We just got our 07 F350 a few weeks ago. Yesterday (after a night dipping into the teens) I could not get it to turn over. Tried a few times with just the battery charger connected and would not work. Finally got it to start with the the aid of another vehicle. I went through this same drill a few times on our 02 Es with the 7.3, so I knew the batteries were on their way out.

Took it to have the batteries tested and one was weak, so I had them both replaced with 850CCA batteries.

Shortly after the battery swap, I got the Water in Fuel Message. I drained the seperator, and nothing but diesel came out. Was not too messy of a job thanks to the advice of others on here...

Now after starting and going for a few miles the warning comes on again. I hit the reset button for the Message Center and it goes away and does not come on again for the remainder of the time driving. Then once it is restarted, I go through the same drill.

Is it possible that when the batteries were weak and could not turn over the vehicle a sensor in the computer tripped and the code is hung up now?

Thanks for any help, Jeff

 

WIF sensor probably is corroded.

 

How easy or hard is it to replace? Can a Electronic cleaner work on it to clean up a little?

 

There could be a couple of things going on:

1) You have a bad tank of fuel and until you use it all up and refill with fresh and clean diesel from a high-volume station, I think you will continue to have water & moisture in the fuel and the light coming on? I would also make sure that your fuel filters are Racor/OEM made filters to ensure that all water does not get buy the filter and ruin your injectors. Only use fuel additives that do NOT use alcohol... alcohol will allow water to pass through filter... which is not good... you want it to seperate out, so it can be drained out. It does not take a lot of water to make the WIF light come on... so even though you drain it into a container, I suspect there may have been water?

or

2) WIF light sensor is malfunctioning or corroded in some way and giving a bad signal to the computer. Not sure you can change it yourself as it maybe a dealer only fix (but not sure).

 

It is fairly easy to change out the cover plate (or maybe even pull it off and clean it). You will need to disconnect fuel lines to pull it IIRC, but not a bad job.

 

View Single Post bismic posted the information you need in another thread.

 

I had the same issue. Bismic nailed it. I took the cover off and had fuel gel gunked up in there. Cleaned it and re-aasembled. Worked great. Was told by a friend to accomplish this evry 20,000 miles or so.

 

Wow... every 20,000 miles, that sounds excessive??

Never heard of any service interval for "cleaning" as this is not a normal problem all these years... but I guess it does and will happen.

Gelled fuel will slowly re-liquidfy with additives and warm temps (this is why bringing a gelled up truck into a warm garage is key) and changing out the filters is key.

I would try some double-treatment of Powerservice Anti-Gel additive (pour in whole 32oz bottle if you have too) and hope that it will clean and lubricate... and hopefully a clean fuel filter will make it all go away... but unless you can rule out the fuel still in your tank... you may spend time and money for no benefit.

I would burn through or dump the fuel you have and get some fresh/high-volume fuel and a new filter and see what happens (good first step)... then you try the other more intensive repairs.

Good luck... just my .05 worth (worth more than .02 due to inflation).

 

Dive, what exactly was happening with yours?

Mine will come on roughly 3 to 5 minutes after it starts running every time. I will tap the reset (not a long hold to reset everything) on the dashboard information center. I can drive for another 30 minutes (max I had to go since this started) and not once did the sensor ever go off again.

I stopped into a local Diesel shop down the road to describe it to them. The mechanic said it sounds like it needs replaced. Since I am still under the 5 year / 100K warranty and also a new 4 year 48 month Extra Care ESP I am inclined to take it to the dealer to have them check it out (hopefully if it needs replaced one of the warranties will cover it). It is literally freezing out there, and I would rather not mess with it when I am that cold.

When I did drain it yesterday, all that came out was clean diesel in a nice fluid stream. I remember the one time I had to do this in our 7.3 Ex, I could definately see the water in the catch bucket. This time, I could not see any water.

 

Some folks have had good luck spraying carb cleaner (IIRC) through the water drain plug opening as a routine maintenance task.

I don't have the energy to take the cover plate off every year!

 

I did actually go by Advance Auto before the Diesel Mechanic (Advanced Auto pointed me to them) and got the white bottle of Powerservice. That was an initial thought I had to try too. Should I add it to my tank now and top off (I am about 2/3 right now) or burn through what I have and start from scratch. I am leaning towards the additive now and topping off to get it working.

As for the Fuel Filter change, I am not set up too well currently to do that myself. I would have to do it in my driveway, and it is too cold for me to teach myself how to do it right now. I would pay someone now to do it. So the local Ford Dealer may see me to actually see if what the mechanic in the other post I just posted said is true. If so and the sensor or whole unit needs replaced, one of the two warranties should cover it. Worse case scenario, it is just gunked up, and they can clean it for me. This time of the year, paying them is worth it to me...

 

yes my truck water in fuel light would come on and i would reset and drain clean diesel fuel as well. So eventually i gathered it was either the sensor or housing issue. I pulled the cover off and it was gelled up bad man. cleaned the gunk out and made like new clean. Inspected the sensor and re-installed. Change your fuel filters for sure. It is quite easy i promise. little messy the first time but easy none the less. Check out the tech folder for the instructions. the 20,000 mile interval was just a recommendation. But just as the egr vlv clean every 10,000, fuel filters every 10,000, and oil every 5,000, radiator flush at 50,000 is overly cautious.... its how i roll

 

I agree, it does not look too difficult, but time and weather are not on my side right now. The fuel filters are most likely due anyway. I will take it in to the shop this time to let them do it. I will not mind messing with it later though when I do have more time and better weather...

 

good luck.

 

p.s. Post back your findings so I can learn.