Hi guys,
I have a 2000 F-550 7.3 manual I picked up recently. When I first got it the cruise/speedo/odo weren't working. A new VSS fixed the speedo/odo, but I still don't have cruise. I tried new buttons because the buttons on the truck looked worn out. Still no dice.
The horn works, but when you press the ON button, nothing lights up on the dash. There are no check engine lights or ABS lights on.
Since nothing lights up on the dash does that point to clock spring?
I've also tried jumpering the brake pressure switch with no change - nothing lights up on the dash.
I know there's the brake pressure switch on the master cylinder, the clutch switch, and the clock springs left to check - anything else particular to the v8 diesel trucks? I've read they have another sensor in the rear axle?
If you're going to fire the parts canon at it the clockspring is probably the next thing to try but if you get a good scanner that speaks Ford then you can see what's really wrong with it.
In reply to APEowner :
Do you have examples of scanners that speak ford? Can I get a good obd reader and use for-scan to do this?
I'd prefer not to fire the parts cannon at it, but I don't really have any good leads as of yet.
https://forscan.org/home.html
That was a good reminder - Since I can get it same day I ordered a recommended forscan OBD2 adapter and I'll see if it can help me. I needed to get one for it anyways since it's a really useful tool when dealing with fords/mazdas
accordionfolder said:
In reply to APEowner :
Do you have examples of scanners that speak ford? Can I get a good obd reader and use for-scan to do this?
I'd prefer not to fire the parts cannon at it, but I don't really have any good leads as of yet.
https://forscan.org/home.html
I just realized that my reply sounded kind of snarky. That wasn't intentional and I apologize for that.
I don't have any first hand experience with forscan. I've used Autoenginuity products since I bought my SuperDuty new in '01 and been very pleased. I did just notice that they've got a footnote on their website that indicates that has the following note *Note: F450/F550/F650/F750 are not light duty trucks and will have limited or no support. I don't know if there are any actual differences or if they're just covering their corporate backside because they haven't tested on them. It looks like forescan should work if the same caveat doesn't apply to them.
In reply to APEowner :
I didn't take it as snarky! I appreciate the input, it was a good recommendation. That was genuine question, I'm not well-versed in obd-scan tools so I wasn't sure if there was a "defacto" scanner for Fords or the like.
accordionfolder said:
In reply to APEowner :
I didn't take it as snarky! I appreciate the input, it was a good recommendation. That was genuine question, I'm not well-versed in obd-scan tools so I wasn't sure if there was a "defacto" scanner for Fords or the like.
Oh good.
To elaborate a bit more on the scan tool topic. There are parameters that are part of the OBDII standard that all manufacturers are mandated to output and pretty much any scanner can read. Then, there are the manufacturer enhanced parameters and additional computers(Volvo passenger seat module, for example) that can be added to the system. In addition to that there some manufactures add bi-directional diagnostics. To read all the extra stuff and to use the bi-directional diagnostics you need a more expensive scan tool like Forescan.
This might be a worthless note, but that era Ford cruise control doesn't light up until it is set. You get no indication whether it is on or off unless cruise is actually in use, so the light won't be much help for testing purposes.
In reply to bigeyedfish :
Dang, that is helpful, I was under the impression it would light up.... :/
They have a "self test sequence" that supposedly works on the gas trucks for the cruise control. It states the light comes on, I wasn't sure if the self test worked on this truck or not, but assumed the light would come on if the system is hot. Unfortunately I've never owned this truck AND had cruise control so .. hahaha - woops!
Maybe it's already working now ... fingers crossed.
Probably does not apply... but, in my 2008 E350 the problem was a vacumn leak in the accumulator.
In reply to Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) :
I **think** because it's a diesel it doesn't have a vacuum based cruise, it uses the drive-by-wire throttle I believe. But I've clearly been wrong a lot on this thread, so .... I'm hoping the computer tells me what's wrong!
Every cruise problem I've ever had was traces to the brake switch. Try pulling up on the pedals while setting it.
My 7.3 didn't have cruise, so I hope I'm not mixed up. The gas trucks (Expedition, F150, F250 in my experience) definitely don't light up until engaged. It has been too long since I drove the F450 7.3, so I can't remember with certainty, but I'm pretty sure it was the same.
In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :
I'll give it a try! I tried jumpering and disconnecting the pressure switch (I wasn't sure which way the switch worked)
In reply to bigeyedfish :
Really hoping forscan works and can do the diagnostic sequence thing (I read someone saying their scan tool told them which buttons were pressed, etc live - so that would tell me which switches were bad)
Assuming forescan works (and I think it will) you'll be able to read all of the switch inputs.
