Just posting this so all are aware. That's what we do here.

I changed the fuel filter 220 miles ago.

Had an irregular heartbeat at idle, so I did some troubleshooting and removed the fuel filter (new) for this. Thinking that everything panned out on the fuel bowl side, I reinstalled the filter as it was clean and new.

2 days later, 1/4 mile to work, 1 stoplight..........I'm at the red light, I accelerate upon green to 55 mph and glance in the rear view and can't see anything but black smoke, not exhaust. (foot wasn't in it).

My shop is 400 feet down the road so I keyed it off immediately and rolled into the parking lot.

The smoke caught way up to me and was under the hood.

Ran into the office and grabbed a PKP extinguisher and slowly popped the hood. The smoke cleared as I was pulling the pin and I was just wiping my eyes looking for flames.

It was out.

To my astonishment, nothing was burned, including wiring, but there was an obvious smell and a trace on the firewall.

I babysat for 10 minutes or so and went to work and let it set. (PKP on the hood)

After work I went out and thought what the hell happened and couldn't find any trace of fuel??!!

Pulled the stroker cover off the fuel bowl and had a teammate key on for a few seconds. The diesel sprayed directly on the turbo from a split gasket on the filter housing. When I say spray, it was like a yorkie pissing.

I can't say why the fire wasn't worse, but I will say that from this point forward, my seals will only be spun on one time.
Positive side, my valley is spotless after the blow.

Installed a NEW filter and the world is good.

I don't **** my pants very easily but I will tell you, I might need therapy for a vise-gripped starfish after this gig.

BTW I did check for leaks after the reinstall, But it did change under load.

Lucky truck/man.

Denny

 

Glad it wasn't worst and that your OK, a vehicle fire spreads very quickly.

 

The fun fires occur after a "Stinky Spike" creates a vent in a high pressure oil hose and sprays 4000 PSI oil on the turbine housing after the 3rd or 4th dyno run that pegs a 1600 degree pyrometer.

 

My starfish isn't relaxed yet. Thanx for that Cleatus!

:')

 

glad your ok and didn't get hurt, vehicle fires are usually a bad thing, and in the FD half the time we rolled on the call for a vehicle fire we just automatically said that the tones dropping was our indication that the good ol' insurance company was in the process of writing it off....hope the truck is still driveable!

 

Honestly fellas, everything is really good!!! Scary to say the least, but as much fuel was sprayed I can't think for a minute why it didn't go up.

I've fought my share of boat and ship fires and this is startling. Not even a burned wire.

I'm driving it as if nothing happened. I'm astonished.

Thanx for the well wishes. I'll never reseal with a used seal.


Thank you all!


Denny (if it did go into the 7.3 heaven I would see you in the 6.4 forum..............lol)

 

That's a lucky escape!

Really glad it wasn't WAY worse

I'm replacing the HPOP lines this week to avoid the oil version of that issue.

I'll bet you were shopping for some heavy duty seat scrubber after that ride

 

Yep, I had a fire as well in my engine compartment in 2010.
Here is a link to the thread w/pictures and notes,
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...gine-fire.html

As I recall, this was due to a short in the fuel bowl relating to the heating element, wires got hot and melted a channel through the pressurized bowl that fuel began spraying through.
I had done no mods to the vehicle prior to this occurring.