E350 diesel "Service Engine Soon" light

StraightOuttaBallard · 10-01-2016, 11:11 AM

So last night I got the Service Engine Soon light... No Check Engine light

I look in the 7.3 and the E350 Ford dog house guides and it says it means what it says - and nothing more

So I'm about 100 miles out and it's colder than the van has been in my possession.

I'm thinking it's with the batteries and cold cranking amps.

or

It's the dealership loads into the ECM brief service records - some where found in the Carfax - The oil was changed about 3000 mi ago

So the question is:

Do any of you good people get Service Engine Soon indicator and is it intermittent and or does it = Danger Will Robinson!

MadScience · 10-01-2016, 11:44 AM

I do know that at 3k miles you're due for an oil change. The high pressure system driving the injectors will sheer the oil down to where you really can't run it much longer than that. I have no idea if that engine has any sort of a reminder system. The gas engines of that era didn't.

UJOINT · 10-01-2016, 01:35 PM

If it stays lit then have the van scanned for codes.

StraightOuttaBallard · 10-01-2016, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadScience

I do know that at 3k miles you're due for an oil change. The high pressure system driving the injectors will sheer the oil down to where you really can't run it much longer than that. I have no idea if that engine has any sort of a reminder system. The gas engines of that era didn't.

Will the ECU tell you this in advance via a pressure sender?
I see no fuel dripping or any fluids for that manner

Quote:

Originally Posted by UJOINT

If it stays lit then have the van scanned for codes.

I scanned 7 days ago ... & no check engine light

Good news is I can coast it down the pass & I have my Mtn bike ... about 3 hr ride to the bus ... Lolz

I have to go back & P.u. my inReach prior to Monday's pitch shinanigans

UJOINT · 10-01-2016, 02:01 PM

If no codes then its all good. My 7.3 will throw that light if I get aggressive with the throttle, it goes off in a few minutes.

carringb · 10-01-2016, 02:18 PM

If the light is on it has codes stored. You need a scanner that will read ford diesel codes. i don't recommend ignoring it.

VOODOO7.3 · 10-01-2016, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadScience

I do know that at 3k miles you're due for an oil change. The high pressure system driving the injectors will sheer the oil down to where you really can't run it much longer than that. I have no idea if that engine has any sort of a reminder system. The gas engines of that era didn't.

The 7.3 doesn't sheer oil anything like the 6.0 does. The reason the 6.0 "sheers" oil is because it's German engineered with real tight tolerances, and runs at much higher pressures. 3,000 miles is nowhere near an oil change emergency for a 7.3, considering that these vans are de-tuned 80 hp and most aren't used like a heavy tow rig. My 2003 is rated at 9400 lb. GVWR and 9600 lb. towing capacity! When I tow like that, then I'll change it at 3,000! Most of these vans aren't above 8,500 lbs. fully loaded for a trip. With 15 qts. of Rotella or Delo 15w40, and light/highway use, 5,000 would be my maximum. I run full synthetic and go up to 6,000 because I send in oil samples and they're remarkably clean. The OP should consider getting scanned for code, as suggested, so the source of problem is known and corrected.

StraightOuttaBallard · 10-01-2016, 04:25 PM

I scanned it with this in the last 7 days:
https://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP9580...actron+scanner

Prior to driving it back from SD I had it scanned for complete history by Dakota Diesel by a Master Mechanic with 38 years working on all sorts of diesels ... He "blessed it" and said nothing anywhere he could find.

biggest lesson circuit on fuse 23 also supply s Cig lighter - which I thought was a low priority

allenl · 10-20-2016, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UJOINT

If no codes then its all good. My 7.3 will throw that light if I get aggressive with the throttle, it goes off in a few minutes.

Same here. Mine comes on when I get on the throttle a good bit with the 60hp or 80hp tune running. It goes off after a minute or so.

Anyone know what the code is for this or why it happens?

djbonsu · 10-20-2016, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenl

Same here. Mine comes on when I get on the throttle a good bit with the 60hp or 80hp tune running. It goes off after a minute or so.

Anyone know what the code is for this or why it happens?

More than likely it is an overboost code. The motor likes to see a range of boost during operation and with a tuner, boost is increased a bit and if the high limit of boost is exceeded, code for this can be triggered and sometimes the PCM will also defuel the truck. Good thing is that this is a soft code and the SES light will got out after a few minutes. Remedy? I believe a company (i forget) sells something called a boost annihilator to fool the map sensor. I haved learned to live with it though.