Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Total Intermittent Electrical Flicker / Failure

New ghost in the machine.

Pulled out of the driveway two days ago to go trailer a wrecked car home. Got about half a mile up the road, and my electrical system started flickering. Engine died, dash went nuts, everything is clicking on and off real fast. This went on for a minute or two, then stopped. After a little internal debate, I decided to continue on.

Ran fine for another mile or so. Hitched up the trailer and checked the lights, everything A-OK. Started rolling down the lane and the truck went dark. Engine shut down, no sign of electrical power anywhere. It was as if my batteries had been suddenly abducted by aliens. Truck stayed dark for about 5 - 10 seconds, then like a switch was thrown all the electric came back on. Dropped the trailer and drove back to the house without incident. Not towing a car like this.

Checked the battery connections. Looked really good and tight. Pulled and cleaned them anyways.

Pulled the fuse box out from under the dash and looked for water damage. Absolutely no sign of moisture or corrosion anywhere on the box or anything else under the dash.

Started the truck and turned every electrical item I could think of on. Truck sat and idled for 15 minutes without a hiccup. Voltage at the batteries was normal. I wiggled wires everywhere with no effect.

Decided to quit for the night. Got into the truck to move it to it's parking spot and POOF, all went dark again. Engine died, heater blower, radio, headlights, interior lights, all dark. About 5 seconds later, everything came back online.

No CEL. No other symptoms. She was either running perfectly or had no juice at all.

I drove it last night to the mechanic I use. 7 miles, bumps, potholes, stop and go traffic, no issues.

Just spoke with the mechanic. They can't reproduce the problem. I told him I can't reproduce it on demand either. I asked that they put it up on the rack and check all the ground points.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: For AC Optimum Low / High Pressure Readings?

What are the most favorable low-side/high-side pressure readings for the AC when fully charged?

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: 252k Not Giving High Ohm Readings - Replace?

Replace them? Have a new set on the shelf, however, the 252k ones that are installed now give no high ohm readings.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Won't Turn Over Voltage Above 12v

Batteries are a year old. Drove to work. Now won't turn over even with a diesel truck jumping. Voltage above 12 and slowly drops when cranking.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: No Power / Zero Voltage To Fuel Pump

2003 F-350 - 7.3. With the key in the on position there is zero voltage to the fuel pump. Fuel pump fuse is good. I traced the red with black tracer wire from the pump up through the firewall and to the safety inertia switch. The switch has continuity so it's OK. Then from the safety switch I traced the green with yellow tracer wire to a fuse block plug connector. Then I checked continuity from that connector out to the #40 fuel pump fuse and it's open.

So I then i checked from the fuel pump fuse to all the back connections on the back of the fuse block and there was no continuity to any of them. So I removed the back cover off the fuse block to expose any issues. I found two board mounted relays. Now, from the fuse I get continuity to one of the relay connections. So did Ford hide the fuel pump relay and make it non replaceable? Also if this is the pump relay then what circuit energizes it? I need to make sure before I replace the fuse block.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Battery And GPR Voltage Dropping?

I do run a small battery maintainer during the winter months plugged into a three way with the block heater. Alright after sitting out side for approx 9-10 hrs in 22 degree weather I did these checks. Battery voltages at 12.55V and 12.6V on batteries.

Voltage coming into for was also 12.5V. When glow plugs activated I am getting 11V on the other side of the gpr. After cycling glow plugs battery voltages drop to 9.6V during cranking and as soon as she starts back to 12.5V.

Do these numbers sounds right? In my opinion isn't the drop to 9.6V during cranking a little low or is that the normal?

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Temp Gauge / No Voltage At Sending Unit

I've read some treads on the temp gauge sending unit but I'm a little foggy on where to look for my problem. I just purchased a 2000 F250 7.3, temp gauge not working. It has a new sending unit. I read some threads about the voltage at the plug but I have no voltage on either side of the plug. The way I understand it red/white wire goes to the battery. Is there a fuse between them and which one is it? and if fuse is ok is there a cronic problem that someone might know of that I can look for?

