Ford F350 CPS Failure

Submitted: Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 05:37

ThreadID: 122772 Views:4549 Replies:4 FollowUps:4

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njthommo

I've just been through the pain of a CPS (camshaft positioning sensor) failure on our 2000 F350.
Last Monday the truck just died ten minutes out from home, just stopped for no apparent reason. After a few minutes it started with no problem, turned around and drove home but the truck died again in our driveway, another ten minute journey.
I changed out the fuel filter thinking it maybe clogged but it made no difference. Still died after running for another ten minutes. No dash lights indicating any problem.
I consulted the Powerstroke Forum and it seemed to indicate the truck had a failed CPS.
Priced one from the local Ford Dealer, in excess of $500. Checked www.powerstrokeshop.com on special there for $98US.
Ordered the CPS Tuesday morning at 7am from the Powerstroke shop along with several fuel filters @$16US (against $78 from local Ford Dealer.) The goods arrived on my doorstep in Port Macquarie (NSW) on Friday at 11am. Three days 4 hours after ordering! The replacement CPS is a genuine Ford part in Ford packaging.
Changing the CPS was straight forward, the bolt holding the unit in was very tight and we had very little room to work. We used a 6 point 10mm socket which did the job without slipping or damaging the bolt.
The truck now runs noticably smoother than it has for some time, perhaps the failing CPS was causing gremlins somehow.
I was lucky this malfunction happened near home rather than on our trips through the Kimberleys or other remote areas where it would has caused us a lot of grief.
I'll be ordering another CPS to keep as insurance just in case.
The whole procedure is explained thoroughly on
Site Link

Hope this might be of interest to other Ford owners.

Regards,
Nick

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Reply By: Bushtracker - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:08

Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 17:08

Thank you Nick,
Thank you for taking the time to do this per our telephone conversation... An actual Bogger experience... Fellow Ford running Boggers, the CPS failure rate according to my research on the Ford Forums, is quite common. I would estimate just under half maybe? Like 30- 40%, fail between 80,000 and 140,000 miles as reported by reliable Ford Techies. It should be viewed as a renewable part like a filter or fan belt or a radiator hose, and is very small and light; probably and addition to the RENEWABLE SPARES that SHOULD be carried by all 4x4 vehicles going way out Bush.

Spare Filter, spare radiator hoses, spare fan belts, and CPS. Also BTW this is the best source I have found as well, powerstrokeshop.com as the local Ford Dealership quoted $478 the CPS is still on sale for $98. Get the BLACK one, the Blue one available from various sources is an International Truck version, sometimes cheap, but does something to the engine like retard the timing or something strange... That blue one is use by some that are hot rodding the Ford for Tractor Pulls and such and they need that particular one when dumping in big fuel.... The one we need is the Black one, and the Powerstrokeshop.com is actually a buld fleet service at a discount, with genuine Ford parts... The summary of most Ford Techies, is in remote areas carry a CPS spare in "the glovebox".... View it as a renewable part, and I emailed the powerstrokeshop.com on Friday for mine.

Regards, Monday morning, Lone Ranger

AnswerID: 568825

Follow Up By: Black Cobra - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:08

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:08

Nick & LR

Sounds like a good idea to have a spare CPS on board. Nick I have a 2004 F250 with only 27,000 k's on the clock have not used it much as I work overseas but the last time I was home the vehicle died on me twice like you described, so guess what it will be going into Ford to have it checked out.

Can you both tell me the part number of the CPS that you ordered as I went into the site and can only see the blue one listed at $108.00.

By the sound of it there are two so I don't want get the wrong one.

Cheers

PS See you at the factory on the 24th

Stewart

FollowupID: 846036

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:22

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:22

Hello Stewart,
Go to the "Specials" section.... And you will find the Black one there on special for $98.
I sent Email on Friday to verify that it was the exact OEM original equipment... Yes, and these people are actually attached to Ford, as Fleet Service Discounters..

Vehicle stalling sounds like the CPS as the most likely culprit according to my studies. It should have thrown a Fault Code, that the Dealer can pull to verify it. I like to know everything practical about my horses, so hence the study of it all..

Cheers, Ranger

FollowupID: 846037

Follow Up By: Black Cobra - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:36

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 01:36

Thanks Ranger,

Located the part and will order also, just another question I noticed the AIS Severe Duty Filter on their site also at $198.19US. I was going to put a K&N filter in but after reading a few forum articles it appears that they might not be that good for various reasons over the original.

I have read about the AIS system and it appears to be pretty good so the question is are they good and has any bogger fitted one to the F250.

Also I have the factory fitted snorkle and I am presuming because you change the air box as well it will be compatible with the snorkle.

