Another FSD goes bye-bye

[DChristie]

Sunday morning I cranked her up for a short run, she fired first try. I stopped briefly at a store and decided to let the ol girl run. I'd installed a High-idle switch the day before :D and wanted to use it for the short time I'd be in the store.

Business conducted, I drove for a few minutes and shut it down for about five hours. When I tried to restart it, it would spin like a top but never fire. So I grumbled something impolite :mad: and swapped in a spare FSD. She fires first try. :D

I have tinkered with it (the dead one) several times since, and it seems to be totally dead, apposed to mostly dead, kapoot, kicked the rust bucket, passed on by a ford, pushing up little fsdaisies.... :(
I didn't think a total failure was the norm, they would cycle, cool 'em and retry 'em etc.

For a few weeks prior I have noticed a stumbling or shudder at cruising speeds. not real bad, I thought it was a dirty fuel filter so I changed it. that didn't help like I was expecting so I started gathering parts and pieces for the OPS lift-pump by-pass surgery.

Just crapping out like that has really rattled my cage. I don't like not having a spare so I ordered another FSD from JK today (Thank you Sir, for your prompt reply and shipping)
My question is: Is this a fairly typical failure scenario? :confused: Did I just miss the warning signs?

Thanks in advance for any answers, my membership to this BB pays for itself in insight and wisdom and tips gained. You are the best. :D smile.gif :cool:

[DA BIG ONE]

I have setup my burb to overkill;
1 on the IP to use in worst case situation,
1 on large heat sink in left front wheelwell w/2/3rds exposed to airpath (used JKs extended harness for this one),
& 1 Heath 2wd unit (even though I have 4wd this 2wd unit is mounted in airpath) on leading edge of my winch bumper, just in case.

It seems the greater % of failures have signs before the failure, I have heard stories where there were no signs whatsoever, but there is a chance they just missed the signs.

Been in deep water with both external units no problems with them submerged.

[JeffsTowTruck]

Been in deep water with both external units no problems with them submerged.

DA BIG ONE IS THIS A NEW WAY TO KEEP THEM COOL?? :cool: LOL

[Cowracer]

Originally posted by DChristie:
pushing up little fsdaisies.... :(
:D Thats funny right there, Don! Sorry to hear about having to use the spare. Treat it good, it saved me a bunch of money!

Tim

[DChristie]

Pulled into a clients driveway last night at 8:30
and it dies. No fire still spins like a top... Oh S*%$ I've killed another FSD. :eek: The question is now am I losing a stepper motor or the optical encoder???? What would contribute to them dropping like lead balloons?

No codes, all gages read normal; temps, turbo, vacuum, The spare fsd was hotter than a $2 pistol when I laid my hand on it. So was the rest of the engine compartment. in town (stop and go) after dark driving no trailer not mashing on it or any thing. Fan Clutch? maybe time for the 97 cooling mods.

Fortunately I have a neighbor down the street who has two extras he has loaned me to get home. I'm going to give him a membership to TDP as a thanks.

Thanks again gentlemen :D

[DChristie]

redface.gif Turns out I somehow shorted or tripped the fuel shutoff solenoid,I think. This morning when I worked on the truck, I put it in drive and turned the key to run; I heard the LP chug. :D good sign. I tried my spare then just to see if an overnite cooling did the trick. Nope
Next I tried one of the two new to me spares from my neighbor... still no joy, I tugged and pulled on the harness a bit to install the second, she rumbles to life :D :D As I back out of the driveway it stops dead like I'd shut off the key. :confused: "that's not right", I says to meself. So I popped the bonnet and adjusted the harness again, one more try and shazaam! we're off to the races. Now that I'm home I'll see if I can track down my gremlin.
Last night as I pulled into the drive (kinda an abrupt curb) is when it died, I'm thinkin' the jolting aggravated an existing short...

I have re-tried my spare already and it does still work. :D So I can give my neighbor his two FSD's back :D

It is still time to do the '97 cooling mods. smile.gif

Thanks all
DChristie

[turbovair]

Check ignition Key/switch. With engine running, tug,pull,and wiggle key. If engine dies, replace the switch assy (about$200.00)Fixed my stalling.

[bigmikestud]

Can anyone give the part number for the switch assembly or harness......whichever the part is? I'm so down on my rig that I don't have the patience to write about it. Your problem is exactly what's going on with mine. I've replaced the OPS, lift pump, several FSD's, Fuel Shut-Off Solenoid, battery cables, and waiting in the wing I have: New glow plugs, cooling system upgrade, Injection Pump, all three gauges and plenty of ammo for the .50 cal. Desert Eagle.

[DA BIG ONE]

Originally posted by JEFF'S TOW TRUCK:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Been in deep water with both external units no problems with them submerged.

