉 even the lawnmower is chipping in, thanks for the entertainment and as always ... it was a joy to watch you work🛠, hope to see you again soon!, you and your family stay save and healthy
Something must not have been right with this vehicle from the beginning of it's life, I am picking it was a lemon right from the day it was born. Stay safe bro
Great video Wes greetings from the United States Virgin islands in the carribbean st.thomas I am a new subcriber and I am a journeyman heavy equipment mechanic with nine years of experience in heavy duty trucks and earthmoving equipment your videos are great and educational my dad was a diesel mechanic he taught me most of what I know so far he passed away last year so I am going to get certified very soon and get my CDL soon thanks for the great content and God bless you and your family keep the videos coming
If you don't make a part 2 , we will start calling you Warren...lol. Nice arrangement of the shop with the machine part at the back left side. Glad that things are starting to move.
I live in Connecticut and I have an 09 6.4 power stroke it just started puking oil into the radiator most likely a oil cooler issue I wash I lived closer to Wes I’d pay whatever to have him fix it awesome mechanic
Consider Eric O. at South Main Auto in Avoca New York, western New York, also on UA-cam. He's also an excellent mechanic and his rates are generally reasonable. Although he may find broken things the owner doesn't want to pay to fix. I bring my cars to him (90 miles or so) when I need diagnostic work, the repair it myself. You've got a much longer drive.
My experience working on E-series with IDM failures are 1. Water intrusion due to its location. 2. Bad reman IDMs. Open it up and see if it's crusty inside.
Looking back at Wess’ old CNC videos, I’d say he has the skills to pay those bills. If the communications IDM IC isn’t fried it might very well be something simple like a smoked diode or transistor.
Chances are you have a bad ground. I had a 97 doing the same thing, eating idm's like a 5 year old with a bag of Oreo's. Mine ate 6 within 150 miles. Turned out after a 3 week study and 11 different diesel mechanics it was a simple ground problem. Replaced all the main ground leads to the motor and frame and to this day ( 9 years later ) it has not ate another idm. After it was fixed i had the injection harrniess replaced just to be safe.
Yeah, I would look at what the did in the conversion. There was probably all kinds of wires that supplied power o the rear half. I'm thinking thatt ay have been what rubbed the wire bare.
I think, since about 1989-90'ish all ambulance vehicles had to be of diesel power. Something to do with a lesser degree of fire/explosion in a crash, than a gasoline power engine, given that patient transport was on board. Anyways, looking forward to a part 2. I'd did not know that there were OBD port(s) on a 1995 Powerstroke, or that a "buzz test" could be done on a 1995 Powerstroke. I learn so much from you videos, it is pretty awesome. Thank you sir.
The Power Strokes were OBDII-ish in the early years. They did not follow all the standards, so some scan tools will have issues communicating with them. You can reflash the PCM to a later version and get full OBDII functionality. The Autel does pretty well.
I am guessing the nick in the orange wire was a test cut to probe. Great video! 👍 I enjoy seeing all the advanced diagnostic equipment. The wireless obd /computer scanner makes me want to throw my handheld unit in the trash.
I believe the injectors are pulling excessive current to fire. She may have low miles, but I'd bet she has alot of idle hours. Injectors are a wear item on a diesel. Set of injectors, IDM, repair the damaged harness wire, replace the valve cover gaskets and pigtails and she'll be good to go for another 20 years.
Here's a general tip regarding ICP with a no-start condition: Don't bother monitoring ICP sensor pressure. The PCM will report an inferred pressure value if there's an issue with the sensor. Monitor ICP sensor voltage instead. The PCM needs to see (among other parameters) 0.84 volts from the ICP sensor before it will allow the IDM to fire the injectors. Key on, engine off reading should be around 0.24 volts. Sidenote: Dorman valve cover gaskets are pure, unadulterated garbage. The insulation on the wires under the valve covers hardens, cracks and falls off in a fairly short time.
While the engine was running, it looked to me like the wire that was rubbed through was arcing intermittently. It could be a trick of the light. I watch UA-cam on a HD 55" screen. Not sure if it matters if it was arcing in any case. Just thought I'd mention it.
