Bought a 2001 F350 7.3 site unseen (Yes - I know how stupid I am) and picked it up today. Looked good, test drove well, but ...

about 50 miles into my trip home, I started hearing some fast ticks (like an ignition on a gas countertop stove that isn't catching gas to ignite a flame) for about 30 seconds. In case it matters, the sound went away when I let off the gas pedal. Shortly thereafter, the truck lost power as if I was running on four cylinders, then three, then two, then just RPM but no power. There were no guage lights illuminated. Unless the temperature gauge is broken, I also wasn't overheating. After about 20 minutes on the side of the road with the engine off, I restarted the truck and drove it (with limited but adequate power) to the local Ford dealership that advised that the source of the power loss was a clogged fuel system (it gave code P1211) due to dirt in the fuel tank, fuel system, fuel filter, and fuel pump. As an aside, the dealer wants $4,000 to replace them all and claims that it would solve the problem.

Although I have ALMOST NO experience working on vehicles, I am concerned that replacing the tank, fuel sender, fuel pump and fuel filter isn't the solution. It seems that if a fuel system is clogged, while I wouldn't get power to the engine, I also wouldn't get high RPMs (which I do when I press the gas pedal).

I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

 

The fuel system is pretty easy to modify yourself, and is a recommended modification to prevent further issue with the screens clogging in the tank. It is referred to as the "hutch" mod. Here is the write up.

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

Getting RPM's at idle is normal if the system is restricted slightly, you don't have the demand that you would with the engine under a load. Technically the 1211 is ICP(injector control pressure) too high or too low. It can be caused by a restricted fuel system even though the code suggests the high pressure oil system is the issue. If you stick around the collective brotherhood can get you worked out, and at a far less price than the stealership.

 

my 96 Ford runs on reclaimed home heating oil ..and the filters will clog after 6 months or so ..I have changed out filters when ..running down the highway it will fade out just like you are saying..after 3 years ..I looked in the bottom of the filter bowl ..and found it nearly half full of sludge ..cleaned it out and the truck runs fine ..check your filter and run some seafoam through ..it will help clean it out ..and yah 4 grand ..he is a thief ...I use dirty fuel ..it has fine particulates in it ..your not likely to have that .. just a dirty filter ,,it's called maintenance..you don't know what the other guy has done..but you could ask ..a filter is 30 bucks .. and that 's a hell of a saving..

 

Thank you kenjh and BigAlsPSD for the reply.

I am still not clear if the engine will have high RPMs when I step on the gas pedal even though I have no power to the engine due to low fuel pressure resulting from a clogged fuel system?

If yes, then cleaning out the system (through repair or replacement) plus making the modifications referenced by BigAlsPSD seems like it should solve the problem. If not, then something else is wrong.

 

it could be a number of things, you really need to find someone with an AE scanner tool, or buy one. what city/county are you in, someone could reccomend someone

Heres a thread i started a couple months ago, i thought my problems were fuel related too, they weren't. I listed codes and theres a video i found of what my truck was doing.

It ended up being my under valve cover harness and a couple wires from the main harness, rubbed through on top of the valve cover. Did a couple more maintenance related updates while i was at it, it runs like a champ still

i was new to deisels too, its easy to misdiagnose these engines.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...fuel-pump.html

let us know how it goes

 

I would start with changing the fuel filter and the engine oil and filter. Make sure you use 15-40 diesel oil. It will cost less than $100. It's a new to you truck so I would do this no matter what. Mabe you will get lucky and it will solve the problem mabe not. Next do the hutch/harpoon mod as others said. Depending if you get a kit or make your own the hutch mod can be done for under $100. Way cheaper than 4k. It's all more or less routine maintenance that most anyone can do.

 

You don't need much fuel to reach high RPMs when there is no load, such as revving it in neutral.