DFCM draining...
Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
To each their own of course...FWIW I have a good relationship with my dealer since I bought my first 7.3L (since then another 7.3, 6.4 and now the 6.7L). I asked about the draining once a month, he told me to follow the owners manual and drive the truck and don't worry about it. Any small accumulation seen at filter service was removed by the system as it was designed.
If the WIF comes on, pull over when safe to do so and drain your DFCM. Restart your truck and drive it, if the WIF comes back on a short time later stop your truck and bring it in, you have water in your fuel tank.
Good enough for me. I never had a WIF light come on any of my trucks (roughly 700,000 miles). I'm going to just Drive it!
BTW In 6 months drained the DFCM twice - no water. Mine leaked from the handle also, the first time it ran down into my arm pit before I noticed haaa haa. I don't care, a little diesel never hurt no one
it's a truck!!
If the WIF comes on, pull over when safe to do so and drain your DFCM. Restart your truck and drive it, if the WIF comes back on a short time later stop your truck and bring it in, you have water in your fuel tank.
Good enough for me. I never had a WIF light come on any of my trucks (roughly 700,000 miles). I'm going to just Drive it!
BTW In 6 months drained the DFCM twice - no water. Mine leaked from the handle also, the first time it ran down into my arm pit before I noticed haaa haa. I don't care, a little diesel never hurt no one
it's a truck!!
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 167
Likes: 1
From: Long Island, NY
To each their own of course...FWIW I have a good relationship with my dealer since I bought my first 7.3L (since then another 7.3, 6.4 and now the 6.7L). I asked about the draining once a month, he told me to follow the owners manual and drive the truck and don't worry about it. Any small accumulation seen at filter service was removed by the system as it was designed.
If the WIF comes on, pull over when safe to do so and drain your DFCM. Restart your truck and drive it, if the WIF comes back on a short time later stop your truck and bring it in, you have water in your fuel tank.
Good enough for me. I never had a WIF light come on any of my trucks (roughly 700,000 miles). I'm going to just Drive it!
BTW In 6 months drained the DFCM twice - no water. Mine leaked from the handle also, the first time it ran down into my arm pit before I noticed haaa haa. I don't care, a little diesel never hurt no one it's a truck!!
If the WIF comes on, pull over when safe to do so and drain your DFCM. Restart your truck and drive it, if the WIF comes back on a short time later stop your truck and bring it in, you have water in your fuel tank.
Good enough for me. I never had a WIF light come on any of my trucks (roughly 700,000 miles). I'm going to just Drive it!
BTW In 6 months drained the DFCM twice - no water. Mine leaked from the handle also, the first time it ran down into my arm pit before I noticed haaa haa. I don't care, a little diesel never hurt no one
it's a truck!!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 4
From: Connecticut
Again, all this is new to me. Since owning the truck, I have filled up at Hess along with using the Motorcraft PM-23 each time. This is the only reputable station, in my neck of the woods, that carries diesel IMO and my friend's opinion. However, I suppose it could not hurt to drain the DFCM once a month as an insurance policy. Or at least once to familiarize myself with it. Thanks.
That is good to know. I thought I read it in the manual that you leave it until the light comes on, and then drain it. This is what I was following as I did not know any better. And it also says in tha manual to stay away from shady stations with questionable diesel, which is a no brainer. Thanks for the info.
That is good to know. I thought I read it in the manual that you leave it until the light comes on, and then drain it. This is what I was following as I did not know any better. And it also says in tha manual to stay away from shady stations with questionable diesel, which is a no brainer. Thanks for the info.
Cross-Country
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Good advice. Always safe to move up on intervals never extend past.
To each there own, whatever makes you feel good.
For me, I'll follow my owners manual, get my diesel at quality stations (which is most name brand off any interstate). Drive it hard and put it in the barn wet.
Ford knows what they're doing man.
Just a comment to our community My 2 cents-No response needed - haaaa haaaaa
To each there own, whatever makes you feel good.