I see something there I don't know if it's arcing or it's a shadow from that flapping tape by the alternator. Mind you I'm watching on a small tablet.... But there's something there
It's an E350 Wes, not that it makes any difference. It came from Warren Ct Volunteer Fire department. I don't have any records from them, but may have the bill for the cooked module replacement, and both were supposed to be OEM rebuilt modules(might be in the glovebox, or above one of the visors?). I'm thinking new valve cover gaskets with a new style clip that won't come loose on it's own might be the way to go. We'll have to talk soon. It was good to hear it run again though 😎
That computer is pretty smart. It figured out that there was sum ting wong. Usually an old ambulance is a pretty good rig. Hate working on vans though. A guy came up with a special rigging setup for pulling the 7.3 out of E series vans.The F series cab and chassis make it a lot easier target for the old parts cannon.
You can remove the cab pretty easily. At the junk yard they pull the engines by flipping the van on its side and torching the front cross member. The engine just folds down and they can unbolt it.
Hey. Apologies for late reply in regards to the ultrasonic cleaner. I’ll send you an email. My wife a uni prof, a huge supporter of union teachers which apparently your wife had a T-shirt in regards to that. Great vids as always.
Love the video, was surprised that the cub cadet could pull that much. was waiting for the gears to shear......I learn so much from you. you need to have a show on MT your better then Tech-Garage
Nicely done. Running good for siting a few years. I am chasing P0300 random missfire on my 02 tacoma. Really scratching my head now. Replaced all the typical stuff, plugs, wires, maf sensor, crank sensor. Recently new fuel pump and filter too. Have a cam sensor on the way. Only miss-fires after siting for a day, and then only for 8-15 seconds after starting. Then runs great. Dose not seem to be loosing coolant, and all cylinders have good compression. There is a igniter(ignition control modual that controls the spark but I wold think that would either work or not.
@@WatchWesWork So after a few months the truck finely thew a p0303. I pressurized the cooling system over night, and in the morning cylinder 3 had a good amount of coolant in it. Probably a cracked head or head gasket. Proably just going to leave it and see how how long she lasts. Uses almost no coolant. 18years old with a rotted and patched frame, just not worth the time and money
It's the value cover harness, I sold my 95 f250 with 280000 miles. Running 2 sets or gaskets. The wire harness burns.. Glow plug . the wire would fry on the injector wire. That was my problem.. Worked the tar out of that truck.. Only 1 e40d trans.
Thank you again Wess. It's kinda hard to watch you trouble shoot these diesel engines. Our Son was a diesel technician working on fuel trucks. He also was going to school and aided the instructors and helped other students. He passed away in June 2019. He would have really loved your channel. Have a wonderful day you are truly blessed. You remind me of him so much.
Next up transmission repair on club cadet lawn mower!
Yep
I was thinking the same, some newer tractors have plastic transmissions.
@Jbog07 yep, I watch Taryl Fixes All and they're throw away items can't even change the gear oil in them. The innards are metal but the transaxlen housing is like a glass reinforced plastic. Briggs also uses plastic cams in their engines as well.
lol, thought the same thing. then saw your comment and went back and deleted mine.
@@PRL1290 that’s a garden tractor version. Not a tough torque. He will be fine. And it’s shaft driven and it has a Kohler 25 horsepower v twin. Known to be some of the most reliable engines in small equipment.
The team effort bringing the van in was great. Even the pup helped.
I guess im asking the wrong place but does anybody know of a method to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost the account password. I would love any tips you can give me!
@Kenzo Tristen instablaster ;)
@Bryant Brooks I really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im in the hacking process now.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Bryant Brooks It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much you really help me out :D
@Kenzo Tristen You are welcome xD
As a mid-90s ambulance owner... These things are complete wiring nightmares. The amount of auxillary wiring in the dash is INSANE. I pray you find a mechanical issue and don't have to start digging too deep in the elec
They are overwhelming sometimes. But you just have to separate the conversion wiring from the OEM. Then it is not that bad.
these 7.3’s absolutely LOVE good power and a GOOD solid ground. if it were my truck i would remove all grounds and wire wheel them and re install.
I do this on any used vehicle I buy since they're all 10+ years old.
Ford dealership technician here. There was a technical service bulletin released way back, about a water shield installation to protect the IDM from water ingestion due to where they are situated on these vans. This was why the Ford diesel class instructor I had at the time liked to refer to 7.3 IDMs as "water traps" and 6.0 EGR valves as "carbon traps". Usually high ICP like what you were getting would be a result of aerated engine oil, hence why timely oil changes are especially important on any HUEI engine. Back then, to verify it wasn't aerated, we would start and run the engine at redline (about 3200 RPMs if I remember correctly) for a few minutes while watching ICP and IPR readings and confirming ICP readings would remain steady at around 1800 or so, not some stupid high reading. IPR on a 7.3 at operating temperature should be in the neighborhood of 9 to 11% at idle and up to about 45% at elevated RPMs depending on operating conditions. If you see it increase to 65% then you have a high pressure oil system leak somewhere because that is the max duty cycle. I've vaguely recalled the IPR spool valve nut were prone to falling off into the "valley" too. Wow, it's been YEARS since I've gotten my hands dirty on a 7.3!
