2020 Engine Trouble, Cylinder Backfires and Camshaft Position B.

[Mark McAwesome]

Truck has 74,000, 2020. The most recent upgrades have been 1050cc injectors, spark plug change and an E85 tune. I’ve been running those three items for the last 3500 miles with no issues.

This morning I got off the interstate after going 15 miles, cruising at 72mph. I turned onto the hwy leading into town, going 55mph, truck was in sport mode, went to accelerate around a semi. Truck start vibrating extremely excessively, first thought was “weird this is a bumping side of the road.” Got back into my lane and let off the accelerator, truck came back down to 60, engine light flashing, switched the truck to normal mode while driving engine flashing light went away. Pulled over at a nearby gas station and pulled the codes with my COBB, see photo. P0306, P0365, P0369, P0524, U0256.

When I restarted the truck it misfired starting and then sounded like garbage, truck is misfiring now like crazy, limped it to work and parked it. I’ve since cleared the codes and started it up again, sounds terrible backfiring still but now the code was P0301.

I’m headed out to pull spark plugs and check them, they’re 3500 miles old. I’ve ordered the both camshaft position sensor Bs, should be in tomorrow, will replace if spark plugs don’t fix it. Any other advice or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[FordTechOne]

Start by checking your oil level. P0524 also indicates low oil pressure. P0365 and P0369 will set when VCT control is lost due to low engine oil flow to the VCT solenoids. Bank 1 sensor 2 (B) will typically be the first to be affected/reported by the PCM.

 

[Mark McAwesome]

Start by checking your oil level. P0524 also indicates low oil pressure. P0365 and P0369 will set when VCT control is lost due to low engine oil flow to the VCT solenoids. Bank 1 sensor 2 (B) will typically be the first to be affected/reported by the PCM.

Oil levels have been corrected, it was a quart low. I’m having trouble understanding how it could/would burn through a quart in roughly 3000 miles. Spark plugs and sensors will be changed tomorrow. I’ll reset the ECU again after they’re changed and see if that resolves.

 

[aandrews109]

Believe it or not, I have a '19 Raptor and it used oil from the time I bought it (New) until about 30+K when I took a long trip to New Mexico and ran it 80+ for about 8 hours a couple of days in a row.

The other odd quirk is that, out of nowhere, I started getting a subtle miss-fire when cruising between 25 & 50 mph and definite loss of power under heavy throttle along with miss-fires. To begin with the miss-fire at lower speeds felt like a tire out of balance in the rear, so I had the tires balanced and rotated and still had same symptoms.

Bad gas? Got some fuel stabilizer and ran several tanks through the truck & issues continued.

Was getting ready to take it in to get it checked out by my local Ford Dealer, but I just kept thinking about what had changed recently that could cause the problems.

The only thing that had changed recently was the Brand of Oil Filter I had been using. Right before issues started, I had changed the Oil and Filter. I have always used a Motorcraft FL 500-S, but was forced to use another Brand due to inability to locate a Motorcraft filter. Used a Major Name Brand Extended Performance Filter on the oil change and that was the only thing that had changed.

After reading several Threads regarding how tempermental modern engines can be with oil flow, I decided to get a FL 500-S and swap it out. For $10 this was a cost effective way to just check and see.

Changed back to the Motorcraft filter, topped off oil, and problem solved! Call me crazy, but it runs like it did before the issues.

Also spoke with a friend who had been a Service Writer at a Hundi Dealership and he said that there were several of their engines that would start to miss-fire if they were low on oil.

The wonders of modern technology will make you pull your hair out!

Hope you get your issues worked out!

 

[FordTechOne]

Oil levels have been corrected, it was a quart low. I’m having trouble understanding how it could/would burn through a quart in roughly 3000 miles. Spark plugs and sensors will be changed tomorrow. I’ll reset the ECU again after they’re changed and see if that resolves.

What is your truck’s build date?

 

[Mark McAwesome]

What is your truck’s build date?

Sometime between January and February 28th of 2020, which was the date I picked it up from the dealership. Not sure how to look that up

 

[FordTechOne]

Sometime between January and February 28th of 2020, which was the date I picked it up from the dealership. Not sure how to look that up

In that case your truck qualifies under TSB 20-2423; it’s a PCM software update. Under rapid throttle release/engine braking, the 3.5 HO piston rings seal so well that it’s actually capable of generating enough vacuum to draw atomized oil into the cylinders past the oil control rings. The software update increases throttle angle slightly on decel to reduce vacuum. Since you’re running a tune, I’d contact them and ask them to change the TAC parameters to the revised spec, if possible.

 

[Mark McAwesome]

In that case your truck qualifies under TSB 20-2423; it’s a PCM software update. Under rapid throttle release/engine braking, the 3.5 HO piston rings seal so well that it’s actually capable of generating enough vacuum to draw atomized oil into the cylinders past the oil control rings. The software update increases throttle angle slightly on decel to reduce vacuum. Since you’re running a tune, I’d contact them and ask them to change the TAC parameters to the revised spec, if possible.

Maybe this is a silly question but do I need to detune the truck before I go in? PCM software update is different and has nothing to do with the E85 tune?

 

[FordTechOne]

Maybe this is a silly question but do I need to detune the truck before I go in? PCM software update is different and has nothing to do with the E85 tune?

That’s the question. In most cases it will need to be returned to the factory calibration in order for it to be updated with the Ford scan tool (IDS). But if your tune overwrites it when reinstalled, you’ll be back to square one. I would recommend reaching out to your tuner; they may be able to incorporate the TSB software update into your calibration.

 

[Mark McAwesome]

Update, changed the plugs. Cylinder 1 plug was covered in oil and melted, shorting out the plug. After starting it, carbon colored fuel mixture shot out the passenger side tail pipe spraying the wall and a water fuel mixture was on the ground back my the bed were the exhaust pipes clamp together. Truck surged a little getting started but now back to normal. Will be switching back to stock tune and getting ford to do the PCM update that TSB calls for. Thanks FordTechOne for all your help.