# Irratic Idle/Lack of Power-2001 Diesel **URL:** \ **Category:** Power/Fuel\ **Tags:** f350, diesel, ford\ **Created:** [September 29, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306 "2009-09-29T01:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/1 "2009-09-29T01:55:20Z")
Replaced: Air/Oil Filter, Fuel Pump, Upper Engine Injector Oil, Cam Shaft Positioning Sensor, Sensor ICP, NO CHANGES-Need to get out of town for Funeral and need guidance. Any ideas? Vehicle has a Lack of Power and Irratic Power…Can get it to HWY speed but it still has lack of power. ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/2 "2009-09-29T03:02:41Z")
This cant be good…no one is responding… ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/3 "2009-09-29T03:21:24Z")
How many miles? Is it possible you have a “tired” engine? Compression is critical with a diesel and if you aren’t getting proper compression on all cylinders then replacing all the parts in the world won’t solve your problem. Perhaps you need to talk to truck mechanics that work on diesels all the time for some ideas on what’s going on. ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/4 "2009-09-29T03:25:40Z")
Truck has 360000 miles is well cared for and began running on Bio Diesel 2 years ago and has done very well. I have been impressed. This happened at once not gradual. If it were a tired engine I would think that it would be gradual. Is there anything you can suggest before I rip the motor apart to check the compression?..We are on limited time for getting out of town ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/5 "2009-09-29T03:35:53Z")
Check all the electrical connections you can assess that involve the fuel delivery and management system. Perhaps a contact is not being made, or a vacuum hose has a leak. Sometimes the plastic connectors on vacuum hoses crack and are not easy to spot. You may need to rent a car for your trip, and deal with this when you don’t have as much time pressure. ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/6 "2009-09-29T03:47:15Z")
Had thought of the vacuum but the 7.3 doesn’t use or produce vacuum. It has a seporate vacuum pump. And I have checked every connection iI could find ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/7 "2009-09-29T13:32:54Z")
Explain Bio-Diesel. If bio-diesel isn’t refined correctly to remove the amino acids, these acids will attack the seals in the injector pump and injectors. And this will cause a diesel engine to run rough and lack power. You may also want to read what Navistar recommends about using Bio-Diesel in their engines. [http://www.internationaltruck.com/portal/site/ITrucks/menuitem.a1d4a3932b46e05831f8e968121010a0/?vgnextoid=7f5367e4c6ee9110VgnVCM10000085d0eb0aRCRD](http://www.internationaltruck.com/portal/site/ITrucks/menuitem.a1d4a3932b46e05831f8e968121010a0/?vgnextoid=7f5367e4c6ee9110VgnVCM10000085d0eb0aRCRD) Tester ---
**Author:** ![DavidKelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@DavidKelly](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DavidKelly)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/8 "2009-09-29T22:57:49Z")
I’m thinking you have a fuel hose collapsed on the inside blocking fuel. Especially concerned based on your hint that you have started using biodiesel in a vehicle that was not designed with biodiesel in mind. A Diesel engine will run on a lot of different stuff, but the designers may not have provided chemical compatibility for anything other than Diesel #2. Same sort of issue as with ethanol in gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/9 "2009-09-30T00:37:18Z")
Older diesels with black rubber fuel lines start breaking down with biodiesel. Newer diesels with teflon lines dont break down with boidiesel. ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 12:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/10 "2009-09-30T00:46:11Z")
Just finished swapping out the PCM for a knowned good one out of a friends truck with no change ---
**Author:** ![shadetree40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@shadetree40](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadetree40)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 11:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/irratic-idle-lack-of-power-2001-diesel/37306/11 "2009-09-30T11:06:26Z")
380000 miles should be half life. I bought the truck with 350000 two years ago.