Ok...I may just be venting here, not sure I have an actual question, but here goes...

I have a 2004 NBS SCAB with the 5.4. It has 79,000 miles on it (I bought it with 47,000 on it). In the time that I've owned it, it has had no issues.

Thursday I drive to work and park it as always. Thursday night, I go out to leave, turn the key, dash lights and Gryphon come on, it sounds like it's going to turn over, and then just dies. After that, nothing. No click or anything when i turn the key. Truck was dead as a doornail. Tried to jump it, didn't work. Called AAA, had it towed to the Ford garage.

Friday they dig around in it for an hour, and call me to say they have no idea what it is yet, and do I want them to keep looking...well, the truck is my only vehicle, so yeah...They call back about 2 hours later. It's the 'central junction box'...apparently the center of the whole electrical system or something (I'm clueless about this stuff).

To order the part and have them put it in was $650. They put it in yesterday, and so far the truck runs fine, except I'm pretty sure it's back to the stock tune now (I don't have the Gryphon plugged in).

2 things: 1. I'm kind of scared to death of this truck now...it was perfectly fine, and then it was just dead. WHILE PARKED. I was going camping on Friday...24 hours later and my truck and I would have been deep in the woods...The garage couldn't tell me why this part would go bad, or what might cause it to happen again. I can only take so many $650 hits...

2. I'm definitely scared to death to use the Gryphon anymore...I've had it for almost as long as I've had the truck (about a year and a half), and I doubt it was the cause...but I just don't know.

Anyone have any opinions on this? Or have a central junction box go bad? Is this the beginning of the end of my truck? Thanks for any replies.

 

When my CJB went bad, it was only like 120 for the part, then just swapped it out myself (took like an hour). Granted, this was an issue with early build Expys, where it would burn out the PCM relay, and the Expy wouldn't start (there would be dashes in the mileage) since it couldn't communicate with the PCM. Don't think this was an issue with the F150s, though?

Maybe F150 CJBs are more expensive?

 

I don't know...I feel kind of silly, because apparently central junction box is just another word for what I probably would have called a fuse box from what I can tell from a couple google searches.

Maybe if I had had time, I could have done some research and saved some money...maybe not. Appreciate the reply.

 

Hate to be the one to say it, but I think you have been hosed.

What you describe could be a few things, including the battery going bad.

The 2004+ MY trucks are very picky about what would be an OK battery in a 2001 F-150, when they get low.

Don't know why your truck would be returned to the stock tune, if they replaced the CJB, the 2 have nothing to do with each other.

 

Well, we did try to jump it, and AAA tried that battery pack thing they have. Truck was dead. I don't know...it was a pretty reputable Ford garage that I had it towed to. I'd like to think they wouldn't go through that whole charade just to screw me over, but maybe they would.

As far as the tune, I don't know...I didn't have my truck for a few days, it's hard to tell if it feels the same or not. I've been hesitant to reconnect the tuner, just because I'm afraid something else will go wrong.

 

Next should have been PCM power relay, and the associated fuses. This is hot in the run/start position and control quite a few items that deal with powering the truck.

The PCM power relay is still a serviceable item ( relay can be removed ).

The Gryphon while plugged in, is only acting as a gauge, nothing to do with the tune tune loaded on the PCM. Not much can go wrong with the truck if you use the Gryphon to monitor operational parameters.

If the dealer reflashed your PCM, they wiped out the Gryphon tune, and you basically have a digital gauge kit with the Gryphon now.
The dealer should not have done a PCM reflash, as without power to the system, they cannot do it ( unless they bench reflashed it ).

Besides the fact if they got the truck working again by changing the CJB, that should have been the end of the work, no additional labor time needed ( i.e. reflash ).

The only things I see with the Gryphon and no start issues have to do with a weak battery while reflashing the PCM, not in operational terms.

Did you ask them what was wrong with the CJB ? They should be able to tell you in plain terms, if it was that easy.
The other things that come to mind:
-Loose battery cables
-Problem with the Yellow w/ Light Green stripe wire to the CJB ( powers the buss in the CJB ). This is an easy test, with the symptoms happening, check with a meter on Fuse #10 for power on 1 of the 2 pins. If it is dead, check Connector C270P for power on pin #1, Yellow w/ Light Green wire.
- Problem with the ignition switch.
-- I know twice my 2006 has had a dead key symptom, where I turn the key, and nothing powers up. Both times when I stopped and thought WTH, the truck powered up. Not much I can diagnose when it is functioning correctly.


These items, a jump start would not fix.

Assuming you still have the same battery in the truck then ?

 

Hey, just saw your reply...that's an amazingly thorough response...Thanks!

Yes, it's the same battery, and yea, I did ask what would cause a CJB to go bad. I got a response along the lines of 'Well, these modern electronics handle a lot of load and just go bad sometimes...' Basically a bunch of BS to cover that they had no idea WTH happened...

I actually checked the battery cables to see if they were loose when the truck didn't start the first time. Everything seemed ok there.

Today on my way to work it was foggy so I tried to turn my headlights on. My dash light didn't come on, and I'm pretty sure the lights themselves didn't come on. On around the 8th try the dash lights and headlights came on.

Leaving work, the truck did not start the first time I turned the key, but it did start on the 2nd try.

I assumed the dealer would check the battery to see if it was bad while they did all this other stuff, but now I'm thinking maybe that's what I should do next, then check the rest of your suggestions.

 

I'd suspect a relay in the CJB too.

I'm bothered by you saying the truck didn't start the first time after leaving work in your last post, but then it did.

What happened here? Did you turn the key to start and NOTHING happened? Did something just "click"? Did the starter turn but the engine did not "catch"? These all point to different possible problems, so it would be good to know which.

I think if it was foggy, you would have "seen" your headlights too. It's puzzling that they worked after several tries.

- Jack

 

Yup...no click or anything. Believe me, my heart SUNK to about my knees...

As far as the fog, it was just kind of hazy out, so I was turning the lights on to keep the cops happy. The dash lights def. did not come on, and I'm 99% sure the headlights themselves did not come on.

You all are going to think I'm making this stuff up, but I swear I'm not...this morning on the way to work, my radio just turned off. I turned it back on, and it came right back, but just another weird event...

 

Might want to take it back to the place that charged you for a new CJB, and ask them what is up with it.

You already paid for the repair, unless they are playing remove & replace SWAG style, they should fix it, as it seems replacing the CJB was not the correct route.

Could be an issue with the ignition switch, which is much cheaper parts & labor than the CJB.

Might want to think about having the battery load tested at a real shop ( not Autozone, most don't know how to use the equipment they have )

 

What they are talking about is part of the security system itself. The ignition wire runs to it from the ignition cylinder. It is rare that the wires short but possible. So I dont believe you were "hosed" but I doubt if that would ever be an issue again.

 

You just replied to a 9 year old post.