Truck died today

[Allofus123]

I just got home a short while ago. Between the tow, car rental, and the dealers diagnostic fee I'm out $300 and the dealer is to backed up to look at it until Friday.

I was heading for home from a day out in the country with the cruise on at 70 when I hear a muffled poof noise from the engine compartment and the truck just shut down. All the idiot lights lit up and I coasted to a stop. Truck would turn over fine but would not start. Couldn't see anything blown up under the hood and have no idea what happened. All the electrical seemed to be working fine. I was somewhat in the middle of nowhere but got lucky that a tow truck happened along and low and behold there happened to be a Ford dealership about 3 exits down. The bad news came when the service manager told me he was backed up and short staffed and wouldn't be able to get to it until Friday. Rented a car that I can barely get in and out of and now have to wait to find out whats going on with my truck. Something tells me this is going to get a lot more expensive.

[Marv]

That sucks man, I hate to hear it. Hope they figure out what's wrong.

Any smoke, strange smells/noises? Anything leaking? Make any odds noises when trying to crank it?

Just shots in the dark...

[greasyX]

That could either be CPS or stock fuel pump (I've been blessed to experiance both).CPS will die and all lights come on like when you start truck,but no start.Stock fuel pump made a noise like big rock hitting rocker panel (impellor or something letting go).Keep your chin up,if its the CPS ford will foot the bill,as they up to there fubared design......greasy

[Allofus123]

I had the CPS changed about 6 months ago. I was running on grease at the time so wouldn't think it would be the stock fuel pump. I'll find out soon enough. Hopefully it is something under recall. The service manager did say there were quite a few things under recall that it could be and if so Ford would take care of it but would have to wait until they could get into it and have a look.

I am taking the rental back tomorrow. Rental company at the dealership was charging me $32 @ day for a little squirt car. Found a special weekend rate for the exact same car for $10 @ day from another rental company so I'm picking it up tomorrow and returning it Monday (4 days) for a grand total of $63 with taxes. I am a bit torn if I should be happy or sad. On one hand I saved a little money on the rental but on the other hand I have to drive a gocart for the weekend. :chuckles:

[Jack_Toepfer]

I was really hoping you weren't running on oil when it happened. Now you have a dead truck with an engine full of veggie. COLD VEGGIE. Thats not good.

I had a similar problem on a different car of mine and it turned out to be the intake pipe from the intercooler blew off my manifold. You wouldn't think it would have such a severe impact, but it did. Do a quick once-over on your charge pipes to make sure they are all intact.

This is only what I would do, and I'm not positive it would help at all or if it is even a good idea.
Go back to the truck.
Hold the purge for a good 30 seconds.
Try your ass off to start it again. "Flood" the sh*t out of it if you have to. You want that oil out of the motor or it will never start.

You're in Texas so I'm sure it is plenty warm down there... but I'd be screwed if my truck sat for a couple hours on oil (or so I've been lead to believe)

[billman]

Also click in the failsafe jumper switch in case it is a switch problem. When mine died the switch was the problem and w/o the jumper installed the diesel pump was disabled and getting no fuel. If the dealer does not know the v3 system you really need to install the jumper to take the v3 offline.

[skyskijason]

Don't sweat the VO. Do 'purge' before trying to start. The VO in fuel rails is displaced by diesel and gets sent back to VO tank during purge. (whether engine is running or not!!) Then you are just left with a squirt in each injector - unless it is cold enough for VO to not be liquid, no damage is likely. Worst case scenario, one cold start with cold VO ain't so bad and you will probably never notice.

There are a few things that could cause this, most of them not expensive or difficult. Remember, these engines are TOUGH as hell! Your problem is very likely electrical/computer/sensor related...

Keep us posted! Howz it feel to look UP at the drive-thru window in the econo-box!

[Clay]

That sucks man...hope its nothing too serious.

[Marv]

Howz it feel to look UP at the drive-thru window in the econo-box!

LOL...now that was just wrong Jason!

[Allofus123]

Howz it feel to look UP at the drive-thru window in the econo-box!

Tried to get the wife to take the rental to work and leave me the Tahoe, she just laughed at me. I won't be going anywhere less I absolutely have to.... its embarrassing. This little thing had such a vibration going on with its front wheel drive that I had a look underneath and there it was, stamped on the chassis, Matchbox!

Thanks for the support guys, I'll be going by the dealer a little later this afternoon to see if there is any chance of them getting to it today. Maybe slip the service manager a C note and see what happens. Will update when available.

[skyskijason]

LOL...now that was just wrong Jason!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself! It was a sucker punch , I deserve one of these - .

I have not driven a 'car' for 15 years or more. I know what a difference it is to get out of one of our trucks and into a little rental. I'm not a big guy, but I feel silly whenever I have to drive a rental. It drive's like a go-cart and I feel huge when I get out! It is nice being able to fit in parking garages and parallel paking spaces though...

[greasyX]

drive it like tom cruise in days of thunder

[Marv]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself! It was a sucker punch , I deserve one of these - .

I have not driven a 'car' for 15 years or more. I know what a difference it is to get out of one of our trucks and into a little rental. I'm not a big guy, but I feel silly whenever I have to drive a rental. It drive's like a go-cart and I feel huge when I get out! It is nice being able to fit in parking garages and parallel paking spaces though...

Haha...I was just giving you a hard time. What you're saying is the truth...it's hard to go back to a car when you're used to having so much room and good visibility. Anytime I take a trip for work and have to get a rental car, I feel like I can't see anything. I always figure I'll end up running over something before I get the thing back to the rental company.

I was amazed first time I drove my truck to the local airport to catch a flight. I could actually fit the thing in the garage. Granted, it's stock height, but I could still get in there. I figured I'd never make it.

[Fordnut74]

Deffinately wouldn't sweat the shutdown on oil. One or two are fine, kind of like having a donut or two. Won't hurt anything unless you make a regular diet of it. Chances are that it is somthing simple. The 7.3 just simply does not have sudden expensive or catastrophic failures. Doubt it is a fuel supply issue as well. If you lose fuel pressure, the truck will start to lose power, run rough, cough spit , complain, idle, sputter then die- kind of like a long drawn out Bugs Bunny shot by Elmer Fudd death. In the meantime, enjoy being one of those a holes who doesn't have to know how to drive to park their rig!

[Jack_Toepfer]

Deffinately wouldn't sweat the shutdown on oil.

I honestly thought that my truck wouldn't even start.

It was low 30s this morning though I think...