Hard Start 06 6.0

[Darrin Tosh]

I picked Nicks brain on this tonight but I wanted to post it here as well,..

I have a 06 F350 sleeper truck that I picked up last week. It runs and sarts great when warm, but when I try to start it cold, it tries to start, belches out some black smoke, and wont start. If I plug it in for 2 hours it will start up, idles little rough for a minute then clear up and run sweet.

The motor is a new Ford Drop in motor about 1 year ago. The WTS light goes on for about 5 seconds but it is 70 plus degrees here.

Form the research that I have bee doing it seems that the FICM may need to be reflashed?

Or could it be the glow plugs or controller?

Any help would be appreciatedi, I will have a chance to bring it to the dealer tomorrow for a reflash if needed.

Thanks!

 

[snicklas]

The belching black and wont start untill plugged in sounds more like GP's to me, just by going on what the older trucks do.

I had the cold starting problem that was fixed with a reflash. However, it was a completely different set of symptoms. On a cold start, no matter the outside temp, it would start, idle very roughly, and had absoutlely no power till it warmed up, maybe a quarter mile of driving, and then it would be just like a normal cold diesel engine. I have heard some with this problem belched white smoke, but mine did not. If I kept it plugged in it would start and run normally. What the reflash does (Inductive Heating Flash) when you turn the key to "run" the WTS light lights and you will hear a "chatter" from under the hood, like a relay cycling quickly. This is the injector actuation solenoid being cycled to help warm the engine oil in the injectors so the injector will fire properly when cold. My WTS light comes on for 5-6 seconds on a warm day and you can hear the chatter the whole time. Is there a CEL light? I know the 6.0 does not have glow plug issues like he IDI's do, but if they just moved the GP's to the new engine, or just put a short block in and moved the heads the GP's may be original, and I am sure they will "wear out" over time. I know next door at SDD, I have not read much about GP's on any of the PSD's.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Thanks for the info,. I got it started today and it ran just like yours does, stumbling and no power for about 3 or 4 minutes then eventually it cleared up as it got warmer. The CEL light is on as well.

Sounds like the FICM is the problem, I took it to the dealer today and he said that I need a new FICM, at $560.00 my cost, plus about $180.00 labor for install and programing. He said that a re-flash would not work.

So I am looking at purchasing a used one and swapping it myself. Has anyone else done this? If I get a good one should it work? Where is the FICM located?

Looks like I can buy one for $215.00 shipped to me. I prefer to save some money when possible.

Thanks for any input!
Darrin

 

[snicklas]

PM Sent.....

 

[hesutton]

I know jack about the 6.0, but a good friend of mine had a similar problem with his '06 6.0. It was a failing HPOP.

Heath

 

[catman]

ficim

no problem changing them. I run the maintance department for a trucking company. we have about 18 of these 2003- 2007. fficim is on top of drivers valve cover. 4 bolts and 3 plugs. most of the stuff from 2004-07 is interchangeable. glow plugs,camshaft,intake ,waterpump are some of the parts that are different on the 03. p/s if you install a new ficim you will to haul unit to dealer to get flashed.

 

[tbirdfiend281]

i didnt even read threw the posts but the bleching black smoke and hard to start makes me think it could also possibly be a problem with an EGR valve hanging open or not fully closing because of a carbon buildup

to check the glow plugs to make sure they have contnuity, you can remove the 4 pin glow plug connecters to do that, and if they all OHM out then they are all fucntion properlly, this also rules out a failure in the connecter

the hpop on the 06 trucks dont fail quite as often as the 03-04 trucks, i would think it was something other then that going out, but then again, they can still fail

what is the code you are recieving?

 

[tbirdfiend281]

as a post script, the ficm failures i have had in the past, have had the truck misfiring, not cold start issues, i would think the ficm is fine, and if it where failing, you would have random cylinder misfires. With the truck i have had ficm failures, have been super dirty, so my assumption was that dut/dirt/corrosion, got to the ficm and caused it to go haywire, thats all. I would put the ficm low on my suspection list of a failed component causing your issue

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Hey guys, thanks for the info, I forgot to update this post:

I got the used FICM, got it installed and it is good as new. The customer picked up the truck on Monday so we are all good!

And fixed it for $215.00 instead of $700.00,..gotta like that!

 

[towcat]

in the future, PM "punkmechanic" on the 6.0/6.4 trucks too. he's quite well versed with them at the ford stealership(where he works at).