Pretty sure another FCA failure

[Wertles]

06 5. 9 with 94,600 miles. I was towing very light today. I only had an 18 foot utility trailer with my motor cycle strapped down on it. Completely OT, but the carbs are completely gummed up and it won't start/run at all. Anyway, back on topic, with 5 miles to the repair shop, I turn off the main road and the truck suddenly starts running like complete poo. At first, it has a hard time shifting, the motor would sputter and almost shut off. I make it to the shop, drop the bike off and start my hour way back home. I make it about 3 miles back and it is just running worse. I pull over, check the air filter, transmission and motor oil, and make sure that I haven't blown a hose off the turbo somewhere. I had the Smarty Jr. on tow mode, where it has been for the last 10,000 miles so I turned it back to stock. No difference. There are no codes at this point showing up. I limp it home one hour. With 20 miles to go, I throw a CEL. Since I was moving OK, I decide not to pull over and check to see what it is. At this point, the motor is surging a bit, cutting out, but no smoke. I make it to my buddy's shop (the same guy who rebuilt my transmission) and we run codes. We get P0148. Most likely an FCA failure. I take the truck to Wal-Mart, buy a gallon of 2 stroke oil, drop the whole thing in a 1/2 tank of fuel and 3 miles down the road, the truck starts running like a champ. Five miles later, I hit the gas station and fill up. It runs just fine the rest of the way home.



So, my question is, am I right with my diagnosis of a bad FCA, is there anything else I am missing, and am I OK to tow my trailer 40 miles on Sunday if I can't find a replacement tomorrow? How much 2 cycle oil is needed to keep things running smoothly until I get a new FCA and should I be carrying another gallon for emergencies?



Thanks in advance. This happening just as I consider trading in the truck for a 2013 with a lifetime warranty!

 

[p-Bar]

Ya sounds like the FCA. You will probably be OK keeping the oil in the fuel . 40 mi trip I would go for it. Think twice about one of those new ones too much junk on them . Yours will be worth some bucks if you decide to sell it

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I'd get that 2 stroke oil out of the tank.

 

[Wertles]

Mine is actually worth a lot of bucks at the present moment which is why I am thinking of trading. I have been offered $4000 more than what I was offered 3 years and 25,000 miles ago, I have a rebate from a lease coming in shortly and now you can get a LIFETIME warranty on the new trucks for around $2700. I wouldn't consider trading if I were not in the salt belt. My truck is already showing signs of rust (hidden for now with fender flares) so it is not a matter of if, but when I need a new truck. I believe right now I have an inflated equity in my truck and if I can exploit it, I should do it. I do want to have a completely stock truck that is rated to tow my trailer and then some without modification.

 

[Wertles]

Why the 2 stroke oil out of the tank? I thought that it was in the category of "good" additives to diesel fuel and the confirmatory category for a bad FCA.

 

[p-Bar]

Why the 2 stroke oil out of the tank? I thought that it was in the category of "good" additives to diesel fuel and the confirmatory category for a bad FCA.

Joe doesn't that give it some lubricity that the fuel is missing . heck when I had a Furd when I did the fuel filter change i would fill it with ATF

 

[p-Bar]

Mine is actually worth a lot of bucks at the present moment which is why I am thinking of trading. I have been offered $4000 more than what I was offered 3 years and 25,000 miles ago, I have a rebate from a lease coming in shortly and now you can get a LIFETIME warranty on the new trucks for around $2700. I wouldn't consider trading if I were not in the salt belt. My truck is already showing signs of rust (hidden for now with fender flares) so it is not a matter of if, but when I need a new truck. I believe right now I have an inflated equity in my truck and if I can exploit it, I should do it. I do want to have a completely stock truck that is rated to tow my trailer and then some without modification.

Read between the lines on that lifetime warranty most aren't worth the paper they are written on. Understand your issues with the rust though we don't have that problem on the left coast

 

[mfurrh55]

My son in law got the lifetime warranty on his 08 and at 175,000 miles he's had some major work done on it and the warranty paid for itself plus some so far, Monte

 

[Prairie Dog]

I'd get that 2 stroke oil out of the tank.

X2. Your risking making a mess of your injectors.

 

[cerberusiam]

So, my question is, am I right with my diagnosis of a bad FCA, is there anything else I am missing, and am I OK to tow my trailer 40 miles on Sunday if I can't find a replacement tomorrow? How much 2 cycle oil is needed to keep things running smoothly until I get a new FCA and should I be carrying another gallon for emergencies?

Might very well just be a sticky FCA not a totally bad one. Fuel quality is a large part of the performance of that particular piece and for the most part the typical fuel does not have the additives and lubes to keep it clean and functioning. Along with that quart of 2 stroke add a quart of power service and drive the snot out of it. A backup FCA is not a bad idea but if your symptoms have disappeared the problem is quite likely resolved.