Some have pointed out, without the injectors firing, there is nothing bleeding off the high pressure oil. So it continues to build until it hits the relief valve. I should have thought of that!
Wes, I too was eating IDM'S on my 2000 7.3L Excursion. The issue was the rectifiers/diods in the alternator. I found on ebay a heavy duty rectifier for my alternator. US made and supposedly for high amp alternators. (plus I installed a new voltage regulator). Autozone alts were giving me fits, but the real culprit were the high amp alts (Chinese) I bought on ebay. Chinese alts can have dog shit rectifiers. I rebuilt my high amp ebay alternator with the new US made heavy duty rectifier and the problem went away. The IPR spikes you are seeing "may" be related to the rectifier leaking, confusing the voltage regulator into sending more voltage, then the leak stops, voltage spikes briefly, voltage backed off, but the damage is already done to the IPR. Spike voltage fries an IDM, maybe! Good luck!
Wow that's crazy.. trying to figure problem now. Same code.. p1668
I love having a whole shelf of extra parts from vehicles just love it❤
the legend of Wes is growing with each stupendous fix...we are lucky to be one of his devout followers...
Thanks man! I try.
Saturday morning magic! I've said it before, I'll say it again...Wes...You are 100% awesome! You really do understand the digital's! It's a pleasure to watch you work! Thank you.
Wow, thank you!
I like the deductive reasoning going on. So many shops that work on things, would find something they thought was wrong and throw new parts at it, calling it good.
Wes we must have a part 2 of the E450 repair! Don’t leave us hanging lol.
Pulling a 6,000lb van with a 500lb mower. Love all of it, keep it up Wes!
“Hold my beer moment on the engineering floor”. THATS FREAKIN HILARIOUS!!!
I know right 😂😂😂
Definitely need a part 2 video to this fix
what? no push bar on the cub cadet? 50,000 miles and 500,000 miles worth of idling! 7.3 in a van has a larger turbo because they dont have an air charge cooler. it will be interesting to see if the connectors are melted together shorting out the idm. the 25 miles thing suggests to me that it could be temperature and expansion that helps to induce a short. cant wait to see you dig into this one. these are my favorite types of repairs.
Yeah, it may well have 20,000 idle hours! The owner says one valve cover was removed and no issue was found. But there has to be something happening and the valve cover harness is such a common failure.
The owner is lucky to have you as a mechanic.
I really like your calm, reasoned and methodical approach to your work Wes.
I had a similar issue with my PSD van.. 3 bad IDMs.. I was using reman units... Turns out they were filling full of WATER!! Ended up getting a new revision from Ford directly... There were some TSBs regarding water ingress on some vans.. but if I were you I'd pop that old IDM apart and see if it's got water inside! All the reman modules I got were all old versions with bad seals... The new revised one fixed me right up! That location gets a lot of runoff from the windshield, and spray from front tire fender area. BTW.. you're lucky that's a cutaway chassis.. you can't pull the valve covers on a PSD van without removing the motor mounts.. but cutaway chassis are WAY easier to pop the body bolts loose and Jack up the cab, than to pull motor mounts and roll the engine back and forth.. it was 21 hours of labor to pull all the injectors and glow plugs on my van...since mine wasn't a cutaway.. good luck man!!
something else to consider - ambulances do a lot of idling.. and the PSD engines vibrate a LOT at idle.. this one may be old enough that it doesn't have the 'auto idle up' built into the ECM - even with that - they still vibrate everything all to hell.. i always zip tile EVERYTHING - wiring harnesses can chew thru themselves on those vans! doesn't hurt to do a shakedown test, and peel back the harness covers and visually inspect all the high voltage wiring as well..
Yeah, I figured on raising the body. As you said, it's not fun either way!
Ya know it's always good to find a good honest mechanic, but Wes you're a brilliant honest mechanic. Great video!
Thanks 👍
Wes, long time wrencher here. Wanted to let you know, I learn something new every video you make.
I'm not a Ford fan at all, but I greatly appreciate your explanation and diagrams. Helped me get a stuck traveler out of a rest stop.