DA BIG ONE IS THIS A NEW WAY TO KEEP THEM COOL?? :cool: LOL </font>[/QUOTE]Let me tell ya, "I was worried about submerging them in the river!"

The Heath unit has no extra weather/water proofing, the other unit does I had switched units on different trips with each spending 15+ minutes submerged and doing their job.

[DChristie]

BigMike,
Sorry I haven't the foggiest idea on that part#, I "tested" my ign switch and it passed...!whew! I really didn't want to swap it out. I'd rather spend the $200 on.... root canals... anything else other than an ign switch. :D
smile.gif I'm reeaally looking forward to the cooling '97 mods going in.
I still haven't found the real trouble either... I'm on my spare FSD and the truck is as reliable as ever, which is great. It was a spooky couple of days :rolleyes:

DChristie

[Keith Richards]

I have been having a intermittant problem with stalling too,and lately its gotten much worse.I bought one from kennedy a while back but have yet to install it because it gave me no trouble for about six months after buying it.Well,this week its gotten real bad again.My question is where is the fsd located on the engine?I have looked but cant find it.It must be an easy install if you can swap one out on the road.

[DChristie]

No it isn't an easy swap on the road if you haven't done it before. Heck it isn't too easy in a garage with tools and a fridge full of cold beer as a reward. :rolleyes:

Most guys have relocated it onto a Heat sink in a cooler and more accessible location.

I have done this and so the swap was plug and play. :D

The factory mounting location is on the drivers side of the IP, it's a black plastic "brick" about the size of a deck of playing cards. It is held in place by 4 allen screws. One at each corner.
I'm not sure how to link you to it, but do a search on "FSD removal Tool" in this BB, the one that pops up will show you a homemade tool to get the fsd out. It will take lots of patience to do this way, so Do it on a cool engine, get comfy; you'll be a while. Don't put the Silly thing back in the same spot, they are much easier to work on from anywhere else. So before you start get and extension harness and a heatsink to mount it to. I made a harness that worked fine until I traded it in on one I bought from John Kennedy. He sells two of different lengths.
As I recall you won't get the screws out into your now greasy hands until the fsd is all the way out first. :D

Some guys here also leave that one in place as a spare and just mount the new one on a heatsink somewhere easy and cooler. Fender etc. I have one in the front grill... air blowin' by it all day long.

DChristie

[captaincrunch]

Well, it finally happend to me . . .

Here's the signs I got:
Been running great . . . left work, sitting at a traffic light, motor quits.

Rolled to side of highway . . . wouldn't crank, opened hood and made like I knew what I was doing, got in, motor cranked.

went 1/4 mi . . . motor quit, coasted into subdivision, called wife "help", hung up, motor cranked.

Went 1/4 mile, motor died, coasted back into my office parking lot. Left it.

Today I'm looking for a FSD/PMD thing-a-magig. I really need one today, as in before lunch. Sorry, can't order one from JK. I guess I've gotta fork out the $ at a dealer. IF they even have one.

If anyone knows of a place in Atlanta that I can get one, quick, I'll check my emails for a while this morning, but then I've gotta get this truck fixed. Gotta be at a funeral at 4:00.

[captaincrunch]

Well, $360+ later, and I'm up and running.

Now, my question is how dependable are these things? It's scarey to think that at anytime, anywhere the motor could simply stop . . . no warning, no nothing . . . just stop.

Is this something I need to be worried about or am I OK for several years now? It's a new PMD from GM, mounted on a FSD cooler on the left fender well.

I'm almost scared to drive it . . . no, not really . . . but my wife is!

[Barry Nave]

SOL-D
Time proven as to date ;)

[tom.mcinerney]

To review:
The OEM Stanadyne PMD/FSD has design and component limitations at best, and they sold MANY with pathetic QC, thus the 2-month/20,000 mile FSD replacement(s).

Following an exhaustive testing program , a modern, vastly more efficient design , employing far superior components was built and tested. They are currently in production, the PMD/FSD problem has been solved. see:
http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007494

[If you listen to AM radio while driving you may need to modify/upgrade your antenna, as the new FSD generates a little 'static'.]

All electronically controlled entities are subject to failures due to poor power supply, or bad sensor/signal connections , and ECM/PCM issues. A failing LP on the FSD circuit may dispose a new FSD to fail soon.

Last year there were posts/threads clammoring for class-action lawsuits against GM due to the danger involved in engine stalls while driving when an FSD craps out.

The problem is solved . We should support the manufacturer who undertook the research and development invests at no cost to us. A new Remarque Sol-D costs less than two FSDs....so why are people still buying MULTIPLE/spare FSDs??!!!

Not to be PIA, only to say, WTF?