So I have an 03' F350. My sensor came on that I needed to drain the water out of the fuel. Climbed under the truck to drain the HFCM and the hex head bolt is already stripped out? Previous owner must have done it. Has anyone else seen this? I'm thinking that I can put an easy/out to it and replace the bolt. I have never drained one before--does the bolt come all the way out, and will the fuel continue to run while I am swapping bolts?

 

You can get a replacement plug from the dealer.. Yes, it comes out all the way and will continue to run until you get the replacement plug back in there.. It's best to wait until your fuel tank is low to change it out.. Up in the Tech Sticky is a great procedure for draining, using a clean plastic 3 liter bottle..

http://home.austin.rr.com/sbv1/Proce...ater-drain.htm

Good Luck,

Russ

Edit: You may be able to use a larger or standard hex or even a screw driver blade to get it out... I'd try that before using an ez-out..

 

Poor design, youll fight like EDITED BY ADMIN WE DO NOT TRY TO MASK FOUL LANGUAGE ON FTE to get it out, just replace the whole unit.

Fact is we do not use it at ALL

 

You should be able to just get the dealer to deal with it under warranty, if you're not over 100K miles yet. The fuel system is covered as part of the Powerstroke warranty. The original brass drain plug is a defective design that they have updated with a steel plug... so they can't blame you for falling victim to a defective design when trying to remove it. In all likelihood they will not try to get it out, but will instead replace the whole little manifold to the side of the HFCM there, since the '03 trucks had an issue anyway with the sensor crudding up and the fix was to replace the manifold with a newer design. (That's what happened on mine under the same circumstances.)

Duncan

 

Thanks for the reply's. I have to take it in for a broken leaf spring anyway--I'll see if we can get it covered.

 

I had to drain mine one last year and it was so easy I didn't think it would be a problem. Well the light came on again so thinking I would have the same experience was I P'd off when I found it to be stripped! I am the original owner and it is only serviced by Ford. My only guess is that the dealer stripped it when they replaced the filer last June. So now I got to send it in to get the damn plug out and put in a new one. I wouldn't mind replacing the whole unit for the new one with the easy valve on it!

 

I just looked at a good friends 05 (not sure of the build datebut purcheased this week), no change in plug from my 03.

 

They are the same

 

The HFCM is not covered under the 5/100 diesel engine warranty. When it comes to removing the drain plug after it has stripped I have been unsuccessful in all of my attempts. I have heard of technicians of whacking it with an air hammer (of all things!) and somehow breaking it loose.

At the dealer, if unable to remove the stripped plug, we simply replace the fuel manifold cover in the HFCM, not the entire fuel conditioning module. This is beneficial in that we can remove the sludge that forms inside and update older trucks with a newer manifold. Some had rusted out fuel heater and sensor connections internally.

Take a look!

 

Why doesn't anyone read the warranty before making statements like that?

"...fuel system (excluding fuel lines and fuel tank)..." - where do you read that to exclude the HFCM? (The injectors are explicitly called out separately.)

Duncan

 

His second sentences "When it comes to removing the drain plug after it has stripped I have been unsuccessful in all of my attempts" I believe covers why he makes a statement like he did.

 

According to the official diesel engine warranty parts coverage guide, the fuel water separator bowl, base part number "9A343" is not listed and therefore not covered past the vehicle base warranty of 3/36 as far as I can determine. I could be wrong. I will clarify this with my warranty administrator on Monday.

General rule on the diesel engine warranty (6.0L), the basic engine, anything that is in contact with engine oil, long block, injectors, high pressure oil pump, turbocharger, glow plugs and seals and gaskets. Exception: water pump and some sensors and controls.

 

I will clarify this with my warranty administrator on Monday.

Thanks Keith

 

Here is the complete statement from my '03 warranty guide:

"Ford Motor Company or Ford Motor Vehicle Assurance Company covers these components: cylinder block, heads, and all internal parts, intake and exhaust manifolds, flywheel, timing gear, harmonic balancer, valve covers, oil pan and pump, water pump, fuel system (excluding fuel lines and fuel tank), high pressure lines, gaskets and seals, glow plugs, turbocharger, powertrain control module, electronic driver unit, injectors, injectior perssure sensor, high pressure oil regulator, exhasut backpressure regulator and sensor, camshaft position sensor, accelerator switch."

I've heard the "anything in contact with oil" shorthand before and it's just not a complete enough statement. The PCM sure isn't in contact with oil unless something has gone badly wrong! If the statement "fuel system (excluding fuel lines and tank)" doesn't include the HFCM then Ford's tech writers/lawyers are speaking some language other than English.

Duncan

 

Keith,

Off the subject, but nice pictures on your webshots page. May I ask what was leaking on the engine to fill up the oil cooler cavity with coolant like that?