For me, I'll follow my owners manual, get my diesel at quality stations (which is most name brand off any interstate). Drive it hard and put it in the barn wet.
Ford knows what they're doing man.
Just a comment to our community My 2 cents-No response needed - haaaa haaaaa
Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,247
From: Western MA
I drained mine once when I first got it. Nada. Thought the whole thing was silly and never did it again. I operate along the same thought process as Phil-turbodiesel. I also think doing it once a month isn't going to help anything. If you do have water it's going to happen from a bad fill up which will trigger sensor anyway. If you are emptying it without the sensor being triggered, you already know there isn't enough there to worry about.
Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,247
From: Western MA
If it was maintenance it would be in the maintenance schedule. And like I said, if the WIF isn't on, there isn't enough there to cause damage so your draining good fuel for nothing. If it is on, it's already too late to avoid the code being stored. I could see if everyone who did this once a month was getting a little out at a time preventing it from building up enough to trigger the WIF, but from the 6 pages I just read, that is simply not the case. But, that's just me. Everyone can do what they feel is right.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,247
From: Western MA
None taken brother. It's just my line of thought on this. 
For most of my life I've been over maintaining things and I've been breaking that habit lately. I think a lot of it is forumitis. Guys like us on forums are OCD about their interests. I'm on a forum for every interest I have. Guns, trucks, SUV's, Cars, Wine, Snowmobiles, ATV's, Computers, Boats, Electronics, Motorcycles, RV's, Plowing, Tractors, etc. With most, a few for each interest. On every one I find people like us obsessed with the minutia of ownership. Then I remember that the members of these forums constitute less than 1% of actual owners out there and most of those not passionate enough to join a forum are surely not passionate enough to tweak and maintain their "toys" 110% like we do and are doing just fine. So, I'm now trying to draw a balance and pick my battles. Easier said than done, but it's my latest self improvement effort...LOL!
For most of my life I've been over maintaining things and I've been breaking that habit lately. I think a lot of it is forumitis. Guys like us on forums are OCD about their interests. I'm on a forum for every interest I have. Guns, trucks, SUV's, Cars, Wine, Snowmobiles, ATV's, Computers, Boats, Electronics, Motorcycles, RV's, Plowing, Tractors, etc. With most, a few for each interest. On every one I find people like us obsessed with the minutia of ownership. Then I remember that the members of these forums constitute less than 1% of actual owners out there and most of those not passionate enough to join a forum are surely not passionate enough to tweak and maintain their "toys" 110% like we do and are doing just fine. So, I'm now trying to draw a balance and pick my battles. Easier said than done, but it's my latest self improvement effort...LOL!
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 5
From: Maryland
I guess I need to read the diesel supplement again because I swear it mentions draining the DFCM monthly. Maybe that is just the severe use maintenance schedule, but I don't remember it saying to wait for the light to come on. If Ford does indeed tell you to wait for the light and then drain it but they use the fact that the code has been triggered to deny warranty work, well then I would think a certain group of affected people (class if you will) could take action against Ford. You can't give people a detailed maintenance schedule with indicators triggered by the computer and then use those triggers to deny warranty.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
I guess I need to read the diesel supplement again because I swear it mentions draining the DFCM monthly. Maybe that is just the severe use maintenance schedule, but I don't remember it saying to wait for the light to come on. If Ford does indeed tell you to wait for the light and then drain it but they use the fact that the code has been triggered to deny warranty work, well then I would think a certain group of affected people (class if you will) could take action against Ford. You can't give people a detailed maintenance schedule with indicators triggered by the computer and then use those triggers to deny warranty.
Prolocutor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 13,618
Likes: 1,247
From: Western MA
I agree, but that's another thing I was thinking about. Whether or not I drain it every month, if I get a bad tankful and pull a WIF code/ brick my motor, Ford won't ask if I drained it once a month. (Or care for that matter...)