I also greatly appreciate your LOGICAL approach that is sorely lacking in many shops today.
Keep producing such great content. Love the will it start videos!
Ñ
Cant wait for the "theres your problem lady" love the videos wes
I'll have to edit one in! Thanks for tuning in.
@@WatchWesWork I'ma wait for "There's your dinner" oops wrong channel 🤣
Watching that seen of you towing the van in gave me vivid flashbacks of my mom and dad at our camp. My dad would be on the Case VAI and my mom would be steering what ever needed to be moved. Thanks for the memories...😂
I gotta find one of these! Coolest thing ever! Yes, I like vans and station wagons.
Prices are usually pretty low on these van chassis. No one wants to work on them.
Me too J C
Local guy has one he put a lift gate on it and uses it to pick up scrap from auto shops. Great for that use as the deck is quite low compared to most flatbeds. Charles
@@WatchWesWork I've got a 1998 van with the 7.3 liter "PowerStroke" engine. I love this thing, but with 350,000 miles, I'm worried that I should rebuild the cylinder heads and injectors soon (to help it last more than 800,000). The problem is that getting access could mean having to remove the entire cab from the chassis, something I don't have a garage or other facilities to do such work in. These things are a pain in the butt to work on - removing most of the intake air assembly just to change a fuel filter...ughhh.
Agreed loving it too
I remember when the ambulance service in BC, Canada started using diesel ambulances. It was around 1991, so the 7.3 IDI no turbo. The news did a story about frustrated drivers having trouble making it to calls in a timely manner, because they could hardly get a hill! My dad was on ambulance when his station was first given the diesel ambulances, but by that point they were the powerstroke, so they were actually pretty good.
i think a lot of places in the US ended up just putting turbos on a boatload of government equipment before the turbo was the standard option. firetrucks and ambulances were having trouble with hills and such.
"Hold my beer" moment, LOL! You're like the Sherlock Holmes of fault finding here; logic! Love it. Thanks for posting. Again, love the video of you backing the truck, framed by your garage door, and the ever faithful hound following you at the same pace. This is the best thing about my weekend! Thanks for making it puzzling, interesting, and funny, all at the same time. I'll be watching!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm glad to see your helper riding with you. Some of my best memories are being with my father when I was a very young boy!
I've been watching all your old videos if I'm somehow helping your metrics. I really enjoy these long videos/series.
Not only are you a very good mechanic but your a very smart electrical tech. It's so crazy (good crazy) how you diagnose the problems and codes.
I nearly wet myself laughing at Max who just had to go ta ta in the brrm brrm that wasn't brrming. 🤣🤣
Wes, in case you read this, have you ever considered putting a winch (with a remote control) at the end of the shop so you can pull yourself into said shop? Think of the savings by not having to pay _Wifey's White Knuckle Towing Service_ a retainer to be on standby. The forklift would never get trapped again as long as you can get the dead vehicle close to the shop door. *Thank You* for the videos. They are much appreciated. 👍
I agree the engineer's definitely said Hold My Beer While they put that 7.3l Power Stroke in them old van always was a impressive feat @Watch Wes Work
Ambulances in the south may have low miles but engines run almost 24/7 , as did our pd cars. Love watching your videos ,it calms and educates me ,thanks .God bless
Hmm. Is that for the air conditioning? We don't have that issue here.
Love it, using the lawn tractor to pull in the next project , with the whole family helping, priceless!
Thank you again and again for all the great videos.
Glad you like them!
@@WatchWesWork Ohh Absolutely Wes.
Here's a thought... verify the alternator output voltage, may be too high (ignoring the dash gauge)... if I had to bet with the info I have available, the power regulators in the idm fry after those 25 miles from overheating :)
@jason9022 I agree, however in that short time period ? They might survive, and who's to say something else isn't fried ? Or can withstand the extra voltage ?
In any case I hope for a part 2 soon :D
That sounds like a perfectly reasonable assumption that I would not have thought about. Very good idea to check.
I had an alternator spike on a GMC safari, battery was fine but it messed up the ecu.Difficult to start,stalling and hunting idle.
Shouldn't the IDM detect over-temperature and/or over-voltage and just shut itself off?
Kind of makes sense why the ambulance company would have gotten rid of the van only having 40k miles on it. Must have wanted to wash their hands of it after chasing electrical ghosts.
I'm curious about the number of idle hours. I've heard that is usually the big deal with EMS vehicles is time that they spend idling. Back when I pushed carts at a grocery store the fire department would take the ambulance to go grocery shopping. It would be sitting in the parking lot idling the whole time ready to go if they got a call.
