I have a '88 E350 van with a 7.3. It has served me well for years but since it seemed reluctant to start in cold weather and I mainly use it for towing my race car I always parked it in the winter. Earlier this year I put in two new batteries and a set of glow plugs and low and behold it starts in the coldest weather. This winter I've had to press it into service to drive to work.It's been doing pretty well but it got down to -12 last night. I got it started this morning but it did not run too well. I let it warn up and about 1/2 way (6 miles) to work it started losing power and would only get up to about 35mph. It would occasionally die and would be hard to restart. I ended up stopping and letting it idle for a while but I decided to park it. I figured the fuel was gelling and put some anti gel additive in it and let it set while I got a ride to work. At noon it started up and ran fine while I ran some errands. In the evening it started up and ran fine. I drove it home and 3/4 of the way there it acted up again even though it was 20 degrees F. Does this sound like a gelling problem? The fuel filter warning light is not on but I guess I could have some water in the tank. Any ideas?

 

Could be more then one issue, it does sound like it may have jelled up this am though.

When was the last time you changed the fuel filter ???
Do you pour out the filter contents to see what comes out ???

How much fuel in the tank ???

Sure do hope them were Motorcraft/Beru Glow Plugs.

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

It had 3/4 tank. It's been a couple of years since I did the filter but I put less than 5000 miles a year on it. I read in another thread that the fuel has to get to 40 degrees before the gelled fuel totally dissolves, maybe that's the problem. I'm going to try and get it into my shop to warm up and I'll change to filter to be sure. I bought Motorcraft glow plugs but as I remember they actually said Bosche on the plugs themselves.

 

If the plugs said Bosch on them get em out ASAP! The tips will break and you'll be pulling the heads off ... tough job in a van.

The filter should be changed yearly regardless, condensation builds up.

Do you typically park it for the winter with full or empty tanks ???

-Enjoy
fh : )_~

 

3/4 of a tank of summer fuel in the dead of winter.
you wont do that twice i bet.

 

I've been using the van quite a bit and filled it up last week so it should be winter blend but now that I think about it I usually just run off the rear tank because the front tanks gauge does not work. When I started having problems I tried switching tanks and I'm not sure where it ended up. I'll keep that in mind. I got the glow plugs at Ford, I get a big discount there and the package said motorcraft. I also replaced the timer and it might have been the part that was labeled Bosche, I know I was a bit surprised. I'll double check.

 

Definitely check ... You do not want Bosch Glow Plugs in your motor.

I suspect they said "Beru" if you got them at Ford.

Pull an easy one and look ASAP!

The reason:


-Enjoy
fh : )_~