I know you have been twinkling with a modification to yours by past forums so advice would be appreciated. If the AIS system is worth it I will order the same time as the CPS.

Thanks once again

Stewart

FollowupID: 846038

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 20:22

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 20:22

Hello Stewart,
To date no one has gotten around to installing the AIS kit with the snorkel. I have not had the time, as the Nationals are coming up in two weeks. So you are pioneering on your own with R&D here.

As to your question on the validity of getting it.??? Look, the short of it is that it will help fuel economy without a doubt. It will carry maybe four times the bulldust before it start to "air starve" the engine. Oxygen starving the engine, decreases fuel economy, and every filter gets stages of dirtier from the time it is put in until it is changed out. This one will just go a lot longer before it starts the air starving of the engine. In my opinion there is no doubt that it would pay for itself in real dollars..

On the other hand, one could change out with the large Baldwin filter a lot more often, at what 1/3 the cost of Ford ones...(when the air restriction gauge started to show movement). With my not having done the installation or the problem solving of how to get more snorkel air into the AIS system, I cannot give you a scientific answer of which way to go. For now, I have several extra inexpensive Baldwin big filters to change out whenever they are dirty and restricting air flow... No air restriction means optimum fuel efficiency, and with the price of diesel either way you will end up saving money with filters and more air- being a lot cheaper than diesel per my Tip # 107 on the 19% improvement on Ford fuel mileage...

As to the K&N, no, in my opinion as I think I have stated it is not suitable for our super fine bulldust talc of the outback, it is a hot rodders low restriction filter. From all sources a No-no... This is potentially an 800,000 km engine from all reports, or more; as long as you feed it clean air and routinely change the oil...

Regards, Ranger, on the trail 24/7

FollowupID: 846039

Reply By: Turist - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 02:42

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 02:42

My CPS Story.

We suffered the CPS failure at an early stage, about 8,000K from memory.
Going through a roundabout at Broome the engine stopped abruptly, just as if you switched off the ignition. Bugger all brakes and impossible to steer.
Started again straight away. Engine performed perfectly for another day and then cut out again. Re started again.
This happened several times over 4 or 5 days.
Local Ford repair agent could find nothing wrong. Many phone calls to Ford who decided that it was the “Black Box” so they airfreighted another one to Broome.
Effie performed perfectly after new black box fitted, hung around Broome an extra few days to be sure and then up the GRR to Kununurra.
300K from Kununurra the engine died, still on the GRR.
Then the fun started, the engine would run for about 30k, misfire and blow black smoke and run on about ½ power only.
After parking overnight at Home valley Station the engine operated Ok until we had done around 100k.
My theory was that whatever the problem was it was heat related, after the engine was heat saturated the damned thing misfired again.
Agent at Kununurra could do nothing so we limped into Katherine.
Ford dealer at Katherine could find nothing, fault codes indicated nothing as engine was operating perfectly. (Not so hot)
Anyhow, off to the big smoke, Darwin. Usually travelling in about 100k stages until the engine got hot and started farting black smoke again.
Darwin Ford dealer could find nothing but changed some components “Just in case”.
The service manager and myself road tested the vehicle, all OK.
Until we started to leave Darwin, only got about 50K and it started cutting out again.
Back to van park, unhitch and take Effie to Ford while it was still farting.
This time they gave me a rental car and kept the truck until a service engineer arrived from Melbourne as they could not locate the problem.
The service engineer arrived after 3 days and took 5 minutes to diagnose the faulty CPS after I had given him the history.

Story is that the CPS components at that time were breaking down with heat load, the sort of heat you get after the engine has been working very hard for some time.
When the components cool a little no fault codes appear.

So, if your Effie starts to cut out occasionally and no faults show get the CPS changed, or at least carry a spare.

Regards
Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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AnswerID: 568826

Reply By: njthommo - Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 05:10

Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006 at 05:10

Hi Stewart,
I recently bought a AIS severe duty kit from Western Filters (02 9831 1715) at Blacktown. The kit cost $360 and an extra filter was$102.91 plus freight of $16.50.
I have yet to fit the kit but it looks straightfoward enough with the installation instructions supplied .
Regards, Nick.

AnswerID: 568827

Reply By: Paul and Barb - Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006 at 02:06

Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006 at 02:06

Nick,

You should ask the powerstroke people for commission on all the orders that they are getting for the CPS. Have just ordered one, as well as some fuel filters and a serpentine belt (can't call it a fan belt these days).

Also checked the prices with the local Ford dealer, same as yours except for the filters which were quoted at $87 each.

Regards,

Paul.

AnswerID: 568828