96 F250 4wd, 215 hp Powerstroke, auto., 275k miles

I've been searching the site for the last couple of days trying to diagnose this problem, and have learned quite a bit, but haven't really been able to act on this info because the geniuses who service my truck overtightened the fuel filter cover. And the first thing I wanted to check was debris in the fuel, and clean my regulator (from inside the housing), but the lid won't budge.

I have now broken it, it now leaks, but still can't get it off. A side issue is the Navistar dealer couldn't make sense of my engine # (off the Navistar decal on the PS valve cover), so which/where is the number that works for their system? Anyway they couldn't find the part on their fiche, I have ordered one from Ford...


...on to my "won't start" question:




Probably the last 4 times I started it I noticed it was taking a few extra turns, normally it fires the instant you turn the key. Batteries and starter are spinning the motor good, no other symptoms/problems or recent work done to the truck.


Fifth time I go to start it and nothing. Motor spinning good, fuel in both tanks, switch toggled to each. No smoke. Nothing. I'm unsure about the Tachometer bounce, it does move but just barely, and was thinking perhaps my CPS went out.

When you bump it over there is fuel pressure at the reg. but I didn't measure it (not enough space for my gauge to fit on the schraeder).

Then I broke the fuel filter cover. I went to crank it to see if it would leak, and it fired right up.

Turned it right off as fuel sprayed everywhere (so it is making good pressure, although not sure exactly how much). Waiting for the replacement cover and trying to get the broken one off there w/out doing more damage.




Any thoughts? Should I go ahead and buy another (replaced mine 14 months ago) Navistar CPS? Think it is the FPR (so many dang TLAs here) got dirty enough to do this? It is currently about 70ºF so I don't think it is GPs (indicator light is functioning as normal) or fuel warmer. Since it is intermittent, based on that single restart anyway, it can't be a blown fuse...


Any help or opinions offered relating to any of my various problems noted above appreciated. This is a great forum w/ tons of knowledgeable users so I'm sure your input will be informative and helpful.

Thanks.

 

Edited this because I made reference to a newer-style fuel filter in that which I originally posted. Sorry.

Pop

 

Didn't see before the edit, I read elsewhere about a filter w/ integral cover? Navistar dealer didn't carry that or hadn't heard of it.

Part is "only" $23 from Ford.

Update:

I got the (damaged) filter cover off. Right now I've got some contact cement curing in the pinhole I created by slightly tapping (right) on the upper ribbed portion, and barely cracking (uh-huh) a few off, resulting in a small leak.

If I whacked that thing once I hit it 1,000 times before it came off. Mercy.

Fuel in filter res looks clean, no visible debris. Should I buy some q-tips to clean the pressure reg screen??



Also, checked the HPOP reservoir, it is full. No blown fuses in that box by the fenderwell.

 

i think its easier to unbolt the fpr from the side of the bowl and clean it that way with some air.

 

The filter with the integral cover is an aftermarket item.

I have seen a bad battery (or two) cause symptoms like you are describing. These engines need two good batteries to start, expecially when the engine is cold. There may be enough current to spin the engine over, but not enough to power the pcm, idm, injectors, glow plugs, etc... I would check the batteries, then go from there.

 

Thanks for the comments Big & 97.

You may be right about the batteries, but I don't think so. They are not new by any measure, but at one point I recharged them, they both took a charge, and were really spinning the motor. And nothing. No smoke, no evidince at all of any attempt to fire. And then later, just trying to bump it over to see if the broken fuel filter cover would leak, it started instantly.


I still think the motor was getting zero fuel. At the time it was 75ºF. Ordinarily this truck fires instantly even if you ignore the "wait to start" light. Instantly. Warm/cold/in-between.



For a sec I was thinking maybe I had a big air pocket, and when I broke the fuel filter cover I unintentionally created an air bleed circuit. Good theory, but that doesn't account for the very noticeable lag the last few times it did start. I looked for fuel leaks and found none.

My next move is to unbolt the FPR and clean it, then I will see what codes the EMC/CPU/computer thing spits out.


Thanks again.

 

Any update yet?

 

Something else came up and I had to ignore this for a while, but meanwhile I bought a good (I think) Innova OBDII scanner and it reads zero faults.

