So I’m new here, Bear with me lol. I just bought this truck two days ago, has the 7.3 and yesterday it was driving just fine or what seemed to be fine. Left a stop and it started stuttering and felt like a misfire, no power. It started to clear up but came back. Tried getting it down the road but no acceleration at all so I stopped it. As soon as I stoped it died right away. Made me think it was out of fuel so I put more in it. It will crank and fire on either but it will not run on it’s own power. Looked into the fuel bowl and it had fuel in it. Unplug the icp sensor. I have a tachometer so I know the cps is fine. When I looked at the oil level it was dark so I couldn’t really see. Just wondering if any one can shot me in the right direction. Completely new to diesels

 

First off no ether. EVER
The glow plugs can light it off way before top dead center, it burns hotter than our aluminum pistons can safely handle, just a bad idea all around.

Since you already tried with icp unplugged, try unplugging the fuel bowl heater and replacing fuse #30 under the dash. Check to make sure the ipr tinman nut is tight.

You said you put more fuel in it, what's the gauge read? 1/4 or above?

 

Yeah so I’ve read about the ether. No more. I’m think it may need a new fuel filter. The gauge read 1/4 of a tank or just under when it started messing up

 

First suspect would be the in tank fuel pick up. Research Hutch Mod. pull the hose off the rear of the fuel pump, which is under the driver's seat and blow air back into the fuel tank to knock any debris off of the fuel pick up. You don't need a lot of air and remove the fuel cap first. There's a white, plastic horseshoe retaining clip that holds the line on, then it just pulls off. Those clips tend to break so get new one(s) before operating. There are two sizes and you want the white ones, not the black ones for this spot. Put more fuel in and try again.

 

As Walleye mentioned above, this is likely your problem. If you do push compressed air into the tank in an attempt to clear the line, be sure to remove the fill cap first.

Also, here is a link to my hutch/harpoon mod adventure. Years later this is still one of my favorite mods completed.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ne-almost.html

 

Well got home and pulled that line off the fuel pump and blew compressed air into it and still no fire. When I first got home I tried starting it, no start. I do have white smoke though. Gonna look at the bowl heater and unplug it. 30 amp fuse under dash isn’t blown

 

Have you added more fuel? Did fuel come out that hose while it was off?

 

I added about 10 gallons last night. Gauge now reads about 1/2. When I pulled the line off very little came out. I was reading up on the gpr and crossing the two tall posts with a screwdriver, pulled the small ones off. It seems like it is firing a bit more now. I don’t know if the fuel bowl should fill up by itself with the key on but I filled it with fresh diesel. Still blowing white smoke. When I put air into the line I heard a bunch of bubbling in the fuel tank. “THE ONLY WAY IT SOMEWHAT FIRES NOW IS WHEN POSTS ON GPR ARE CROSSED”

 

There is a block heater. The element sits in the housing next to the filter and the cord for it should run up the frame and plug should be somewhere around the front end, driver's side. Try plugging it in for a few hours and see if that helps. BTW, the 7.3 does not like to be run out of fuel so if the pickup is broken off in the fuel tank and it was run out it can take a while to get it to start again.

 

@Walleye Hunter is not even kidding about what he says in regards to it taking a while to get it re-started. I JUST went through this myself, among other things. After multiple attempts to get my Ole Blue restarted on it's own and constantly just draining the batteries, I finally used a friends truck to help me. Remember to turn the key and let it sit for about 20 seconds 6 or 7 times too! That apparently helps flush the air some out of the lines. Best of luck to you. These folks on this forum really have a lot of great info if a feller is willing to sit back and read a bit. I know it sure has been a big help to me.

 

Going to take a look at it tonight after work. Try cranking it over. I left it on a 6 amp charge over night so I’ll see what that helps. I appreciate all of you guys help. I’ll let you know what I can figure out. It seems like it should be so simple

 

Still no luck. Is there anywhere I can look for fuel getting up to the motor. Still seems like it’ll fire once every few seconds and blowing white smoke

 

There is a drain on the back of the fuel bowl, it's a plastic, yellow lever that you spin to the right to open. The drain is a steel tube that runs down the front of the block on the passenger's side if it's still intact. You can open that, put a drain pan under the truck to catch the fuel and turn the key on, it should pump fuel out.

 

If it was the fuel pickup that fell off, mine would have sit there and have seizures for about 30 minutes before it would smooth out and run right again. It would run after fuel was added but could not pull itself.

 

I’ll try it but I don’t think it will considering I drained the bowl completely and tried turning the key with the lid on and it didn’t fill a drop. Had to fill it manually. I’m gonna pull the line off the front of the pump and see if it’s even pumping