Let me tell you about my day... (automotive breakdown content inside)

So my wife and I are headed off on a very well deserved vacation this week.  Its been a bit of a mad thrash getting our camper van all put back together (2006 E350 6.0, 4x4, Colorado Camper Van conversion) - doing some electrical work, uprated alternator, new Android Auto head unit, etc)   We wanted to head up to the UP and take in the fall colors.

So.

Driving up from Milwaukee on Friday about 2.5 hours north, let off the gas for a slowdown in traffic and the injection control pressure drops off and the van dies.  Touch the key, and pressure comes back up and runs fine the rest of the trip to the in-laws.  Check the codes and get a P2623 Injector Control Pressure Regulator/Circuit Open.

Starts up fine yesterday morning and runs good.  No codes, predictable pressure.  Get about 1.5 hours north to Crandon, WI, and the van dies coming up to an intersection.  Won't restart this time.

Same code as last time, P2623 Injector Control Pressure Regulator/Circuit Open.  Look at the wiring, looks OK.  Fortunately I had 1/2 a bar of signal and found that guys had poured water on their IPRs to cool them down and get them to work again.  And fortunately you can get to the IPR in a van though the cowl which comes off easy.

So we get the van restarted after the IPR cools down, drive to town.  No chance of an IPR in Crandon, closest thing is Tuesday or 2 hour drive away.  Plus you need a special socket to get it out.   A tow home is $800+. 

We weigh our options.  

• The van runs currently, but I know we are on borrowed time.
• We drove it around with the cowl back on and it would die in 10-15 minutes of run time after cooling off.
• We can get parts in northern Wisconsin, but its a pain in the butt and would best case take a full day of horsing around trying to find them - plus signifcant back-tracking.
• We may not get the tools to swap the parts in Northern Wisconsin, or may run into unexpected issues.
• We can borrow a car at the in-laws if we make it that far (1.5 hours), but they have less than 0 tools and are 45 minutes from anything resembling an auto parts store.
• We could have parts shipped to the hotel in Marquette, MI and swap them in the parking lot.  But they won't get there till Wednesday according to Amazon.  At least Marquette is a decent sized town so we could hang out for a few days or find something local.  Not sure if we would make Marquette or not.  Cell signal between Crandon and Marquette is questionable and its Saturday afternoon.  I have enough tools with me to likely do the job less the special socket.  Pressing on is gonn make the tow bill bigger.
• Parts stores in Milwaukee have the parts and the tools to swap them, and we can NDA items from Amazon if needed (but only to our Milwaukee area address)
• We could aim for home, every mile we get reduces the tow bill.

So we pull off the cowl completely for more airflow, pop in our earplugs (i had my work bag with some ear plugs) and head for home.  3.5 hours, died a half dozen times on the way.  Made it the last 120 miles by pouring water on the IPR every 5-10 minutes or after climbing a big grade.  

So here we are at home.  I am gonna run around this morning and get the parts and tools.  I have some items coming from Amazon but tough to say when they will show up.  Hopefully head out again this afternoon.  

What would you have done?

In reply to 93gsxturbo :

Exactly what you did, head for home. It's gonna be a pain to get to anywhere, might as well end up home if it works. 

I think you mad e a good call, I would have done that or the hotel. Be thankful that you are part of a very small group that can diagnose and fix it!

Most people would have been stuck with an $800 tow bill. 

Update - spent an hour driving around Milwaukee to get some parts.  Swapped the IPR, van starts right up.  Put a meter to the old one and it does test bad (1/2 rated resistance).  Maybe it was just it's time.  Gonna take the old one, special socket, and my tools with me.  Jesus take the wheel!

Sounds like you fixed it!   Are you continuing the vacation??

Don't just take the old one, also get another new one, sounds like it's a known weak point that can shut down the engine.

The only thing I might've done different would be to try to rig up some kind of cooling vent pointed at this part from hardware store bits

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Garden sprayer with ice water.

GameboyRMH said:

Don't just take the old one, also get another new one, sounds like it's a known weak point that can shut down the engine.

The only thing I might've done different would be to try to rig up some kind of cooling vent pointed at this part from hardware store bits

This sounds somewhat like the old Ford Duraspark modules.  I always had 3 in the car and could swap them out when the west TX heat got to them.  

You did it right, glad the drive home was relatively easy.  Carrying a new one and the socket will ward off evil spirits on the IPR but who knows what else is lurking.  Maybe AAA with towing time.

Update:

Swapped the parts on Sunday morning.  Van ran fine and the cold weather "romps" were gone.  Old IPR had a questionable looking O-Ring.  New IPR runs at around  5% lower duty cycle with same load.  Old IPR was likely bypassing some high pressure oil.  Headed back out Sunday around 2PM.  Amazon parts showed up at 6PM.  

Drove all around the UP, came home yesterday evening.  We were in Iron Mountain at 2PM yesterday and the weather was kinda bad so figured may as well drive 3.5 hours and sleep in our own bed.  Van ran great the whole time.  Picked up some road debris somewhere on day 1 - had one tire losing air at 1 PSI/hour, but have onboard air, a fullsize spare, and was able to get it to a tire shop to get it sorted.  Otherwise no issues.  Averaged around 15 MPG, never got stuck despite some pretty hairy stuff in a 2.5 ton, 9 foot tall van.  

Something to keep as a back up is have an Uber account. You can get parts (or tools) delivered to you using Uber. My friend uses it quite a lot and said it has been a game changer for his business.

dean1484 said:

Something to keep as a back up is have an Uber account. You can get parts (or tools) delivered to you using Uber. My friend uses it quite a lot and said it has been a game changer for his business.

Great idea, but I dont think there are a lot of Ubers running around in Gay, MI.  Time and money would be better spent on a 2 way radio and a case of Hamms to wait it out.