ok....

i have read just about every post about this on this site and am still confused.

here is the issue...
i have a large amout of fuel dripping on the pass. side of the truck around the bell housing/tranny cooler lines/starter area. it is comming from the valley. i have clenaned up the valley (both pockets) and let the truck run for over 20 min. and nothing. no dripping. took it out for a spin for about 4 miles, rechecked. both pockets full!!??

here is what i have checked....
all three blue hoses....dry as a popcorn fa%t (they do need replacing though)
fuel pressure at the schrader valve....68 psi (no mods/factory setup)
back(firewall side) of the pump by the banjo bolt....dry as a popcorn fa&t
front(fuel filter side) of the pump.....WET

i can't find a 1/16" weep hole on the pass. side of the pump. ANYWHERE!
i spent an hour looking for it. (my knees are shot now)

my water in fuel light comes on occasionally. i think the sensor is shot because i drain the bowl and it still comes on "whenever if feels like"

fuel heater is disconnected due to fuse #22 blowing out. (thanks for all the posts on that one!)

recently, my mileage has dropped quite a bit.
(maybe due to ULSD cr&p. completely unsure)

i have a '97 F-250HD crew cab 4X4 with 4" straight pipes, K&N high performance intake, and the EDGE programmer set at level 2.
i am the ORIGINAL OWNER!
the truck has just over 133,000 on it. i use it like a truck, but NEVER abuse it.

any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

 

Check the fuel drain lever. There has been a rash of these starting to leak. Apperantly form the new fuel ULSD, but there's no proof to that.

HERE'S the fuel diagram for your engine. There are fuel rails in the heads. They have plugs that can leak.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 489px; HEIGHT: 353px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width=489 border=1><TBODY><TR><TH vAlign=bottom>Item </TH><TH vAlign=bottom>Part Number </TH><TH vAlign=bottom>Description </TH><TR vAlign=top><TD>1 </TD><TD>9155 </TD><TD>Fuel Filter </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>2 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Tank Return Orifices (Part of 9155) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>3 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Strainer Assembly (Part of 9155) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>4 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Pressure Regulator (Part of 9155) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>5 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Schrader Valve (Part of 9155) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>6 </TD><TD>6049 </TD><TD>Cylinder Heads </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>7 </TD><TD>9A564 </TD><TD>Fuel Return Tubes </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>8 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Piston Stage (Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>9 </TD><TD>9002 </TD><TD>Fuel Tank </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>10 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Diaphragm Stage (Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>11 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Filter Vacuum Switch (Part of 9155) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<HR>

 

it is probably the vacuum switch on the bowl. it looks like a oil pressure switch and has a one wire connector. i had one kick my tail. it tell you when you have water in the fuel.

 

The weep hole is on the pass. side of the pump,down low just above the engine block.It is hard to see unless you know it's there.Just changed mine and it was leaking like you're saying yours is.I cleaned the valley up and stuffed a rag around the base of the pump and took a short test drive.The rag was the only thing wet.

Brian

 

I just had that vac switch go leaking on me. I changed it out for another one I had. Now if I plug the wire in it gives me the fuel filter light. Not the water in fuel light. So I left it unpluged till I get a new one. Any issues in doing that? But yeah, I was seeing fuel in the valley and I just replaced all me soft lines.

 

thanks for the tips...

i will look for plugs in the heads. any particular area to check this?

also, the vacuum switch. is that the one next to the schrader valve on the fuel bowl? looks like a large brass hex necking down to 1/8" pipe thread and has a red wire with a yellow stripe connected to it?

i have been watching that as well. it is intermittently leaking. one day it will be bone dry and the next, dripping fuel.
been tryiny to post a pic, but can't seem to figue out how on this site.

 

This PICTURE is looking forward from the rear of the engine. You can not see some of this because the turbo pedistal is in the way but it will give you an idea where the leaks may be coming from.