A steady diet of Power Service and 2 stroke mix seems to be a good start to minimize these problems. I mix a quart of 2 stroke with 96 ozs of Power Service and dose it 10-12 ozs per 20 gallons of fuel. The times I did have issues that could be traced to an FCA problem a heavy dose of PS\2 stroke oil plus strict adherence to the standard dosing has resolved any issues.

With +210k on stock injectors the mix of Power Service and 2 stroke has proven beneficial. Still knock down 16-18 mpg at hiway speeds and around 20 on slower roads empty. I pulled 3 injectors randomly several times to check for carboning and there are no visual problems so any concerns around 2 stroke causing carbon are unfounded on a truck that is worked frequently. As far as that goes, additives have proven their worth in extending injector life with careful attention to fuel quality.

As a start, I would check your fuel supplier a little more carefully for quality just to be sure.

 

[p-Bar]

Would like to hear back on the NO 2 stroke people . Just curious

 

[cerberusiam]

Would like to hear back on the NO 2 stroke people . Just curious

One liners is about all you get on that side of the coin. Hard to build a case for NOT using something it is intended for, even harder to build a case for something that has been proven to work.

Would be interesting to get some solid objective info against. Usually it is baseless comparisons on gas engines and uncle Joe's buddies friend said blah blah, though.

 

[Wertles]

Well the problem came back with a vengeance. All was fine last night for a half hour drive to pick up the trailer. 3 miles later, all the coughing and bucking was back. I limped it to Walmart, the only place open on a Sunday night, and bought another gallon of 2 stroke oil. That didn't help at all. Got to the camp ground, set up and let the truck set for 2 hours or so while we visited with friends. We left around 11pm, the truck ran fine for n hour then acted up with 3 miles to go. Today, again the truck ran fine for about an hour then like poo. It seems as soon as the truck is up to full operating temp, the issues happen. I have the new FCA in my hand. Hopefully it will be in the truck in the next hour. It looks like it is only three bolts and an electrical connector. I am going to do a quick search here to see if there is something special I need to know.

 

[Bob4x4]

Joe has a phd in chemical engineering... a lil more than any old uncle Joe

 

[cerberusiam]

Stripping the torx inset on the bolts is the biggest problem. Sounds like either the FCA has gotten some damage that is showing when it warms, or possibly cross over tubes are leaking when it warms up. FCA is easy, tubes and injectors less so. Let us know if the FCA change makes a consistent difference.

 

[Wertles]

Changing the FCA was an easy 5 minute job. Yes, be careful not to strip the torx. While I was at it, I changed the fuel filter (only 4000 miles on it but I have many on hand) and air filter. I went out for a short, spirited drive, and everything "seems" good. It might have a little stumble at 3000 rpm but there is a little over abundance of two stroke oil in the tank. I will only be using my truck for pulling until this tank is empty and can refill with some fresh fuel.

 

[cerberusiam]

Add 2 quarts of Power Service to help offset any excess of 2 stroke oil. It will help clean up anything that could cause gumming or carbon, then, drive it as hard as possible.

 

[HBarlow]

Given the choice between following Doctor Donnelly's advice or one of the self-declared TDR experts I'd listen to Joe Donnelly. I've never added a drop of additive other than an occasional bottle of Power Service anti-gel when temps were below 15° and never had an injector problem of any kind. My old '01 HO six speed which I no longer own has 400+k miles now and my '06 had 230k showing when I sold it in January '08.

 

[HBarlow]

The symptoms mentioned do not match FCA symptoms I experienced or other FCA failures I've heard of. Sounds more like an injector or HPCR pump failure to me - possibly the result of the two stroke oil usage.

 

[cerberusiam]

Given the choice between following Doctor Donnelly's advice or one of the self-declared TDR experts I'd listen to Joe Donnelly.

Does objectivity play any part in your logical thought processess or do you just believe anything you hear without reservation if the speaker is on your unassailable list? The question is rhetorical as far as it applies to you, but, there are people here an there that don't believe any and all excited utterances regardless of source without some concrete evidence. Considering the known evidence supports exactly the opposite, it is not out of the realm of ordinary to request a coherent discussion why the disagreement with the facts. That has been done and still there is no coherent valid information to allow an informed decision.



At least you got your chance to opine on something you have never seen or tried, never experineced, and don't understand anything about, no matter how esoteric it is. That is a forum at work.

The symptoms mentioned do not match FCA symptoms I experienced or other FCA failures I've heard of.

LMAO, you are adamant you never had any problems like this, but, THIS is definitely not a problem you have never had or experienced or ever heard about. While every troubleshooting guide and hard experience, not to mention the OP's actions, indicate it is in fact the result of a problem you freely admit you are ignorant of, you manufacture a reason to support your subjective opinions.



Lessee, what was the evidence I suggested existed for not using 2 stroke oil, "Baseless comparisons to gas engines and Uncle Harveys buddies friend says... ... . ". Thank you for exemplifying the point better than words ever could. :-laf:-laf



212k and counting while using 2 stroke oil and additives.