Greg Robbins Emergency vehicles are usually replaced by the date, not the miles. Here in Finland they usually have an insane amount of miles on them when they are auction off instead, but the maintenance schedule is usually also quite insane, they replace oil, fluids, belts and all other sorts of wear parts based on the date, not how many miles I’d had. So if you find a used ambulance, try to get hold of the maintenance history as well, it’ll tell you a lot more than the miles. Normal maintenance schedule is usually 12 months between oil changes.
Sebastian Storholm
Here in the UK they run Ambulances in to the ground ! Since the NHS split the ambulance services in to larger areas there have been reports of major & dangerous faults going unrepaired, they also seem to fail their yearly MOT tests a fair amount, on anything from the trivial to major issues which is not something you would expect to see really.
I live in South-Eastern Ontario, Canada. Here in the province of Ontario, no ambulance may serve in Provincial Ambulance Service for more than to the end of its 59th month. After that, it can be sold to private ambulance operators, such as those that transport patients between hospitals or take patients who are unable to sit in a car or taxi home. Many get through their initial service life just fine, and live on in secondary service for years afterwards. Some get sold off at fire-sale prices because they're not in ideal shape, these often end up in the hands of contractors and such, and have the emerg. lights removed, and become tradesman's vans. I remember being a kid in high school in the early 80's, having a p-t job pumping gas after school until midnight. All the police, fire, ambulances would tank up where I worked because we took the Provincial Gov't card, and because we were open so late when the rest closed at 8, 9, maybe 10pm. By the time I left that job of pumping gas in 1987, they were starting to put diesel engines into ambulances. I remember asking some of the regular drivers for their opinions on diesel power in the ambulances, responses varied but some were genuinely impressed with the power output compared to the 454's, 460's, 360's, even the latest 350, 318, 351-equipped units. The diesels could obviously last longer, make better use of fuel while idling, and weren't as sluggish as most people had expected.
@@WhiskeyGulf71 Yet VOSA turn a blind eye !!! Police cars however, are still generally very well maintained on a time basis rather than mileage...
Another great video and it’s somewhat of a cliffhanger too. I’m also enjoying the wild life footage, maybe they might like a treat from the bait shop.
Heh. I don't want to encourage them!
What a great introduction. Whole family out for a ride. Had me on the floor. 🤣
Glad you enjoyed it!
Watch Wes Work plus I always enjoy your videos
Sometimes I love electrical problems other times not so much lol. I'm not familiar with those trucks but if it's eating modules I'd be looking for an alternator or ground problem. Nice to see you working with the fam!
I could watch you and Eric O. 12 hours a day. :)
That might not be healthy!
I love the whole family bringing the van in, the men on the tractor and lady + dog in the van, LOL!
Smart move Wes. I hate mowing grass too.!!😀
Edit commented before the end 🤣
Damn you fixed it in one!😂
Thank goodness. Nothing was on. Just in time.
Have not watched yet.
Being a Ford tech-I've seen cases where charging system issues or low batteries (cheap) attributed to repeated idm failures-as far as the crazy icp-when these modules aren't getting the proper voltages or have a circuit blown-anythings posible.
i had a '67 short bed f100 i bought for 400 bucks back in '96 . in the course of 100,000 miles that i logged on it, i replaced tires,brakes, some wheel bearings,and all of the belt powered bolt on stuff ( both items...water pump and alternator).. had to replace a U-joint on the side of the highway with just a pair of channel locks too . 3 sets of plugs and 2 sets of wires.... 400 bucks...
that 300 strait 6 seemed to get the same fuel economy regardless of load...empty or loaded it averaged 20mpg...
only 185 ponies under the hood and 4 on the floor..it was a basic work truck.....but it ran regardless of issues....oh ya-only ONE vacuum line ..from the carb to the brake for a simple power assist
I miss the days when a construction worker like myself could scratch his head and figure out what the issue was....nowadays you better begood with PC's and have code books..and all of that...
cars have been ruined...what ever happened to KISS-keep it simple , stupid ?
Good job, Wes! I agree you still need to find the root cause of the IDM failures before putting this back on the road, or it may very well fry another one in another 25 miles.
For what it's worth, I'm a retired career paramedic in Charlotte, NC. We ran 7.3 Power Stroke F-350's for several years but I'm not aware of us having any ongoing problems like IDM failures. As far as I know, the 7.3 power strokes gave us pretty darn reliable service.