My recollection is that the light only turns on when the cruise is set. I think that it also lights up as part of the Key On Engine Off dashboard bulb check but I'm less certain of that.
There's no vacuum servo since the truck is entirely drive by wire. In fact there's no throttle so there's nothing for a servo to connect to.
The brake switch circuit issue is probably causing the in-op cruise issue. You should be able to monitor that switch in the data stream.
The other two codes are related to the warning lights on the dash.
Does the brake warning light come in Key On Engine Off (KOEO) mode?
It's possible that they share a power source. Are all the fuses good?
grover
Dork
7/14/21 11:04 a.m.
I think you need a resistor in the 3rd brake light to make up for the led's.
Hmmm, I replaced the pressure switch (the one on the master cylinder inside the enginebay) - I had the one that was under recall any ways (it catches on fire) - and still get the same error. It might be the wiring harness to it or I guess I can replace the brake lamp switch next (the one inside the car).
APEowner said:
The brake switch circuit issue is probably causing the in-op cruise issue. You should be able to monitor that switch in the data stream.
The other two codes are related to the warning lights on the dash.
Does the brake warning light come in Key On Engine Off (KOEO) mode?
It's possible that they share a power source. Are all the fuses good?
Fuses are good, no brake light when KOEO - so I'm assuming the lamp itself is burnt out or another wiring issue.
bigeyedfish said:
This might be a worthless note, but that era Ford cruise control doesn't light up until it is set. You get no indication whether it is on or off unless cruise is actually in use, so the light won't be much help for testing purposes.
This is 100% true based on my late '99 F350 diesel.
Now, I'm going to ask a really dumb question and I hope you won't be offended.
'Yours being a medium duty truck, are you sure it has CC? Sure it has the button on the wheel and all but that's Ford. They aren't going to manage two sets of parts when they can manage just one...especially for a truck at a time when it wouldn't have been considered a necessity. There weren't too many "civilians" buying 550's at the turn of the century-unlike now.
In reply to A 401 CJ :
No offense taken at all - A good question - so far as I know it's built in (because it didn't use a servo vacuum or anything) and all it took for my F-Superduty was to add the buttons. I HAVEN'T verified that's 100% true though, so I might be barking up the wrong tree, but I figure until I get rid of all these dumb codes I won't know for sure! (unless someone knows for sure! haha)
So back to those codes - I replaced the brake light switch (not because I suspected it, but it was pretty much free with Napa's "bucket sale") and the brake pressure switch. The computer was still reporting C1446 (Brake Switch Circuit Failure Open or Shorted to Ground). I dug back under the hood and found I had a pair of nasty broken wires at the connector under the tape. I repaired those and I'm STILL getting C1446 - does anyone have a wiring diagram? I was thinking of running new wires from the ECU to pressure switch assuming it's not a crazy run. Can I do some kind of resistance test with the multimeter to determine which wire it is?
It sounds like you already know that a 7.3 Superduty (at least a light duty (250 and 350)) is drive by wire. It doesn't use any sort of bolted-on servo actuator clap trap. I don't think this is true for OBS Powerstrokes though. I could be wrong. Your's isn't OBS so it shouldn't matter --but you did mention an F-Superduty which is OBS.
When I had tunes added by Jody at DP, it dramatically changed (improved) the operation of my CC. Stock it would jerk quite noticeably when turned off with the torque converter locked. The tunes fixed that. It also resumes its setpoint at different ramp rates now depending on the tune it is running. My only point is this: it could be that the whole shooting match resides inside the ECU that's mounted on the lower firewall on the driver's side. Maybe you just need to order a tuner and tell them you want CC.
Besides all that, an 80 hp economy tune will wake it right the heck up.
In reply to A 401 CJ :
I had a 94.5 OBS 7.3 PSD for a little while, they're drive-by-wire as well (well, the one I had was). "Pretty much" the same system. To around 93 and maybe halfway through 94 you could get 7.3 IDI diesels, those are a very different animal.
I really liked the way it drove, but this one drives SO much nicer, brakes and clutch especially. Brakes never felt marginal on the other one, but they're a lot stronger on this one.
That sounds reasonable in regards to the "enabling" it on the ECU - I figure if I can get all the codes cleared that'll be a good start even if it must be enabled as well - the code it's throwing is the brake switch that's (from what I can tall online) responsible for disabling cruise as well, so it'd have to be fixed regardless.
