Powerstroke Question

[RGRAT1618]

I am not a psd owner, but my fire dept. just got one. It is a f450 with a custom built box on the back. I know that our cummins dose not like to be idleing for over 20 min. Is this the same for the power stroke. If it is I am going to wire the idle kicker to come on when the parking brake is on and transmition is in park. Right now the idle kicker only comes on when the genarator is turned on. All the info would help. Thanks.



Rob

 

[Benson]

It generally applies to all diesels. They cool too much. It's best to bump the RPM's up a little for "extended idle" times.

 

[COBRAJET]

As mentioned above don't let the PSD idle for any length of time. Ford actually sells a device known as an AIC... Auxiliary idle controller which plugs in under the dash. It will control the idle and give a digital RPM readout. Not necessary on your rig. . but pretty cool on mine... . CJ

 

[HoleshotHolset]

The auxillary powertrain control device comes on pretty much every PSD powered ambulance or firetruck..... as a matter of fact I've yet to see one without it.



You can fiddle with it to do a 'charge protect', which keeps on raising the idle until a favorable voltage is obtained..... and you can even do diagnostic work with this mode..... if the idle keeps on increasing past lets say 1700rpm... then you have a charging problem. The newer PSD's also have two alternators, interesting to diagnose at times.....



By default, the high idle device is set to come on as soon as the transmission is in N or Park and the parking brake is engaged.

You can set a predetermined RPM... . all the way to pretty much the rev limiter... .



Look under the driver's seat... that's where they like to hide 'em at the ambulance/fire truck factories.....



Hope this helps...

Matt - former ambulance (PSD) mechanic