Ambulances do indeed get a LOT of idle time. We do "central depoyment" with our fleet and "post" trucks at specified locations strategically. We are deployed and sent to fire stations and even street corners (a point close to intersections). In many instances, our tricks are at least idliing the entire shift 10-12-14 hrs at a time. I don't know how the ambulance company (EMS provider) operated where that chassis-cab came from, but I can vouch for the fact that in many areas, ambulances get an INSANE amount of idle time (mainly for HVAC/climate control for the crews).
Keep up the great videos, man! :-)
Yeah, I assume it has plenty of idle hours. I believe it was owned by a volunteer fire department, so it may have had a pretty easy life.
I love that tow in, the whole family ❤️
Damn son, you need an assistant bad, If i didn't have a bad ticker I would come help you for free. Otherwise you are doing a hell of a job yourself. I really enjoy watching your expert level work. Keep it up!
I hope there is a part two - this is very interesting! I both love and hate problems like this. Hate them as I'm trying to fix them...but when you finally do find the root cause...I love the feeling of accomplishment! Keep on keeping on! Looking forward to the Deere parts coming in and more on the Deere. Tell your better half that she did a great job driving the ole van into the shop - not easy with no power anything in a vehicle that depends on having power everything. :)
Helps her build some upper body strength.
@@WatchWesWork hahahahahahahaha! ;)
Interesting... I've been building and running 4x4 Van's for a long while. I would go insane if I worked at a shop like there's. Van's for days. lol I now have my own lift kit system for them... been thinking of a way to build like 10 and make a new style gambler 500 platform..FUN FUN FUN. I'm for sure going to stay here.. you are doing great. A bit over my paygrade.. but not for long.. lol thank you for your videos.
I like your little helper, just think he'll get a chance to someday share these videos with his kids
Heh. He can laugh at the old man!
i love when your wife and kid are in the videos :)
Amazing!!! Wes, You sure are talented. I really like watching you diagnose and solve.
Liked the "Spinal Tap" reference.
It's cool that the kid gave you a ride. A lot of times they just drive on past pointing to the "no passengers" sign.
LMAO!
Been watching all your videos in reverse order, been a hell of a ride. I’ve been laughing to much at your jokes
I like how you blew on that plug like an old Atari cartridge
I would check for poor grounds. May explain the crazy high pressure readings too. Certainly not a happy bunny.
That is what i was wondering. It does seem like the circuit is grounding somewhere it shouldn't. Very strange.
I have seen this also but the truck has 40,000 miles. Still a good idea to check all grounds.
@@Military-Museum-LP It may only have 50K miles but being an ambulance it has hundreds of Idle hours, which are generally harder on diesels due to the fact that they don't burn as good when idling resulting in more cylinder wash.
Every PS e4od that has failed me had tge pump welded to the case or the shaft or both bad grounding is def a prob on pre 2001 then it became a guarantee
@@johnstockwellmajorsmedleyb1214 can you explain a little more. My van is a 95 7.3 . Lost power then couldn’t restart it. No fuel is going into the fuel bowl
Diesel Tech Ron had some wonderful videos on fixing this crud,RIP Ron,that may help.
Yep. Not much on the 7.3. I think those were mostly out of fashion by the time UA-cam came around.
@@WatchWesWork No Wes he had a plethora of vids on the the 7.3 and icp ficm and no start issues. Powerstroke help has quite a bit too. Bill Hewitt is his name.
Most states set an age limit on emergency vehicles. As a former police officer our vehicles were replaced around the 100k mark. The volunteer fire/rescue were regulated by the state by age of vehicle. You stated in the beginning of the video that the owners company converted the ambulance to the flatbed. Lots of electrical connections had to be removed and reconnected. Maybe the tech that worked on wiring crossed wires someplace causing a surge to the control module. Sounds also like it ran before the conversion. GL Wes.
Yeah, damage from various conversions is pretty likely.
Good detective work Wes!!.......👀👏👌👍✌️🍻
Thanks 👍
I hope someone gets back to you on what’s causing those 3 to fail. I’m sure you’d like to know and so would we. Please keep us updated?
also, excellent diagnosis skills Wes.
Quite a puzzler Wes.
Great vlog thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Geewizz Wes it really is a family business!,😉 even the lawnmower is chipping in, thanks for the entertainment and as always ... it was a joy to watch you work🛠, hope to see you again soon!, you and your family stay save and healthy
Everyone must pull their weight.
In our town in CT, we have Eastford Fire and Rescue. I wouldn't be surprised if that went through their place at some point in time.
