7.3 godzilla will not start

Plugster

Tremor Newbie
Joined
Jun 5, 2021
Messages
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Location
Monroe, GA
Current Ride
2021 F250 7.3 Godzilla
I have a 2021 F250 7.3 Godzilla King Ranch, 4 WD, 12,500 miles and will not start all the time. Sometimes it starts right up other times it just spins over but will not fire. I can wait an hour and it will start up. Dealer has had it for a week, but these parts changers have no idea how to fix a problem. They did replace the battery, failed to start the next day. Anybody got any ideas? Thanks, Plugster
 
This probably isn’t your problem but I’ll throw this out there for other people to maybe help them troubleshoot if there truck doesn’t start for some reason.

I had a 2017 F150 Lariat that would never start at my sons pre school. It turns out these trucks are susceptible to electrical interference. The parking lot of the school had electrical wires running across and pretty low. My truck did not like it. I had to put the key fob in the slot under the drink holder for it to start. It never did that any other place except there. But it would always start when I put the key fob in “secret” holder.
 
I have a 2021 F250 7.3 Godzilla King Ranch, 4 WD, 12,500 miles and will not start all the time. Sometimes it starts right up other times it just spins over but will not fire. I can wait an hour and it will start up. Dealer has had it for a week, but these parts changers have no idea how to fix a problem. They did replace the battery, failed to start the next day. Anybody got any ideas? Thanks, Plugster

Did the check plugs and spark plug wires?
Dealer has it now. I did get an error message stating to charge the starting system. It will start and run fine for a couple of days then just turns over but will not start..
 
Is the engine cold (<100F) when this happens?

Have you checked for any other DTCs via ForScan?

Do you have push button start or do you have a key?
 
ForScan is a freeware (ish) tool that allows you to communicate with all the CANBUS based controllers, even those not on a public network. For this instance, think of it as a OBDII scan tool on steroids. Not every fault code trips a CEL, so there might be some clues there.

Cold engine and push button makes me think something is taking longer than expected during the start up. But I have no experience with Ford's setup, and my background is off highway diesel and commercial trucks.
 
Sounds like an engine control system problem. Has anything aftermarket electronic been added or modifications made that could cause interference. The hit and miss nature doesn't sound like something is broken or failed, otherwise problem would be more consistent and traceable. Apparently the problem can happen in any location? If so it sounds like it is an on board problem, not something in the vicinity of the vehicle. System communication with the key fob and interference seams plausible. There have been some issues discovered with poor connections at some harness plugs that have caused erratic symptoms.
 
There could be quite a few reasons a crank no start will happen. The first thing I would do is make the problem happen. All tests will pass and lead you no where if the problem isn’t happening and that’s most likely the problem your dealer is having. Once the problem is happening three things needed for a gas engine to fire up are spark, fuel, and compression (air). If there are no codes I would check spark with a spark tester, check fuel pressure and also make sure injectors are spraying. Fuel trims and other data may also be important. That’s checked with a scan tool. These tests will at least get you going in the right direction. Again don’t even try these tests unless the problem is happening. You will just waist your time. A compression problem is very unlikely in an intermittent case especially on a new truck. Whatever it is, it’s likely affecting all or most of the cylinders so a single spark plug wire is unlikely but a crank sensor or something that controls the whole engine is more possible. The BCM won’t allow a crank without the correct key signals so that can be ruled out. An hs/ms CAN issue would cause more issues and lights on the dash besides the starter timeout message you had. By far the most common cause of a crank no start in my experience is a fuel pump not kicking on for one reason or another. Sometimes it could be the pump itself or something that controls it. (Ask pretty much any early 5.0 f150 owner about Fuse27. I see those things roll in on a tow truck and I just start heading to parts to get a fuse relocation kit) The nature of your issue sounds a lot like the fuel pump driver modules on 2014ish Taurus, Explorer, Flex. Sit overnight won’t start but will an hour later. On a new truck it could be just about anything though, connector not plugged in all the way, loose ground etc. I wish I had an easy answer for you but I can’t know without testing it. I’m the lead gas tech at a Ford dealer and I have not had a 7.3 in for anything engine related at all. Period. No spark plug wires I’ve been reading about. Nothing. So I have no experience with the usual this and that with this engine. I’m also waiting on a 7.3 tremor myself?. Good luck! Sorry for the long post. I think about this kind of stuff all day everyday so I have a lot to say?
 
Here's an easy check for fuel pump operation when the truck won't start -

remote unlock the truck, open the drivers door, and you should hear the fuel pump, as it should "turn on" and run for a few seconds. Mine pressurizes every time I open the damn door. Stupid programming if you ask me. There's no need to pressurize the system every time the door opens.

This may not be your issue, but at least it can be ruled out, and you can move onto something else.

Did the dealer find any codes at all?
 
☝️Daimyo68 is right. I’m pretty sure it’s programmed to kick the fuel pump on for a second when the interior lights come on when you open the door to make sure there’s good pressure before you even get close to trying to start. Also another easy check: no RPM on the tachometer while cranking = crank sensor issue. The PCM will not fire spark at all without that reading because it can’t know when to do it.
 
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I have a 2021 F250 7.3 Godzilla King Ranch, 4 WD, 12,500 miles and will not start all the time. Sometimes it starts right up other times it just spins over but will not fire. I can wait an hour and it will start up. Dealer has had it for a week, but these parts changers have no idea how to fix a problem. They did replace the battery, failed to start the next day. Anybody got any ideas? Thanks, Plugster
I have the same issue! Started at 11,000 miles now have 15,000 happened 6 different times now but the last time it took 8 hours before it would start took to Ford an they found no issue
 
Let us know if that fixes it so when mine starts doing it I know what the problem is.
Rob Basile Just left Ford… had service manager,tech and Detroit on phone….. leaning towards a vapor lock situation in fuel rails…. Live in Northern Cali an never an issue here but when in Lake Havasu AZ home or high desert an temperature’s 105 plus that’s when I’m having the issues
Going back next week hauling a load so we’ll see
Oh!
P.S. the service manager an tech said I didn’t have spark plug wires an I had 16 spark plugs… and it’s a Fleet service dealership! Guess their still learning as well 😂
Had to bring truck over to show them different
 
There was one case where a forum member had a defect that wasn't allowing the crank pos sensor to seat properly. Another recent occurrence that sounded similar but I don't know if they determined that it was the same issue. Depending where the trigger wheel is when the engine stops, it won't sync properly and then doesn't fire since it doesn't know which cylinder is in the proper position.
 
I know this isn't helpful, but I just keep seeing these quality issues pop up in this forum.

I've seen more quality issues, and serious problems, in this forum with only 3 production years of a truck than I have in the entire time I've been on the Tundras forum, and I joined that forum in 2016 and am still active there..

I can only think of 1 or 2 complaints of a new Tundra owner that were more than a minor "i wish the infotainment system was better" or "Ford has a more refined interior."

Even the Tundra that melted while rescuing people in that California fire still started up and ran when Toyota replaced it for free..



I'm just waiting for the day my truck doesn't start or spontaneously combusts or something. =\
 
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