Had my 1990 F250 7.3 with no problem for about 3 months. In Florida I filled up at Wal-Mart because no where else in the little town sold diesel.

On the way back for the first time ever my truck stalled. It started rough and then died after eating dinner in Georgia. When I tried restarting it, I had to crank and pump the gas for a long time.

After that the truck would always start right away, then idle rough and start to die. If I immediately pumped the gas, the idle would level out and it would be fine until the next time I started the truck.

When I got home I called my mechanic and he told me how to empty the water seperator which I did. It would then take some pumping and cranking to get it to start but be fine for awhile. Once started it drives just like normal and never stalls. After awhile it would start idling rough and dying again.

I have since emptied the water seperator 3 times in two weeks. Afterwards it would always be fine for a few days and then start idling rough. The only time the water seperator light ever comes on is when I am cranking. It does not come on while the glow plugs are warming up and it does not come on when I am driving.

At first I just thought it was bad Wal-Mart gas but that was several tanks ago. I never let my tanks go below a 1/4 tank so is it possible the water is just sitting in there at the bottom?

Anyone know what is going on?

 

If you have water in your tanks it will be on the bottom.
Have you changed the fuel filter?
Are you getting water out of the separator?

Pumping the throttle pedal on a diesel or any other fuel injected engine is only exercising your leg muscles, that only does something on a carburated engine. Just hold the pedal down 1/2 way or better to start.

 

I am getting something out of the seperator. It isn't straight water but it does not look like straight diesel either. And the fuel filter was changed when I first got the truck 3 months ago.

 

When you drain the water separator make sure you get a good seal on the drain.

It sounds like you may be possibly pulling in air thru the drain.

What does the stuff you are draining off the water separator look like. Is is it clear liquid or is it cloudy with possibly some solids contamination?

It is possible that the diesel you got at wally's was old and may have had algae contamination. It would take multiple tanks and several filter changes before your tanks have flushed/diluted themselves enough to remove all the dead algae.

 

I am not seeing any particles but I wasn't paying that much attention. It looks like clear liquid with a greenish tint to it.

Someone suggested it is possible that the lift pump or injector pump are going bad. Would that explain it?

 

run a real good double dose of power service thru the system. you mayhave picked up some junk from a fuel stop that was just delivered and their tank got contaminated or the junk in the bottom of their tank got mixed and YOU were the winner. I wouldnt go with replacing pumps right yet. Always go with e z stuff first. The water separator was a problem with not completing the seal after draining. Try spinning the pull tab a bit and then let it snap shut a couple times.

 

Try the simple stuff first.

- Change filter again
- add Diesel additive to disperse any water and lubricate the IP and Injectors

It could take a while for things to clear up.

My 91' with only 30k on it smoked and started poorly after I bought it last year. 9 month later the engine is finally settling down once the fuel additive had a chance to work on a badly neglected fuel system.

 

On a 90 model he does not have the pull ring water seperator.
But there is a spring loaded air bleed valve under the ring around the drain valve that could have been lodged open by some dirt.

Any question about bad fuel or fuel related symptoms that appear in my truck results in a fuel filter change. I also fill the filter with straight Diesel Kleen before I install it.

I would change the filter, clean all the sediment out of the base, open the drain valve fully and pour a little clean diesel through it to was out anything that may be stuck in the valve. Then close the valve, install the filter cartridge, fill it with Diesel Kleen and install it on the truck. It will run a bit fast at idle when you start it, but that is OK. Pat the throttle a couple of times to get the pump internals to move while it is running on Diesel Kleen.

Take two asprin and call me in the morning. LMAO

 

whoops ! I got messed up on water separator stuff. Dont know where that came from.
sounds like ya got a dose of junk from the fillin station. Lots of additive and carry filters and clean fuel with you.

 

You are just like me, I know that I know the proper answer.
I just can not seem to recall the proper info at this second.

I compare my mind to an old computer hard drive.
The information is still there, but the access time sure is getting a lot slower these days.
At least it still boots up every morning, I do usually have to pour a bit more coffee in it than I used to to get it going though.

What I really am starting to hate is when I can not remember something I need to know all day long. Then at night I lay down and turn on defrag. At 2:30 AM I set up in bed at the end of the first defrag pass and have the exact information that I could not remember all day as my waking thoughs. Lot of good it does then, where was it 12 hours ago when I needed it.