It came from Warren Ct, volunteer fire department. So the papers I have say.
Something must not have been right with this vehicle from the beginning of it's life, I am picking it was a lemon right from the day it was born. Stay safe bro
Could be!
The Audubon Society is very proud of you son!!! You are a godparent now!!!
GOD bless you family bless America 🇺🇸 good video I, have a 7.3 F350 2001 from Guatemala 🇬🇹
Great video Wes greetings from the United States Virgin islands in the carribbean st.thomas I am a new subcriber and I am a journeyman heavy equipment mechanic with nine years of experience in heavy duty trucks and earthmoving equipment your videos are great and educational my dad was a diesel mechanic he taught me most of what I know so far he passed away last year so I am going to get certified very soon and get my CDL soon thanks for the great content and God bless you and your family keep the videos coming
If you don't make a part 2 , we will start calling you Warren...lol. Nice arrangement of the shop with the machine part at the back left side. Glad that things are starting to move.
I live in Connecticut and I have an 09 6.4 power stroke it just started puking oil into the radiator most likely a oil cooler issue I wash I lived closer to Wes I’d pay whatever to have him fix it awesome mechanic
Consider Eric O. at South Main Auto in Avoca New York, western New York, also on UA-cam. He's also an excellent mechanic and his rates are generally reasonable. Although he may find broken things the owner doesn't want to pay to fix. I bring my cars to him (90 miles or so) when I need diagnostic work, the repair it myself. You've got a much longer drive.
My experience working on E-series with IDM failures are 1. Water intrusion due to its location. 2. Bad reman IDMs. Open it up and see if it's crusty inside.
I should.
Exactly ,Look for blown or leaking capacitors. They are easy to replace , I have sourced capacitors through electronic shops. A few dollars each...
Looking back at Wess’ old CNC videos, I’d say he has the skills to pay those bills. If the communications IDM IC isn’t fried it might very well be something simple like a smoked diode or transistor.
This person knows their 7.3 Power Stroke and its IDM oddities!
I saw the video come up and thought idm right off the bat.
Chances are you have a bad ground. I had a 97 doing the same thing, eating idm's like a 5 year old with a bag of Oreo's. Mine ate 6 within 150 miles. Turned out after a 3 week study and 11 different diesel mechanics it was a simple ground problem. Replaced all the main ground leads to the motor and frame and to this day ( 9 years later ) it has not ate another idm. After it was fixed i had the injection harrniess replaced just to be safe.
WELL THERE'S YOUR PROBLEM LADY!
Seems like a valid concern. I will check them.
Yeah, I would look at what the did in the conversion. There was probably all kinds of wires that supplied power o the rear half. I'm thinking thatt ay have been what rubbed the wire bare.
Great video Wes! I just bought that Hantek DSO 1062B O-scope. Your dog has become a good ground guide helping you back out of the garage.
LOL. It's a decent scope for simple tasks. I hate the storage, or lack thereof. And the roll mode is useless.
I can't justify buying the Rohde & Schwarz scope rider at $3,500 yet, but I can dream...
I think, since about 1989-90'ish all ambulance vehicles had to be of diesel power. Something to do with a lesser degree of fire/explosion in a crash, than a gasoline power engine, given that patient transport was on board.
Anyways, looking forward to a part 2. I'd did not know that there were OBD port(s) on a 1995 Powerstroke, or that a "buzz test" could be done on a 1995 Powerstroke. I learn so much from you videos, it is pretty awesome.
Thank you sir.
The Power Strokes were OBDII-ish in the early years. They did not follow all the standards, so some scan tools will have issues communicating with them. You can reflash the PCM to a later version and get full OBDII functionality. The Autel does pretty well.
Watch Wes Work ok, thank you.
Really enjoy the variety of equipment you work on, makes your videos that much more educational and entertaining.
Havant got a clue what ur doing know nothing about engines but still love ur vids man thanks for sharing again 👍👍
I am guessing the nick in the orange wire was a test cut to probe. Great video! 👍 I enjoy seeing all the advanced diagnostic equipment. The wireless obd /computer scanner makes me want to throw my handheld unit in the trash.
I saw the Spotted Cow on your toolbox when you were pulling the truck in, a fine choice! Keep up the good work and vids Wes
Thanks 👍
I believe the injectors are pulling excessive current to fire. She may have low miles, but I'd bet she has alot of idle hours. Injectors are a wear item on a diesel.