Is this reading reliable on this truck ('96 PSD)? If the CPS ever fails to send a good signal to the computer, preventing the injectors from firing and the engine from running, does this always necessarily result in a fault code being stored?

Have not had a chance to check the regulator yet for debris, but it fired right up after I checked for codes, although it would not start when I tried it the day before.

I will have a filter cover tomorrow and the fuel leak will be cured, at that point I will clean the regulator and go from there.

Thanks.

 

Well, after I replaced the filter cover everything seemed to be normal, no hesitation under starting whatsoever.


Then yesterday again it refused to start.

I should have done this to begin w/, but I finally cleaned the screen into the FPR. There was a fair amount of gunk on there.

Bought an Innova ODBII scanner, it appears to work properly, reads no codes.

Tach is moving but not much, I'm not sure if the voltage change under cranking load isn't making it move.


Then I noticed something different this time around. 3 blown fuses in the under-hood fuse compartment. 3 of the smaller fuses, the first 2 10 amp fuses, then there is a 15 that was fine, then the next 25 amp was blown.

Haven't replaced them, but I don't have a manual to reference what these fuses are. Counting from the passenger side towards the drivers side, among the row of smaller fuses, #s 1, 2, and 4 are blown (10 amp, 10 amp, 25 amp).

Fuel heater?

Anybody?

 

Forgot to mention I'm making about 45 psi of fuel pressure at the schraeder while cranking the motor. Oil level is full in HPOP reservoir, but I'm overdue for an oil change.

The 3 blown fuses is the weird thing.

 

Okay, both single lead wires that connect near the bottom of the filter housing were dead, when I replaced the 3 fuses they both read 10 volts.


So I taped them up and left them disconnected.

Now it starts instantly, runs for exactly 2 seconds, and quits. Every time.



Scanner reads no codes, I don't think it works on this truck.

 

Update for anybody still interested:

I bled it real good at the regulator and topped off the oil (1 qt low) and it starts and runs (for now, anyway).

My best guess is a combination of dirt on the FPR screen, air entering the low pressure fuel system somewhere, and these two factors possibly contributing to the blown fuses on the fuel heater OR the fuel heater was the main problem all along.

I guess the small fuses are numbered 1 - 7, so I blew 7, 6, & 4 (2 10 amps and a 25 in that order), but none of the other fuses were bad. After replacing all three I had power to both single lead wires that go to the bottom of the filter housing.

At that point the truck would fire but die, then I bled it and added the motor oil.


So, recap is I'm not exactly sure what is wrong with it but it appears to be working for the time being. And both those wires, whatever they are, are unconnected and taped off.

 

The 2 wires sound like they're for the fuel heater. You'll probably never need the fuel heater in southern NM. I didn't look up the fuse numbers, but I thought #22 was for the fuel heater. You're right, they don't start with the fuel heater fuse blown, but will with the heater disconnected. One of the first checks on any Ford tech diagnostic guide is to check the age, grade and quantity of engine oil because of the impact on the injectors, although you checked the HPOP reservoir level.??? Sounds like you were fighting fuses, FPR screen and oil pressure. Glad you got it going.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm changing the oil tomorrow.

What seems odd here is that #22 did not blow, but 3 of the smaller fuses did. With these 3 fuses out both of the fuel heater wires were dead, when I replaced all 3 fuses both wires had power w/ the ignition on.

So if fuse #22 is the power supply for the fuel heater, then naturally I'm wondering what circuits the 3 small fuses that blew protect because my heater was dead w/out them, and the truck fired instantly when these fuses were replaced.


But these 3 fuses were not blown when the truck refused to start initially (when I started this thread). This truck has been more than great but this issue is turning into a bit of a gremlin.

Before this the last 3+ years and 150k+ miles have been so trouble free I hadn't even gotten accustomed to the hood latch yet. Too good to be true I guess.....

 

I find that If I dont disconect the batterys( since you would'nt if you suspect an electrical problem) when i'm poking around under the hood with a
multi-meter or other tools it is very easy to blow random fuses. fuses that were good when you started andblown when you get done..
thanks for the up date>>J