7.3 diesel "surging"

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dave - 01 Dec 2004 02:03 GMT

Hey guys, just looking for some ideas. I have an 02 F350 with the 7.3. as
I'm sure some have experienced, when it's cold the engine surges up and down
for quite a while until it's really warm. (major annoyance when going down
the highway for the first 10 miles) Dealer plugged it in- no codes, so don't
do **** all about it. read a service bulletin to change to 30 weight oil in
the winter, helps very little. I've heard other 7.3's do the same thing.
Anybody had any luck solving this problem? Do the 6 litres do the same?
Don't really want to get rid of it. but what a pain in the a.s.
Thanks for any advice

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Chris Hill - 01 Dec 2004 03:01 GMT

>Hey guys, just looking for some ideas. I have an 02 F350 with the 7.3. as
>I'm sure some have experienced, when it's cold the engine surges up and down
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>Anybody had any luck solving this problem? Do the 6 litres do the same?
>Don't really want to get rid of it. but what a pain in the a.s.

I haven't had this problem. How cold? Tried plugging it in? Closest
thing here is a bit of that backing up when cold, especially bad with
delo 400 for some reason.

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dave - 01 Dec 2004 03:19 GMT

Thanks Chris, Doesn't seem to matter if it's very cold. -2celcius. 30 farh..
it always does it..plug it in doesn't help..(helps start quicker) but still
surges up and down. manual trans, parking brake on revs up to warm up, but
whistles like a bitch up and down, then drive and it goes for at least 15
mins even though its warm. You can really feel the difference in power when
its doin it.. I've heard econolines with same motor do it too.

>>Hey guys, just looking for some ideas. I have an 02 F350 with the 7.3. as
>>I'm sure some have experienced, when it's cold the engine surges up and
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> thing here is a bit of that backing up when cold, especially bad with
> delo 400 for some reason.

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Chris Hill - 01 Dec 2004 15:12 GMT

>Thanks Chris, Doesn't seem to matter if it's very cold. -2celcius. 30 farh..
>it always does it..plug it in doesn't help..(helps start quicker) but still
>surges up and down. manual trans, parking brake on revs up to warm up, but
>whistles like a bitch up and down, then drive and it goes for at least 15
>mins even though its warm. You can really feel the difference in power when
>its doin it.. I've heard econolines with same motor do it too.

What about in warm weather? If it is fine there, you must understand
that the glow plugs operate in cold weather off and on until the
engine is warmed up; I suspect you have bad plugs or relay or
something in that system. The wts light is controlled differently, so
just because it is running doesn't mean things are all right. Get a
scanner and check to see if the glow plugs are ever working.

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Sweet34 - 01 Dec 2004 04:44 GMT

Hi,
I own a 2000 F250 SD and when it is cold it surges, I press on the pedal a
little and the surge goes away. I also plug my truck in, this helps a
lot. I have had temps at or around 10 to 20 degrees F.

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dave - 01 Dec 2004 04:54 GMT

I wish mine went away that quick, but this is only the beginning of the cold
in canada. and it gets worse. wouldn't mind so much just during warm up, but
with the temp gauge at halfway and doing it while driving sucks..pulling a
36 foot trailer is a royal pain..

> Hi,
> I own a 2000 F250 SD and when it is cold it surges, I press on the pedal a
> little and the surge goes away. I also plug my truck in, this helps a
> lot. I have had temps at or around 10 to 20 degrees F.

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Anthony - 01 Dec 2004 22:40 GMT

I drive an 03 F250 with the new 6.0. I had this problem when it was new. I
found
out that there was a Ford service bulletin about it. I took it back to the
dealer who had a update available for the ECM. Once updated the problem
disappeared
completely. I also put 25,000 kilometres on 03 E350 Van with the 7.3 for my
employer and it
has never done this. Good luck.

> I wish mine went away that quick, but this is only the beginning of the cold
> in canada. and it gets worse. wouldn't mind so much just during warm up, but
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> > little and the surge goes away. I also plug my truck in, this helps a
> > lot. I have had temps at or around 10 to 20 degrees F.

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dave - 02 Dec 2004 03:54 GMT

Thanks for the advice guys, I talked to a dude with same truck same problem.
He installed bullydog chipset, after the program installed went away. Too
bad the dealers can't seem to help. tried 3 different ones in 3 cities

>I drive an 03 F250 with the new 6.0. I had this problem when it was new. I
> found
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>> > little and the surge goes away. I also plug my truck in, this helps a
>> > lot. I have had temps at or around 10 to 20 degrees F.

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Budroe - 18 Apr 2005 06:28 GMT

Damn Glad you said that. I just bought an 05 F250 and am waiting for
some options to be installed before I pick it up. I asked the
salesman about the surging problem, and he said the engine in mine had
been modified to stop that.

Bud

>I drive an 03 F250 with the new 6.0. I had this problem when it was new. I
>found
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>> > little and the surge goes away. I also plug my truck in, this helps a
>> > lot. I have had temps at or around 10 to 20 degrees F.

Bud
To those who have fought for it, Freedom
has a flavor the protected will ever know.
Anonymously scrawled on a bunker at
Khe Sahn, RVN.

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