Set of injectors, IDM, repair the damaged harness wire, replace the valve cover gaskets and pigtails and she'll be good to go for another 20 years.
Check the wiring above the alternator that rubbed through it looked like it was sparking
It is amazing that he was able to tow that large heavy truck with a lawn tractor!
Great vid
Never would have thought
Dorman made something
That was reliable 😂
Here's a general tip regarding ICP with a no-start condition: Don't bother monitoring ICP sensor pressure. The PCM will report an inferred pressure value if there's an issue with the sensor. Monitor ICP sensor voltage instead. The PCM needs to see (among other parameters) 0.84 volts from the ICP sensor before it will allow the IDM to fire the injectors. Key on, engine off reading should be around 0.24 volts.
Sidenote: Dorman valve cover gaskets are pure, unadulterated garbage. The insulation on the wires under the valve covers hardens, cracks and falls off in a fairly short time.
I've installed dozens of these Dorman gaskets and had 0 issues. I still believe it's a superior design without the second connector.
While the engine was running, it looked to me like the wire that was rubbed through was arcing intermittently. It could be a trick of the light. I watch UA-cam on a HD 55" screen. Not sure if it matters if it was arcing in any case. Just thought I'd mention it.
I went back and looked. It is Arcing!
I'll have to review!
I saw it too.
There is something....
I see something there I don't know if it's arcing or it's a shadow from that flapping tape by the alternator. Mind you I'm watching on a small tablet.... But there's something there
It's an E350 Wes, not that it makes any difference. It came from Warren Ct Volunteer Fire department. I don't have any records from them, but may have the bill for the cooked module replacement, and both were supposed to be OEM rebuilt modules(might be in the glovebox, or above one of the visors?).
I'm thinking new valve cover gaskets with a new style clip that won't come loose on it's own might be the way to go. We'll have to talk soon. It was good to hear it run again though 😎
Well I got sort of close. I'll get in touch with you Monday and we can make a plan.
Watching this after you posted part 3 on October 23rd 2021.
That computer is pretty smart. It figured out that there was sum ting wong. Usually an old ambulance is a pretty good rig. Hate working on vans though. A guy came up with a special rigging setup for pulling the 7.3 out of E series vans.The F series cab and chassis make it a lot easier target for the old parts cannon.
You can remove the cab pretty easily. At the junk yard they pull the engines by flipping the van on its side and torching the front cross member. The engine just folds down and they can unbolt it.
Allways enjoy your videos Wes . Thanks for sharing.
Wow you have some very very good audience comments. Some smart people here. Love the content Wes!
👍 nice work as always. I wouldn't know where to begin.
Thanks 👍
Hey. Apologies for late reply in regards to the ultrasonic cleaner. I’ll send you an email. My wife a uni prof, a huge supporter of union teachers which apparently your wife had a T-shirt in regards to that. Great vids as always.
Yes she is a union teacher. mail@watchweswork.com
We really like these videos! Keep posting please! 👍
Thank you! Will do!
Great video
now that it is running you can recheck all the codes and voltages and grounds.
Thanks ! Your son loves wrenching with his dad!
That's a badass rig.
Love the video, was surprised that the cub cadet could pull that much. was waiting for the gears to shear......I learn so much from you. you need to have a show on MT your better then Tech-Garage
Nicely done. Running good for siting a few years. I am chasing P0300 random missfire on my 02 tacoma. Really scratching my head now. Replaced all the typical stuff, plugs, wires, maf sensor, crank sensor. Recently new fuel pump and filter too. Have a cam sensor on the way. Only miss-fires after siting for a day, and then only for 8-15 seconds after starting. Then runs great. Dose not seem to be loosing coolant, and all cylinders have good compression. There is a igniter(ignition control modual that controls the spark but I wold think that would either work or not.
I don't know. You might want to check the fuel trims. If it's random and not on a certain cylinder, it may be fuel related.
@@WatchWesWork So after a few months the truck finely thew a p0303. I pressurized the cooling system over night, and in the morning cylinder 3 had a good amount of coolant in it. Probably a cracked head or head gasket. Proably just going to leave it and see how how long she lasts. Uses almost no coolant. 18years old with a rotted and patched frame, just not worth the time and money
It's the value cover harness, I sold my 95 f250 with 280000 miles. Running 2 sets or gaskets. The wire harness burns.. Glow plug . the wire would fry on the injector wire. That was my problem.. Worked the tar out of that truck.. Only 1 e40d trans.
Agreed. That and the cam position sensor are common failure points with 7.3's