Hey everyone, I've been reading this site for years and finally became a member. I am an ASE Master tech and a Toyota master tech, but I have little experience with the 7.3 Powerstroke

I just bought a really nice 96 F350 crew cab from a neighbor. The first time I towed my 33 ft travel trailer I noticed the truck felt sluggish. While pulling the first hill it was sluggish, then she missed real bad above 2200 RPMs (It feels like a modern gas engine hitting the rev limiter) Once I take my foot out of it and ease back in she runs ok. The symptom occurs regardless of which tank I'm drawing from.

The fuel pressure is 55-60 at idle, a little less at light throttle, and drops below 25 under a load, which of course causes the miss.

I cleaned out the tanks, replaced the damaged pickup screens & the fuel filter, & blew out the lines with the tanks selector valve disconnected. This model doesn't have the cartridge filters in the tank. The problem is still there, and I'm convinced I have one of two problems-
1. A restriction in the supply line (A visual inspection of the fuel lines reveals nothing)
2. A bad fuel pump

Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, was it the fuel pump? Can anyone recommend a good brand of pump so I don't have to pay dealer prices?

Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Also, could a clogged FPR screen contribute to this problem?

 

Welcome to fte.

Does your fuel filter look bad? Like maybe small chunks of orings in the bowl?

How many miles on the truck? Try a free rev up to about 3k in neutral. If it stumbles like you are saying it could be injector orings.

If it turns out to be fuel problems, which it could be, most all the stock pumps are the same and made by carter iirc. Just get one at a parts store.

 

Thanks for the reply..

There's nothing in the filter, and the truck revs in neutral without stumbling.

The truck has 162,000 miles

 

Is your truck stock?

 

Stock except for an exhaust brake...

Makes me wonder; if a previous owner added a tuner, how would I determine that?

 

I had issue with pressure like you are having. I had a new pump in mine. I had my regulator shimmed to 70 @idle. I mainly noticed the issue after I put the chip in.I never pulled the chip though to confirm that it was the root of my problem. I did e-fuel on mine and it made a world of difference. In my opinion that would be my suggestion to you for what it is worth

 

Fordman67, I appreciate your input. I can't afford e-fuel setup right now. The more I think about this the more convinced I am that it's a fuel volume issue caused by the pump. I'm gonna pull the pump and fuel bowl, clean and reseal the bowl, replace the pump, and see what the results are. I'll post along the way.

 

Also, my research seems to indicate that most, if not all, aftermarket pumps are manufactured by Airtex and sold under various names.

 

BTW, the "exhaust brake" is likely just the stock warm up valve thing on the turbo outlet.

Richard

 

Richard
Thanks for your reply. The truck has a US Gear D'Celerator exhaust brake system that works very well, but is in no way contributing to the problem
Randy

 

If you are careful and build a system you can do efuel fairly cheap. Kits make the price go up but from a completeness and time factor make for less frustration.I would build my own kit again either way. I hope your pump is failing and it gets you on the road.

 

I had the same trouble. After 3 months of trying everything it was the filter screen in the tank. Broke apart and pieces of the plastic were in the metal pick up tube. Take the fuel line and return line off at the frame and blow air in the return line into the tank. If no fuel is coming out of the line to the fuel pump the line is plugged in the tank. Blow air backward (into the line to pump) then back through return line. If fuel is now flowing out of the supply line the filter screen in tank needs to be replaced, and clean all the trash out of the fuel tank.

 

Seperic, thanks for the reply. The first thing I did was to drop the tanks and replace the broken pickup screens. I blew out the lines from the switching valve to both tanks, and I carefully (Lower PSI) blew through the switching valve. I also changed the fuel filter.
I just received a new fuel pump, fuel bowl heater, and fuel bowl reseal kit from RiffRaff diesel. Hoping to do this job in the next week or so and then repost.

 

I have to also add that I just replaced my hpop with a t500.I have to say my truck runs so much better upstairs and it builds boost in a more linear manner in relationship to throttle.
If you have any way to see those values while driving I would suggest while under a load watch for the hpop not keeping up.

 

Fordman 67, thanks. I'll start with the pump and fuel bowl reseal and pray that takes care of it. Is there an inexpensive way to see those values? I have no scan tool