7.3 Fuel Problem?
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New User
Joined: Oct 2005
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7.3 Fuel Problem?
Hey guys I'm brand new to the forum so excuse any mistakes I make in posting.
I have a '90 model F-350 4WD crew cab, auto with 160K miles. Everything is stock except for a K&N air filter. I have been experiencing a problem which I
haven't been able to solve. The truck will die in gear when under a load or during acceleration. It is a off and on problem with no apparent pattern. It runs fine one day and dies the next. When it quits it is a beast to get started again. I have replaced the lift pump and fuel filter and checked the fuel lines and injector lines for leaks. None of this has helped at all. One more bit of info, when the motor dies it acts like it is slowly running out of fuel. Any ideas? Injector pump?
I have a '90 model F-350 4WD crew cab, auto with 160K miles. Everything is stock except for a K&N air filter. I have been experiencing a problem which I
haven't been able to solve. The truck will die in gear when under a load or during acceleration. It is a off and on problem with no apparent pattern. It runs fine one day and dies the next. When it quits it is a beast to get started again. I have replaced the lift pump and fuel filter and checked the fuel lines and injector lines for leaks. None of this has helped at all. One more bit of info, when the motor dies it acts like it is slowly running out of fuel. Any ideas? Injector pump?
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
What is the fuel level in the tank when it dies?
A common problem is the fuel pickup tube will crack or break off in the tank.
It usually happens at 1/2 tank or slightly less.
It will run just fine if the fuel is over 1/2 tank.
Also does it do it on both tanks?
A common problem is the fuel pickup tube will crack or break off in the tank.
It usually happens at 1/2 tank or slightly less.
It will run just fine if the fuel is over 1/2 tank.
Also does it do it on both tanks?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Northeastern Pa - USA
Check the fuel pickup tubes in the tanks as Dave stated above. Also had some smart asssss put a wrapper from a fuel filter into the fuel tank. the suction would sometimes draw the wrapper against the pickup tube and shut the fuel flow off and after the truck sat a while, the wrapper would release itself from the pickup tube and the engine would again run til the next episode drawing the wrapper against the pickup tube. Made me nuttier than a fruit cake because I couldnt see the wrapper inside the tank while it was floating in the fuel.
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New User
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The fuel level is just over 1/4 in both tanks. Drove the truck yesterday with no problems. I will run the remaining fuel out and pull the tanks to check for a bad pickup tube or trash even though it shuts down while running on both tanks. Thanks for the replies!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Northeastern Pa - USA
might also want to check the selector valve to make sure it is working all the time. Found one truck with poor (main) ground up behind the radio made the selector valve act up. Just a thought. good luck.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: memphis
check the pick-up return line setup inside the tank.
you have to open the housing with a flat head screw driver.
It has two filters "inside" the white housing.
mine where clogged with something that looked like grey mud.
i did the pick-up mod and adding a inline filter tomorrow.
you have to open the housing with a flat head screw driver.
It has two filters "inside" the white housing.
mine where clogged with something that looked like grey mud.
i did the pick-up mod and adding a inline filter tomorrow.
New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21
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Check your batteries.My 92 F-250 7.3 is doing the same thing and tested every part of the fuel system.There is a fuel shut off solenoid that acts up if it`s not getting proper juice from the batteries.From what I was told 1 dead cell in 1 battery can make a difference.
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New User
Joined: Nov 2005
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hey jsut wondering i also have a 90 regular cap f350 1 ton it dies on one of the tanks whe it has a quarter tank left i thiink its water or about the pickup tube,
Ineed hgelp with another topic can you tell me what theorange switch to the right of the wheel is? is it for the glow plugs? withc way is on and off(up or down) and how do i use it
Ineed hgelp with another topic can you tell me what theorange switch to the right of the wheel is? is it for the glow plugs? withc way is on and off(up or down) and how do i use it
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,897
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From: Northeastern Pa - USA
if you have water in that tank, it certainly will show up in the filter. dont have an "orange" switch on our trucks. sounds like it is after market something. you will have to follow the wire to the destination and then work the switch and see which is off and on.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 716
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From: memphis
don't know if you have a electic pump if so there is a screen inside that may be clogged. You can use compressed air to blow thru from the tank (input) side to the filter. For peace of mind you may want to open the filter drain before you blow thru the pump.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
Likes: 15
From: Nutter Fort, WV
I have two orange switches in that location.
One turns the strobe lights on, the other one makes the bed go up.
The blue one between the orange ones lets the bed back down.
Dome light is not affected though.
Da1ton, your problem sounds like the pickup tube in the fuel tank. Does the fuel gauge work OK? Usually they both go about the same time.
Makeityours, One dead cell in a battery can make a huge difference, but it will usually show up when trying to start the engine. Also the one dead cell can burn the alternator up. This is also why you must electrically seperate the batteries when you are getting them load tested. The good battery will hide the bad one if you test them with the battery cables connected. More than one person in here has had their batteries tested with the cables hooked up and had good test results. When it was redone with the cables unhooked both batteries were bad. The average person at the auto parts store will tell you it don't make any difference if the battery cables are hooked up, but they are not used to dual battery setups with close to 2000 amps of starting current. They were trained on a single battery Honda that needed 300 amps to start.
One turns the strobe lights on, the other one makes the bed go up.
The blue one between the orange ones lets the bed back down.
Dome light is not affected though.
Da1ton, your problem sounds like the pickup tube in the fuel tank. Does the fuel gauge work OK? Usually they both go about the same time.
Makeityours, One dead cell in a battery can make a huge difference, but it will usually show up when trying to start the engine. Also the one dead cell can burn the alternator up. This is also why you must electrically seperate the batteries when you are getting them load tested. The good battery will hide the bad one if you test them with the battery cables connected. More than one person in here has had their batteries tested with the cables hooked up and had good test results. When it was redone with the cables unhooked both batteries were bad. The average person at the auto parts store will tell you it don't make any difference if the battery cables are hooked up, but they are not used to dual battery setups with close to 2000 amps of starting current. They were trained on a single battery Honda that needed 300 amps to start.