97 t444e lost power and died

[Studedude]

I am on a trip and am stuck on Raton pass New Mexico The engine was running fine then lost boost I noticed the speedo had also quit When the speedo started back in a few secs boost came back It did this 2-3 times today but this time it died and won’t restart any emergency fixes or do I just call for a tow also any ideas about the problem thanks for any help

[Studedude]

Also 400 miles on new fuel filter and oil change and filter

[Studedude]

No smoke of any color wasn’t rough just lost power and died

[bus-bro]

On my bus most of the electrical load goes through automatic resetting circuit breakers, they look like relay cubes. And that is a classic circuit fault type of thing, the going off and coming back on a few times until they don't.

What is the battery voltage?

It's sounds like your electronic engine control lost power, or failed. Unplugging the battery and unplugging the control circuit connectors, looking at them, maybe spraying them with a contact cleaner and then plugging them back in, then re-powering the system and seeing if it starts is a cheap try.

What powers the speedometer? A schematic diagram of your bus's electrical system would sure help. A voltage check using your digital multi-meter at various circuit points down the line would be invaluable.

[Mountain Gnome]

I'd start looking for an electrical ground problem, or a power-to-the-ECM problem. Can't tell you where to look exactly, except behind the dash. Gotta follow wires..... Slow but sure.....
Check the battery
Find the computer location.
Find how it is wired (may have to look that up on the internet)


The computer on my BlueBird is powered through it's own power cable coming off the battery, through a fuse box mounted to the frame behind the driver's front wheel (in front of the battery box). I think someone else mentioned their International had that also. Maybe. Maybe I'm wrong.


We both had corrosion inside that killed the computer


Good luck!

[Studedude]

Thanks looks like lm spending the night here by the freeway and checking connections tomorrow

[cadillackid]

97 was a pivotal year on the 444E, the speedometer could be driven off the the data communications link from the ECM or it could be a separate sender.. in the dashboard fuse panel (next to the glovebox) there is an ECM FUSE (circuit breaker).. a DIAG fuse and a GAUGE fuse.. all 3 muysr be good for the engine to run right.. these fuses are also notorious for the tangs in the fuseboix getting worn or corroded and not fitting tight so it knocks the computer offline when you hit bumps.. ..


if the computer itself is resetting you will see the WARN light and possdibly tjhe wait-start light flash back on when the computer comes back on..

[Studedude]

2 of those fuses look like small skinny relays w blank button not popped out unfortunately my multimeter didn’t make it into my tool box I didn’t notice any lights coming on tow truck on the way hoping for bad battery again no meter I won’t make that mistake again Cadillac Kid I was hoping to meet you some time this month for an hp tune I plan to be in Pittsburgh a few weeks looks like it might take a little longer than I planned thanks for the help will keep everyone posted

[Studedude]

Update I am on the road again after checking all connections I could find and get to I replace the camshaft position sensor and there was no change Monday morning the shop put the diagnostics on it and found no active codes they check fuel pressure and determined I needed a fuel pump the next day when the fuel pump arrived they found a kinked fuel line hiding between the fuel pump and the filter after replacing the kinked line the bus started and ran with more power than it seems like it ever had itDeveloped a miss but I can live with that until I get home thanks for everybody’s help

[Studedude]

Well I was too quick to say I could live with the miss. It got so bad I didn’t want to take a chance paying another towing bill. A shop in Kansas diagnosed a camshaft position sensor which I had replaced last week. They put a new one in and I am on the road again. I’m not sure if the original was bad or if it was just the kinked line but I’m good now

[cadillackid]

its a known fsct that there are a *LOT* of faulty CPS out there.. crappy ones that come from various sources.. if you look on ebay and what not many people covet the original IH ones that were black and not grey.. they sell for big bucks on ebay.. some have had better luck getting them at the ford dealer but even some of those dont always work right.. the signal they put out anyway isnt super strong so a kinked wire or greasy connector can cause issues with them.. and the ECM will try and run the engine but if it cannot get an exact measure on the timing when to fire the injector it will skip the cylinder.. ford will light the service light if that happens.. IH seems reluctant to turn the WARN light on unless the CPS signal gets bad enough that it cant run .. and even then if you get a zero CPS reading it just assumes the engine isnt spinning and wont turn the WARN on..

[rffffffff]

similar story in my bus, 2002 dt466e... had an issue, cam sensor was changed just in case, found the real problem afterwards, and then it kept quitting because the new cam sensor was defective and I had to put in a second one.

Don't trust cam sensors you buy on Sunday!

[orangebus]

Gotta agree with the above comment of checking grounds. Hook a good jumper cable direct from battery ground to shiny body ground to eliminate that question.