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: 2002 - Battery Light Comes On / Voltage Does Not Drop

Bit of a confusing one as of late. Doesn't happen every time I drive, maybe 50% of the time. When I start the truck up, torque pro reads voltage at 13.9-14.1 consistent. After 30 minutes it usually drops to around 13.7/13.8. Sometimes, battery light comes on, voltage doesn't drop. I can drive the truck, park it, turn it off, restart, no side effects.

I notice if I stop, turn off the truck, and restart it, torq pro will begin to read a voltage of 12.8.13.0. Sometimes it won't budge for an hour, sometimes it climbs right back up to 13.8, sometimes the battery light goes off, sometimes it stays on.

Alternator was replaced a month ago, both batteries replaced a week ago, all terminals cleaned and secured at the time of replacement. Truck behaves perfectly normal, I'm almost at the point of putting a piece of tape over the light and ignoring it, but was curious before I go that route.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: 2000 - No Voltage At Plug When Brake Pedal Pressed?

Installed Tekonsha P3 on my 2000 F350 I used the recommend pig tail easy hookup when I press brake pedal no voltage at plug but when I move the manual lever I get voltage. I believe the stop light switch activates it. The fuses all check out. I did have a Banks engine brake installed by their people I don't know if makes a difference

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Truck Won't Start - Battery Voltage Will Keep Falling If Cranking Continues

So when its cold and im talking below 55 degrees, and the truck hadn't been started that day, it will turn over 3 or 4 times before the voltmeter takes a dive down to 10 volts or so and doesn't start. The voltage will keep falling if cranking continues. I took the batteries out and had them tested. They are both above the rated cca. So im thinking it could be the starter windings?

I did replace an injector recently so all the cranking to get it going again may have ruined the starter? But when I hook up the battery charger and jump the truck it starts. And after it has been started it will continue to start easily the rest of the day.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: 2000 E450 - Low Voltage On Gauge With Good Battery - No Start Condition

2000 Ford 7.3 E450 120,000 miles...

I have changed the CPS twice
I have checked the resistance of the injectors at the IDM connector with a volt meter and the harness reports back good.
The truck will run with ether for a few seconds
I have changed the fuel filter.
The fuel bowl fills quickly
I have unplugged the ICP.
The truck is showing low voltage on the gauge with a good battery. Around 10v
I have connected my 200amp car starter and I never see over 10v. I plan to check the grounds, but I am at a loss.

Everything is difficult because this is a van body so space is limited. I have also plugged in the block heater for an hour and that hasn't made any difference. Where can I get the best price on an AE scanner.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Battery Light On / Voltage Meter Only Show Barely 12 Volts At Full Throttle

The brief information:

1. Stuck/non moving in traffic on the freeway for roughly 1 1/2. During that time the AC was running, but once I noticed my "battery light" on the dash turn on, I turned everything off.
2. Since then while on my way home from work the voltage meter only showed barely 12 volts at full throttle.
3. I charged my battteries, and started it up today to go into work. While going to work the voltage meter showed 14 at its high point, but shortly there after it dropped back down to 12. At which time the battery light came back on.

New battery or alternator?

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Electrical Power Fluctuations EGT Gauge Failure

I am on my third EGT gauge. My mechanic installed it as per "auto meter" specifications. He told me, the only reason he could find that the gauges have been failing is low voltage output. I have an onboard compressor for my airbag suspension and every time I start my vehicle it runs to fill up the air system. The voltage drops to 11.1V. It comes up once all is running and the compressor quits. is there any such thing as surge/brownout protection for these systems?

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: 2000 - Intermittent Power Loss?

I have a F350 that has intermittent power loss.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Steering Intermittent Or No Power Steer

My 7.3 power steering is acting up. Feels like I am up against a rock. At slow speeds like parking lot maneuvering I struggle to turn wheel. Then all of a sudden I'll get power steering back and wheel will rapidly turn. Freaky.

Brake pressure is fine. They shutter pretty bad even with the new rotors I just put on but they have good pressure. But the steering is intermittent or no power steer.

I saw online to run engine at 2000 rpm and try steering but no change. Still no power steer. There is fluid in reservoir. There is fluid seeping up steering column from steering box. No clue if this is related or unrelated.