Notice #4 on both sides where it enters the fuel rails in the heads.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="70%" border=1><TBODY><TR><TH vAlign=bottom>Item </TH><TH vAlign=bottom>Part Number </TH><TH vAlign=bottom>Description </TH><TR vAlign=top><TD>1 </TD><TD>9H334 </TD><TD>Fuel Outlet Hose </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>2 </TD><TD>9350 </TD><TD>Fuel Pump </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>3 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Pump Mounting Bolts
(2 Req'd) (Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>4 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Supply Tube Nuts
(2 Req'd) (Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>5 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Rail Supply Tube
(Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>6 </TD><TD>— </TD><TD>Fuel Tube Banjo Bolt
(Part of 9350) </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD>7 </TD><TD>9H334 </TD><TD>Fuel Inlet Hose </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

the vacuum switch is on the turbo side of the bowl. it looks like a old school oil pressure switch.

 

just checked the vacuum switch again.... bone dry
checked the lines from the banjo bolt going to the heads... dry

as stated earlier, the back of the pump (firewall side) is dry. if that is where the weep hole is, it should be wet. correct? the front side of the pump way down by the single blue hose is wet but the hose istelf is dry. can a leak occure there?

 

It sounds like you fuel pump is the culpret. The weep hole is lower than the blue hose.
The vacuum switch leak won't get better either. Search this site for instructions on replacing the pump. It's a PITA but can be done. Just don't let the tappet fall into the engine. I read a couple posts where the pump actually broke off in the block while attempting to remove it.

 

joat101, if you take a small mirror and angle it under the passenger side front part of you're fuel pump you will see the weep hole(shining a flash light on the mirror), if it is like mine. Also mine would not leak at idle speeds, only when my rpms were up around 2000 did mine start leaking from the weep hole. The way I read you're last post, is describing exactly where the weep hole is. Hope this helps

 

Yep, I've replaced my mechanical fuel pump as this was my first leak about a year and a half ago. Sounds liKe thats your problem now. The sender on the drivers side of fuel filter on my truck was seeping but now its down right leaking. Look at Cuda__ jims' parts interchange for the international part# for the sender. The stealership wants way to much for theirs. 62 vs 16 bucks. Very helpful.

 

thanks guys!

just the info i was looking for. if the weep hole is on the front of the pump, that would explain that part of the pump being "WET". looks llike i'll be doing a changout this weekend.

as long as i got the feul bowl out, i may as well replace the heater as well.

i'll repost after i "get r done". lol

on a side note, i have been reading alot about o-rings leaking and ULSD fuel. only use replacement o-rings made of viton material. standard buna material will either dry up and crack or swell up depending on the chemical attacking it. i have over 18 years experience with hydraulic design. viton is the only way to go. the new fuel itself shouldn't hurt the o-rings, but the additives that get the lubricity up might just do that.

 

Same thing happened to me. Check for the leak when the engine is COLD. I found the vacuum switch leaking in the morning just after startup.

 

sorry about the time delay on the post.......(no search anymore)

new feul pump, feul heater, feul hoses, vacuum switch, banjo gaskets, and intake y pipe gasket......$227.20 from the international dealer. with FREE delivery!

did myself and my back a favor and built a platform for the front of the truck. well worth the time!

had the old pump out in 1-1/2 hours. no problem. took my time and cleaned everything prior to rebuilding.

upgraded to the heavy duty feul bowl heater. no problem. but i used a small saw blade on the end of a dremel tool. cut through the aluminum tab like butter. just take your time if you do it that way.

i took the time to disassemble the pressure regulator housing. at least i think it was the regulator housing. the small screen was plugged. (on a side note, the screen is attached to a plastic housing. if you pull the screen and housing out, there is a small plastic ball behind it. be careful.) also, on the bottom of
the regulator housing, there is a snap ring holding a plug and a "brillo pad" filter inside. looks like a "AA" battery only about half as long. this was a little dirty as well but not bad.

did some other putsy, cleanin on things as long as i had it tore down that far. all in all, took me about 6 hours by myself including building the platform. not too hard at all. just take your time be patient, and pay attention to what you are doing.

also, prior to restart, put feul in the bowl before closing up the lid. my truck hickupped for about 2 seconds and ran like a top thereafter.

once again, thanks for everyones help! made the job way simpler!