Over the last 6 months - my fuel mileage has gone from 18 down to 14. And the truck feels like i have to keep on the gas to keep the truck moving - it no longer kinda glides along -

I told ford fuel filter has never been changed - 40k miles - they did some checking and said thats probably what was causing it ...

Is this probable?

Thanks

2002 PSD F350 7.3

 

Very probable. Dirty fuel filter makes the truck extremely inefficient. Need to change that filter at every oil change in my opinion. I do mine at 5-7500 miles (running synthetic oil), but you can do it every other oil change and probably not worry. Good luck.

Max

 

Thanks Max -

Well it SEEMED to be running smoother. Here is the scoop. Dropped off my Truck thursday night at a Ford Dearlership. They worked on it Friday. Changed the oil / Filter / rotated the tires, changed the Fuel Filter - then replaced the driver side door lock - actuator ( it wouldnt lock or unlock pressing the button ) and they said one of the rear locks were the same way that I hadnt somehow noticed. So they replaced those - (had to pay for since the truck as 40K miles on it. They ran their diagnostics on it to see if anything was wrong causing the poor fuel economy -

Grand total was like $740. ($129 for the fuel filter) -

Picked it up Saturday am and the batteries were dead. Seems that someone left the ignition turned on or something - I was pretty hot!. Drove it home, batteries recharged on the way home - parked it saturday. Monday go out to go to work and i see a puddle of oil about 12 in in diameter. Looks like the oil is coming from the drain plug. Drive to work - after work a small puddle. Get home wipe it off - about 30 mins later oil was showing on the plug again. Call Ford and raise hell - they say to bring in we will look at it right away. Get the kids in the truck and head to the dealership 95% hot and humid - kids screaming - doing 45 mph about 7 mins from the house and boom - motor cuts off. Pull over and it wont start. 2mins later it starts - then 2mins later boom the engine dies again. Call Ford up - they send a tow truck to pick it up - bummer!

never had any problems like this with it before - wonder if they screwed up the fuel filter or put too much oil in it - i dunno but it sucks!

will see what happens

 

$129 for the fuel filter??? I get my fuel filters for a little over 20 bucks from a diesel injection service a few miles from me. I hate it when you take something to the stealership and it never seems to be right afterwards. I hope you get your truck running like it used to...and I hope that you have to pay no more money to the dealer. As for the truck dying and firing after a couple of minutes, it could be that you need a new CPS. Don't get it from the dealer. They are much cheaper elsewhere and a fairly easy do it yourself change out.

 

Go to fleetfilters.com, you can get 6 filter for what the rat's nailed you for. Sometimes your just stuck with no options. I took my 2001 in for the 30,000 mile service and the fuel filter was $67. Live and learn

 

well it is my belief that if the 7.3's are run 2-3 quarts low on oil the injectors will not open properly.

my MAC tool guy has a IH truck, w/ 7.3L in it and he says that he looses alot of power when only 2 quarts down. fills it up and problem goes away after a few miles.
so maybe it was leaking that much.... you should have at least pulled the dipstick before driving to stealership.

and the aftermarket filters cost around $50,, or $75 w/ the cap set up.

 

Damn, that's sad; another overpriced dealership with extremely poor quality control. I gotta agree with 18vtx00, sounds like it just ran low on oil. It is possible that the CPS is going bad, but under the circumstances I'd lean toward low oil level in the HPOP. I hope they get it fixed. Let us know how it turns out.

Max

 

Please keep us posted as to what the problem was..
It helps us all.
Thanks

 

Just got off the phone with the stealership ( funny never would have thought of that from Ford ... from harley yes .. ) - They said only codes they extracted off my truck is a low voltage code. Asked if I have ever done something to batteries - refreshed his memory saying the batteries were fine until you all left my truck turned on over night or whatever you did to drain my batteries.

Oh yeah - I did check the oil level before going to work and the dealership yesterday - it was fine - if anything a little high.

Told them to check it again call me tomarrow - that the truck has never ever just died. Of course they couldnt get it to die. But it happened so quick - it amost seems like when the truck died ( i mean it didnt putter or anything - just flat cut off ) - seems like the speedo went to zero while i was moving as did the tach of course - think the radio cut off - was going up hill in traffic and had my one chance to pull over on a two lane -

Thanks again - will let ya know what happens

 

With my 2000 7.3, I knew the fuel filter was dirty when my mileage dropped. It would watch my mpg on every tank, when the mpg dropped, it was time. Seemed about every 15k miles it would clog up - air filter too.

For all the bitching I hear about the cost of the 6.0 filters, I don't have to change them as often as my old 7.3...

 

Here is my update for tonight -
Really getting super disapointed with the dealership now - as if i wasnt already. Service Advisor says - (i told him before hand i checked the drain plug for tightness without torquing down) - so he says ya the plug was a little loose so tightened it up which took care of the leak. Only thing we can find is your batteries are a little low on voltage. truck just needs to be ran. (told him i drove it for about 2 1/2 hours total over a days period) - but we cant fix anything if nothing is coming up as broke - all dianostics say all is good, cept the batteries are a little low on voltage will charge up. told him i find that hard to swallow - but the truck better not leave me stranded again - i want documentation ect on this whole deal - next time im not gonna be this nice-

Anyhow - go tonight to pick it up - finally get my truck. Look under the engine there is a nice oil drop sitting on the drain plug. Mind you i just had the oil changed there on Saturday. the tech writes - drain plug gasket needs to be replaced on NEXT oil change. Pulled a guy aside that looks like he ran something there -everyone is gone- told him this is ridiculous - not going to have oil dropping on my drive way for the next few months - exspecially when i just had it changed basically yesterday. told him to keep it - fix it right then call me up - and i wasnt pleased with the nothing found wrong answer -

owell - think its about time to write Ford motor company a letter -

 

Good luck writting a letter ! They get filed ! In the waste basket, they really don't care or that has been my experience, I'm sure there are some good ones.

I'd bet you'd better call them in the morning because the guy you told is probably not going to do anything. Just guessing..

Keep us posted and sorry about the mess.

 

Seems I always have the same problem when I have someone else change my oil. I think they over tighten the plug causing the copper gasket to distort. The dealer I buy my parts from say they found it cheaper to just replace the gasket every time and eat the buck they pay for them. As opposed to a come back and a new plug and gasket.
Fond it is just easier to do the work myself unless you get out of position on a long trip.
As for fuel filters I change about every 20000 and I do notice the mileage does start dropping. Found that at Fleet Filters they are only $16.76 and at Napa they are $39. Placed a $200 order with FF the other day and should get stuff tomorrow. Per UPS.
Also ordered the 6637 air filter (46637 their number). They were $18.70 and NAPA was $44 plus tax.
Will let you know how that turns out also.
Good luck with Ford...... I don't see how you could have low voltage unless they killed a cell or 2 when they killed your batteries. They aren't made to go all the way flat.
How old are they anyway? Figure about 4 years on stock batteries if you don't fasten em.

 

Yep, I ordered about $150.00 worth from them as well..

I don't know about shipping date but I odered it last wed.. Also getting the Kwik air filter. oil filters ewtc.. I'm aalso going to do the coolant filter with Rotella ELC..

 

they should have taken the extra 3 minute to walk over to the parts counter and get a new $1.50 washer for you.
also if your truck is driven daily or even weekly the batteries would not have a low charge. so either they are bad or the alternator is on the way out.
these trucks need a good set of fully charged batteris or they will not start. will definetly not crank fast enough in the winter either.
FIND ANOTHER STEALERSHIP!!