How to troubleshoot further. I hate throwing parts at problems before truly diagnosing. Also have pretty aggressive lurching during turns in four wheel drive. It's present on dirt road but worse on pavement. Don't know if this is related or not.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Power Steering Loss Intermittent - New Pump?

I have a 2000 Excursion. This weekend, I noticed some intermittent failure of the power steering where it seemed like the pump was not engaging and then would all of the sudden. Deciding to try to head off a failure, I got a reman unit from Oreilly and installed it this morning. It was fine when I tested, had good brakes and went locked to lock quietly without fuss. Let the house and within a mile, I lost steering and brake assist. I stopped and turned around, but what I am noticing is that at idle, I have no power steering, but when the RPM's are up, I do.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Intermittent Loss Of Power - Momentarily Stuttering

Intermittent loss of power (could be describe momentarily stuttering) with momentary illumination of the check engine soon light. Its only happened a couple of times. Maybe about a year ago (I changed the fuel filter after it occurred). It occurred again about a month ago and then again yesterday. About a month ago I had a friend with a scanner look at the codes and he said there was only one and it was for low fuel pressure. Its been maybe 5k since I changed the fuel filter.

The truck is driven intermittently, maybe 5k or 6k a year, and usually parked with a full tank of fuel. What areas I should look at to correct this? I got my stock 2001 F350 4x4 manual transmission in 2004 with about 157k miles. Today I've got about 228k miles.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Intermittent Rough Motor / Black Smoke And Low Power

I have an Excursion with 220k miles. I've owned the truck for 6+ years and had very few problems. I change my own oil and fuel filters, but beyond that I know next to nothing about the diesel motor. I do run a DP Tuner with the standard 80 hp program. And a 4" exhaust. Everything else is stock. I do keep it plugged it for the oil heater and the battery tender just about all the time now.

This latest issue started yesterday morning when my wife jumped in a cool truck to take the kids to the dentist (not warmed up but still 55 degrees ambient). A few miles down the road (35 mph max) the motor began stumbling and rocking and black smoke coming from the exhaust with reduced power. She pulled off and kept it running (very rough and rocking) and put it in park for a minute. When she put back in drive, it shifted heavily but the power was normal so she went on her way without any problems. The only report I got sounded like the motor was just cold and rough, so I thought nothing more of it.

Yesterday evening we drove it about 70 miles on the highway (72 mph max) with no issue at all, but when we continued on surface streets toward our destination (50 mph max) it did the same thing, but would not settle back down. I kid you not that it went through gallons of fuel the last 12 miles or so, just dumping black smoke out the exhaust. It felt to me like we were running 1/2 the motor, like the plugs weren't lit. Very rough and rocking and very little power (comparatively, at least). I had to switch to manually shifting the trans to get going and the shifts were much rougher than usual. Idle was low and rough but it never stalled. Behind me there was a huge smoke screen this entire time.

We made it to our destination and parked it. Did our thing and after 5 hours went out with finger crossed. Started right up and ran perfectly the entire 91 miles home. No motor or trans issues at all. Currently running 10/40 synthetic oil that I just changed about 2000 miles ago. Oil level is perfect. 3/4 tank of fuel with standard level of Diesel Kleen added. Fuel filter is less than 10k miles old. Temps yesterday were 65-70 on the drive down and 50-55 on the way back.

I jiggled all sorts of connectors this morning and didn't find anything loose.

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Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (1999-2003) :: Partial Crank And Intermittent Start

Anyway, I went out to start my truck just now and I'm getting a weird symptom.

The truck gets partial revolution and then to me it seems like the starter bendix pulls back in prematurely and this nasty clank and then a slight "zing". all within a second.

If I try a few more times, it seems to fire. But all the attempts before it fires sound pretty nasty to me.

Does this sound like a symptom of a bad starter/bendix?

A little further history, my excursion was broken into several years ago and they stole my pioneer head unit, in doing so, they forced the shifter down and since then it has been a little "loose". I'm wondering if it could be a neutral safety switch on the transmission?

Anyway, I'm getting ready to order a new neutral safety switch but wondering if I should go ahead a purchase a new starter as well?

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