I have a Ford F-650 with International diesel engine and automatic transmission. Approx 80,000 miles on it.

This truck has a severe problem that it has very little engine power.

For example, if I tow an empty trailer behind it (about 4,000 lbs), it has hard times accelerating and going, say, 50 MPH on a mild incline on a highway.

On the way back I was towing the same trailer with two 9,000 lbs forklifts, and it could barely climb hills at all, I would accelerate as much as possible downhill and it would lose almost all speed uphill. (very mild inclines near Chicago).

However I look at it, the engine does not produce nearly enough power.

We did change the air filter and a fuel filter on top of the engine. However, this did not help.

Any suggestions on how I can troubleshoot this issue further or perhaps I missed some other fuel filter or some such.

I would especially appreciate a procedure to find out if lack of power is caused by starving of fuel or other problems.

Thanks

 

Does your truck have the International T-444E? DT-466? Which engine?

Pop

 

I am a little embarrassed to say, but I could not figure that out by looking at any of the engine tags, it only had some meaningless to me numbers. I can reproduce the tag if that helps.

 

What year is the truck? It's a V8, right?

Edit: never mind the year, I see it's in the title . . .

 

This is a Year 2000 Ford F-650. 7.3L V8 Diesel engine.

 

Look for soot around the uppipes at the back of the engine. Exhaust leaks will kill the power especially at the weight you were running.
The 7.3 in medium duty trucks is not a high powered engine. I think it was around 175-190 Hp at the flywheel. On a fresh reman we had problems maintaining 70 Mph on a tow truck that weighed 12k empty.

 

Thank you. I will check tomorrow for exhaust leaks, and I will also check the fuel treatment module that is inside the frame under the driver's seat. I will report my findings.

 

We call that the fuel pump.

Pop

 

There is an ICP sensor that can leak oil into the connector about this time. Pull the connector off and drive the truck around a bit - see if that makes the truck behave any differently.

 

I think he is talking about fuel filters. Fuel pump would be in the engine V on a 650 with the 444e configuration.

 

Right. There is a fuel filter on top of the engine, that I replaced.

But there is a big fuel treatment unit under the driver's seat inside the frame, which I looked it but never realized that there is one more filter in there. I will try to check it today.

 

I have seen a rock screen on some . A small canister mounted beside the filter on top . Not sure if yours has it , but it is only about 4 inches long and 2 inches round . It has a screen inside like the pickups use in the tank pickup . Just a Thought !

 

That should be the primary fuel filter/water separator. Should be a spin on.

 

I took a look at the truck today. The engine is 444C.

 

It should be a 444e basically a de rated Powerstroke.