New to the fourm as well as diesels in general. 03 f550 with 7.3, suddenly loses power and struggles while driving. White/blue smoke comes from tailpipe, can smell the diesel exhaust bad when happens, comes and goes intermittently but has been happening more and more often. I uploaded a video onto YouTube to show sound, rough running motor and smoke from exhaust althought smoke not that bad in video. Search "shadetreelandscaping" on YouTube in case link below doesnt work.

ShadeTreeLandscaping - YouTube

Took to ford dealer a few diff times for problem and they can't get any codes, can't duplicate problem. After it being in for third time they say had to call ford tech hotline and they suggest replacing injector however can not and will not gaurntee that will solve problem, and obviously dealer isn't cheap for repair.

I find it hard to believe that a bad injector(s) would be an intermittent problem as it is or that it would cause fuel pump to make gurgling sound. Any and all help is appreciated,thans in advance!!

 

Sounds like you may have a couple things going... one being, have you tried replacing that fuel pump? truck runs like crap... intermittent... the pump is electric and making noise. I would look into at least trying a different one from a buddies truck or something. If it is not the pump, gurgling usually means air, might drop the tank and inspect the pickup inside the tank and make sure its not sucking air, or plugged. Did you also change the fuel filter on the motor? and have you checked fuel pressure when the "rough" running happens? Could also be Injector O-rings going bad, would cause the same symptoms. Burning oil?

 

X2 what ^ said especially if the symptoms happen at 1/4 tank of fuel or less.
Sounds like hutch mod time.

Try the hutch mod b4 injectors...

Use the search bar on the forum and just search for hutch mod...

 

The chassis cab trucks have a metal fuel tank that was coated inside. I am not sure why they did this but some tanks have been known to delaminate and the debris can clog the pick up and restrict fuel flow.

Sounds like you to need get a fuel pressure gauge and see what your pressure is while under load. I would spend my money on a fuel gauge vs going to the dealer at this point.

If you plan on keeping your truck then these two purchases are good values. The fuel gauge because fuel pressure is the one system that is not monitored on the 7.3 engine at all....yet it can affect performance in a major way.
The second item is a scan tool. Very, very useful once you understand how the 7.3 power train is controlled. Everyone who intends on keeping their 7.3 for a long time should have a quality scan tool or access to one. Just my $0.02...

Riffraff Diesel: Fuel Pressure 0-100 PSI

Riffraff Diesel: AutoEnginuity Total Ford Enhanced Bundle

EDIT: If you want to get a three gauge pod, then I recommend Exhaust Gas Temperature, Engine coolant temp (if automatic) or Fuel pressure (if manual) and the final gauge would be Aeroforce Interceptor Scan Gauge. If automatic trans, then order the fuel pressure sensor and VREF kit for the Aeroforce and you will have everything you need to monitor your engine vitals. The Aeroforce can also run a lot of diagnostics so you might be able to get by using that for a scan tool in lieu of the AutoEnginuity if your budget is tight.

 

A friends 99 f250 with the 7.3 just recently had a similar problem, eventually went to the point of barely running after lots of trial and error, turned out to be a clogged pickup in the fuel tank, solved his problem.

 

Yes, the pickup trucks have a similar yet different problem. Since they have plastic tanks there isn't the fear of de-lamination but they still can get clogged screens. Usually poor fuel quality is the reason this happens.

Here is a link to the repair process...

Welcome to guzzle's In-tank Hutch Mod Web Page

 

^^^ I would ck fuel tank screens . Just fixed another 2 weeks ago . Fuel pick up may have a foot screen and 2 smaller screens inside . That is what I see most . They can be removed and cleaned , or bypassed /removed .Clean and inspect tank also .

 

Thanks for all the replies!!!
Changing fuel filter tomorrow, had it changed once before since I bought truck (didn't buy truck new) however has acted up since filter was changed but since is cheapest fix will start there.

Debating on changing fuel pump myself and seeing if that solves problem, is it hard to change? I'm not a mechanic by any means but a little handy, can tell my a*s from my elbow. Is fuel pump from autozone any good or just POS?

How to I access screens in the tank to see if they are clogged? I can access the top of tank pretty easy since truck is a dump bed and can simply raise the bed.

Again not a mechanic, however I find it hard to believe that a bad injector as dealer suggested but wouldn't guarantee was problem, would cause fuel pump to make noises it does in video and act up as intermittently as it does. A dirty or gunked up injector(s) would be restricted all the time and make it run rough/act up 24/7 not just sometimes? Or am I wrong with that?

Thanks again for the tips

 

If it is a dump , raise and lock the bed . Then pull pick up unit out of the top of tank . Easy . I have pulled many on flat beds without dropping the tank . I am a bit smaller than most , and can worm my way into smaller places . A dump makes it easy .

 

Opend the tank yesterday, the screens inside the pickup unit were packed so tightly with tiny metal flakes, shiny silver material. Assuming that it is the tank delamination? From what I could see into the tank with a flash light the fuel itself looked pretty clean/clear and nothing really on tank floor from my vantage point.

Since cleaning out the screens has been running smoother, hoping not just making myself believe that. Will have to wait and see if truck acts up anymore, hopefully not.

Thanks for all the info and help!

Side note do the 7.3s have a second fuel filter besides the one under the hood? I have looked but have not found one or the water separator on the truck.

 

Your description sounds like the interior coating is flaking off. Hopefully you got most of it out of there before you buttoned it back up.

The pickup foot has a large mesh screen and a mixing chamber with fine mesh screens. There also is a mesh screen on the inlet side of the fuel pump. The fuel bowl on top of the engine is a fuel filter/water separator unit. The element in that thing should be changed every 15k miles.

 

The mesh screen on the inlet of the pump will pack up with stuff... I knocked a bunch of stuff out of it when I was checking it out after replacing it, chasing a fuel issue. Turns out it works just fine... I now have a spare pump for emptying fuel tanks.
I ended up dropping my tanks and finding the screens in there packed with black stuff... that was 2 years ago... Unfortunatly it looks like I get to drop my tank again since the tank runs out around a 1/4 tank now.

 

(I had exactly the same problem)

As far as I know there is NOT other filter bisides the one in the motor.
what I did with mine is install a in-line fuel filter outside the tank and remove those two little cilinder of mesh located inside the tank. then I change that inline filter once every two months or so.
My life get way easy after that change

 

here is some pics
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=68468
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=68467