OK, I just wanted to close the loop on this!

Traced down the issues via a mechanic. Glow plug relay and $80.00 labor! He had just seen the same thing on another truck (Excursion?) and spent alot of time tracking it down. We did a quick swap on my truck and the problems seem to have gone away! He is now replacing the relay every time he replaces the glow plugs as they are cheap and easy to do and apparently have a life span equivilent of the glow plugs according to some of his diesel mechanic buddies!

Guy had a nice '78 Trans Am and a '60 'Vette sitting in the shop and a early '70s Dart out front. No photos, sorry!

Anyway, several thousand miles with ~10,000 pound loads and no issues so far. Still saving for a transmission but this looks to be more of a future issue! Running on the origial transmission still! Passed 250,000 miles heading for 400,000!!! (maybe more)

Glad the problem has been solved, David. I'll save this to my memory bank for reference.

I don't see how the glow plugs would cause a power loss? They are on only during startup.

James,

I will agree with you completely! But there it is, changed out and problem solved. Sometimes it just does not make sense. There has to be something else this unit is controlling but I really do not understand it enough.

Nothing is simple on newer diesels including the 7.3L . Automotive engineers and thier infinate wisdom seem to like to "integrate EVERY THING"!!!!! Bad electrical connection would lead to injection issues as well.


Glad you got it going. My 2000 F250 just rolled 273,000 this weekend. just replaced the power steering pump as it was rattling. and shopping for front tires (most frequent wear item on these trucks). need upper ball joints soon and I can do these jobs myself. have great power in the motor and it's an original trans as well. Towing something heavy nearly every weekend. Best damn truck I ever had.

As well it still does not explain where the transmission fluid went? Why is it burning so much.

If you are going to tow with an auto gearbox, you NEED a temp sensor on the gearbox to let you know whats going on there. I would add a fuel pressure sensor and on a turbo-diesel engine at a minimum a boost pressure gauge.

Find a used Edge W/Attitude box and it will do all of these for you. I have one and love it.

I have a check engine light on my '01 F350 related to the glow plug circuit.
Dealer recommends the control unit.

The code was cylinder specific, so I changed out the "bad" one.
Code went away for a few weeks, but returned again.

Truck has less than 150k miles.
Some times I feel a low throttle stumble. Very light. Like a miss. Only when under 1/3 throttle.


KT

I THINK the transmission fluid might have boiled off. After changing and adding Lucas' products it does not seem to have lost anymore. During that time frame we were hauling heavy loads up an down steep hills. Hindsite is we might have overheated the transmission! We had been towing exclusively on flat ground, ie about 12 to 20 foot differences in elevation to include overpasses. In order to leave my house now I climb significantly more.

Yep, really do need a temperature guage on it! It does have all the towing add-ons from the factory. Might just have to start looking around for some add-ons. She is a young 250,000+ miles and 12 years.


You can do the control unit easily and by yourself. It is on top and I believe only takes about five minutes, including opening/closing the hood. I did the glow plugs and they really are not that hard. Deep socket to get the plugs out. I put them in with my fingers so I could better "feel" as they engaged in the hole.

Worst part is the back bolts. I used an angled socket to start them and found it quicker to undo with my two fingers that would fit back there. Reversed install with a magnet and fingers.