Should You Really Do an LB7 FICM Delete upon Your Truck?
If you've been scouring the diesel forums lately, you've probably observed guys talking about an lb7 ficm delete plus wondered if it's actually a wise move for your Duramax. It sounds like one of all those "while I'm in there" projects that will could either save you a massive headache later on or leave you stranded on the shoulder of the highway. Most of the time, men and women talk about this particular, they aren't really removing the Energy Injection Control Component (FICM) entirely—because, let's be honest, your own truck isn't heading anywhere without it—but rather they're speaking about deleting the particular fuel cooling lines that tell you it.
The LB7 is a renowned engine, but this definitely has its quirks. One associated with the weirder design choices GM made back in the early 2000s was decided to mount the FICM directly on the side associated with the engine plus then use diesel-powered fuel to keep the electronics fascinating. It works, sure, yet it also makes a lot of additional plumbing and potential fail points that can drive the person crazy.
Why people even consider messing with all the FICM
The key reason anyone looks straight into an lb7 ficm delete (specifically the fuel line portion) is in order to simplify the engine bay. If you've ever had to operate on the passenger side of a good LB7, you know it's a total mess of wires, mounting brackets, and those pesky fuel hoses. By bypassing the fuel-cooled part of the FICM, you're basically obtaining rid of a couple of hoses and the potential source associated with air leaks.
Air within the energy system is the absolute enemy of the particular LB7. Because these trucks don't possess a factory raise pump, the CP3 pump has to pull fuel just about all the way through the tank under vacuum. If any associated with those aging silicone lines near the particular FICM get a tiny crack, they'll draw in air. Abruptly, your truck is difficult to start, it's surging at stoplights, or it's simply running like junk. Removing those extra connections feels such as a win intended for reliability.
The particular cooling dilemma
Now, the following is where things obtain a bit controversial in the diesel community. GM didn't put those gasoline lines there just for fun. Electronics generate heat, and the FICM is responsible for firing these injectors using a lot of precision and power. It will get hot. By operating fuel through a cooling plate on the back associated with the module, the particular engineers ensured the internal components stayed in just a safe operating temperatures.
If a person go through with a good lb7 ficm delete and prevent running fuel through this, you're relying completely on ambient air to keep that will module cool. If you live in the place like Az or Texas, exactly where the pavement is definitely hot enough to fry an egg cell, that FICM is going to be sitting in a literal oven below your hood. Reaching extreme temperatures a FICM is definitely a great method to turn the $500 to $800 part right into a really expensive paperweight.
That said, many guys argue that will the fuel by itself gets pretty hot, especially when the tank is reduced, so how very much "cooling" is this really doing? It's a debate that's been raging upon the boards with regard to fifteen years.
The role of a lift pump with this setup
If you are dead set upon doing an lb7 ficm delete , you should have an aftermarket replacement lift pump like a FASS or even an AirDog already installed. When you have the lift pump, you're pushing fuel pressurized toward the motor rather than sucking it. This changes the dynamics associated with the whole program.
Many people who the actual delete end upward rerouting their gasoline lines directly through the lift water pump to the CP3 or through a different filter setup, completely bypassing the FICM and the particular factory filter mind. This "cleans up" the fuel path significantly. It also can make it way easier to prime the system if you ever run out there of fuel or change a filter, since you aren't fighting with that tiny hand base on the factory filtration system head that constantly seems to leak anyway.
Could it be a "delete" or a "relocation"?
I think it's important in order to clarify that with regard to 99% of proprietors, an lb7 ficm delete will be just a domestic plumbing change. However, there exists a very small group of high-end racing enthusiasts or people performing crazy custom forms who actually proceed the FICM away from the motor entirely.
Relocating the module to the firewall or somewhere with better airflow is technically the "right" way to do it if you're going to stop using the fuel cooling. It gets the electronics far from the gerüttel from the engine plus the direct high temperature soak from the canister heads. But, man, extending those cabling harnesses is really a project I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. There are a lot of wires, and if you mess upward one solder joints, you'll be chasing after ghost electrical issues for the rest of your existence.
The fact of the "kit" vs. DIY
You might see some "delete kits" for purchase online, but honestly, more often than not it's simply some high-quality fuel hose plus some accessories. If you're portable, you can usually piece together the particular parts to avoid the FICM intended for a fraction of the cost of a pre-made kit.
You just have to be careful about the type associated with hose you use. Don't just grab any old rubber hose from the particular local auto components store. You require stuff that's ranked for diesel and won't collapse below vacuum (if a person don't have a lift pump) or break open under pressure (if you do).
What occurs if you get this wrong?
Let's talk about the particular worst-case scenario. A person do the lb7 ficm delete , you're cruising down the motorway, and the module gets too sizzling. Usually, the pickup truck will start stumbling. You can find some strange injector circuit requirements. If it gets bad enough, the truck will just close off.
The real kicker is that whenever these FICMs fail because of heat, they will don't always expire all at one time. They turn out to be "intermittent. " It'll work fine when the engine is definitely cold, but as soon as you've been traveling for an hour, it starts performing up. That's the type of problem that can make you would like to sell the particular truck. So, in the event that you're going to bypass the cooling, you really need to monitor just how hot things are getting under right now there.
My individual take on it
In case your truck will be a daily drivers and you rely on it to get to work or pull a truck, I'm usually of the mind that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it. " The manufacturer fuel cooling setup on the LB7 isn't perfect, yet it's been working for over 20 years on most of such trucks.
However, in case you've already improved to a lift pump motor, you've deleted your factory filter mind, and you're attempting to create a clear, high-performance engine gulf, then an lb7 ficm delete starts to make a lot more feeling. It gets free of those unpleasant, brittle hoses and simplifies the energy routing. Just create sure you aren't sacrificing long-term dependability for a somewhat cleaner look.
Final thoughts before you grab the wrenches
Before you go forward and start pulling lines, take a good look at your FICM. Could it be leaking gas through the cooling dish? If it is, you really have to repair it or bypass it anyway. A seeping FICM plate is really a common source associated with "losing prime" problems. In that case, doing the particular delete is really a cheap fix when compared with purchasing a new cooling plate or a whole new module.
Just remember that every modification has a trade-off. You're investing the reliability of the cooled electronic module for the simplicity of a streamlined fuel system. If you can live along with that risk—and specifically if you possess a plan to maintain that module mainly because cool as possible—then do it now. Just don't say I didn't warn you whenever you're looking in the price associated with a replacement FICM on eBay!