04 6.blow low oil pressure

[12vf250]

Need some advice on this thing. Its a 04 Excursion 6.0. Customer drove it about 50 miles, was running ok until she got on it to pass traffic. Said it bogged down and had no power. Shut it off when she got where she was going, and that was the end of it. Got it to my shop, checked oil level and codes, P2291? in memory for low ICP. Unplugged sensor, still no start. Replaced the oil filter because the part numbers on the filter and the lid didnt match. Also found there is a little black spring loaded button on the top of the stand pipe right in the center. One of its "legs" is broken off, but you can set it in place and it will stay. What is that peice for?

With the new filter in place it started. Crank time was a little long, figured it might have some air in the HPO system. Let it idle and warm up and took it for a drive. Runs smooth, but no power, ICP doesnt match desired ICP and the oil pressure gauge drops to zero. Air tested the HPO system and cannot hear any air leaking with the IPR energized any where above 20% (125psi) Im going to get a mechanical gauge put on it to verify lube pressure. I have read about some ball bearing in the HP pump coming out and causing low lube oil pressure? If thats the case would I hear it when air testing? Do you think I am looking at at a HP or LP problem? Thanks for any ideas.

[matty169]

Pull oil filter and climb up on top to look down into oil filter housing. See that spring loaded little valve on the bottom? Hold that down with a screwdriver or something and have someone crank the engine or use a starter button.
How long does it take to fill the filter housing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyHkw6VQyrM

lpop comes out in about 30 minutes.

[12vf250]

Yep, I did that. I will fill the filter housing in 5-10 seconds and stay full until you push the drain valve in the bottom.

[12vf250]

Quick update: I got a mechanical gauge hooked up to the oil pressure switch hole. Finally got it started after 30-45 seconds cranking, and the gauge only showed 15psi. IPR at 85%, RPM <400, commanded ICP 2000, actual was just barely over 500. Let it idle for 5 minutes or so, and base pressure just kept dropping, down to about 2psi. No mechanical noise to speak of (lifter, rod knock, etc). I decided to head toward the oil cooler/HP pump area to see what I can find. This is a early build 04 so I had to pull the intake, fan stator and everything. The valley is nasty dirty and needs cleaned before I pull any more parts off.

P.S In my previous post the oil filter housing stay full UNTIL I released the drain valve.

[matty169]

Pull lpop and inspect. Base pressure is way low. Gauge quits reading at 8 psi iirc.

[Extended Power]

There is a screen in the oil cooler valley that "filters" the oil before it goes to the hpop.
It's probably plugged up with crap.

Also, if it's making enough oil pressure to start, and then dropping off, something is plugged, and starving the lpop of oil.
Check the relief valve on the front cover...see if it's sticking open.
Cold oil makes more pressure than hot oil...

Here is a picture of the valley, and where the screen sits.

[Extended Power]

Here is a picture of the lpop regulator. (Relief)

[12vf250]

I was thinking about it this morning, my adapter for my test guage might be too long and bottoming out and not getting a good reading. Its longer than the threads on the oil pressure switch. And it ran worse after hooking that up than it did before. Regardless, I've got the intake and fan stator off, so taking the LP pump apart wont take much more time at all. I'll update later tonite when I get home and work on it some more.

[12vf250]

Pretty sure I got this one figured out. I took apart the lube pump tonite and didnt see a damn thing wrong with it. No pits, scratches or gouges to speak of. Pretty good for a 240xxx mile motor.

100_0538_zps7dwmaizm.jpg Photo by dwm64 | Photobucket

100_0538_zps7dwmaizm.jpg Photo by dwm64 | Photobucket

The pressure regulator looked good as well. So I decided to take the cover off of the HP pump. No debris to speak of in the IPR screen. 2 or 3 little flecks maybe. Started cranking on it to watch and saw oil spewing from the magic missing check ball....

100_0540_zpsubcsbpol.jpg Photo by dwm64 | Photobucket

100_0540_zpsubcsbpol.jpg Photo by dwm64 | Photobucket

I'll get a new pump on the way in the morning along with all the needed gaskets and O-rings and update when she is back up and running.

[12vf250]

Well, I thought I had it fixed. But no....I tapped the hole in the high pressure pump where the check ball is supposed to be and screwed in a 1/4" npt plug. Got it all put back together and base oil pressure is now 70 psi cranking. But it wont light off. ICP is coming up to 540ish and it will make some smoke but wont light. I had it idling once, but it was real quiet and ICP wouldn't come up past 540ish. When I had the pump cover off and found the LP leak, it had plenty of flow, so I don't think the screen under the oil cooler is plugged. Also, I cannot hear any air leaks in the high pressure system with the IPR closed. Bad HP pump?

[matty169]

You had a bad hpop........then you tried drilling and tapping an aluminum housing. Think you got shavings in the pump, then ipr and possibly injectors?

[12vf250]

Originally Posted by matty169

You had a bad hpop........then you tried drilling and tapping an aluminum housing. Think you got shavings in the pump, then ipr and possibly injectors?

No, I was real careful about not getting in metal chips anywhere. I took the HPOP back out and tore it apart. Apparently when the check ball fell out it starved the HPOP for oil enough that it burned itself up. Its all galled up on the inside. So, a new one is on the way. Should have just changed it in the first place.

[12vf250]

One last update to close this thread out. Installed a new HPOP and bolted everything back together. New oil and filter, new coolant, and stuck a big a$$ magnet to the bottom of the oil pan because I never did find that check ball...

Test drive was ok, it didn't seem like it had the power it should have though. Watching the data stream IPR, IPC, and FICM voltage was all spot on. Boost was down though. The best I ever saw was 4.9 psi. Having not driven this truck before, I figured the turbo was stuck and needed cleaning.

I went to pull that back off again and noticed that I didn't reconnect the MAP hose. Why is it that Fords, whenever a sensor drops out, the strategy in the computer takes over and they substitute a "known good value" but the computer doesn't alert you to that? It set a code for MAP, but didn't turn on the MIL. Even after a key cycle, it ran the same until I cleared the codes.

Now it runs like a scalded (240xxxmile) dog and has started cold the last two mornings.