Not trying to be a smart *** but its just as cheap to keep it full.

 

On my 03 F-450 I rarely drop below half a tank I did go down to 1/4 once. You have less problems with condo forming in the tank which you don't want.

Another reason not to drop below half it is doesn't feel as bad when you have to fill it up. I usually get 400kms (250 miles) for about 1/2 tank of fuel.

I use the trip meter I never trust a fuel gauge I'am not the type of person that runs around on a popcorn fart worth of fuel. There is only one gas station in the area the next one is 20 miles away.

 

I know! I always laugh when people won't fill their tank all the way because they don't want to spend the money... You'll spend that money either now or next time you fill it, and by then the price of fuel will probably be higher!

 

I actually doubt it was fuel. If you've ever ran out, it's quite obvious. He didn't describe any of those symptoms of running out of fuel. He basically said it "shut off" while driving.

 

Not sure about the 6.0L's, but one time I forgot to switch tanks on my 6.9L and it just shut down. Also, on my old 7.3L (my son's now), my wife let it run empty and it just shut down. She was on the freeway and had a heck of a time steering and then stopping it without power.

Now that I am thinking about it, that 6.9L was something - I drove it home from the deer lease once with a bad alternator and bad batteries. Just jump started it and took off. It was a little bothersome to drive it with the oil pressure gauge reading zero (actually all gauges reading zero), but I had always heard it was built for that. Got it home - changed out the alternator and batteries and no problems.

 

Well when I ran out of fuel 2-3 times it sputtered a lot and didn't "shut off" out of the blue.

 

Well I can say I deff. did NOT run out of fuel. There was no sputtering, bucking, or any of that running for 2 secs and then a half sec off stuff. I have ran out of fuel before and this was nothing like that. It was just literally driving fine and then alll the sudden it turned off.

The truck would have a least kicked over a lil bit if it had been a fuel issue. I put 2 gals in from the gas station I was at even though it was at 43 Miles left on the Odometer.Thought that the gauge could have been wrong but um um.

I even rolled it down the hill to a flat area and tried a few more times. But no start. Not even kicking over. It was trying to start (starter was turning the motor) but nothing was catching.

It's at the dealership now completely back to stock so well see what they have to say tomorrow afternoon after they get a chance to take a look at it.

It was making a weird noise for the past 3,000 or so miles... only when the rpm range was 1800-2200 rpm though. I had posted a few weeks back about it but was pretty much told to not worry about it and that I was just hearing things. Everyone I knew that listened to it said it sounded pretty much normal... cept the gf. she heard it to.

Don't know if that has anything to do with it. But it may very well. The sound sounded like a normal diesel engine but with a slightly higher pitched top hit. (thats the best I can do to describe it...)

Thanks for any help you can offer,
Alex

 

Got the truck back this morning...

It only cost me $100 bucks. But I looked at the bill... Cost ford $1182.00 to fix it. Can you say maybe that $2000 200,000 mile warrenty might be worth it now?

Thinking I might be investing in that soon.

Alex

 

So what did the fix?

 

Will you post the fix please so in the future other members can reference this post if we have a similar issue. Thank you!

 

O, yea sure.. Sry bout that guys... I have been going crazy with everything I have to do now-a-days... Can't find time to myself anymore it seems!!!!

The problem was just the STC fitting. It was never changed out during any of the prior work. I guess its true... "if it aint broke, don't fix it!"

Anyhow.. now i have other issues I think...

While towing a 5,000lbs load I was passed by a trucker at 98mph on Rt. 70.... yea I know WTF!!! How the hell could that actually happen??? Up hill?

If any of you are from the MD area you'll know where I'm talking about. Theres a long long hill when you head west from Baltimore out Rt. 70 in the Mtns. Believe its near "indian springs"??? Anyhow theres a LARGE "V" Blasted in the side of the mtn to allow the highway to go through. Really scenic.... Can't think of the name right now... but you can actually go up in a bridge over top of it.

Anyhow... upon approching the crest of this Mtn. a trucker go behind me at 75mph and was riding me... so I floored it.. "forgot I was in stock" got to about 97mph up a 6% grade and he flew past and gave me the finger... we were just like WTF.. so I pulled her over and grabbed my SCT out of the back and put the 65HP plus tune on it, hoping to see him again. Got in the truck, Floored it up the mtn until I hit about 85mph steady for about 4 mins... as soon as we crested the top... the truck had overheated?!?!

The Loud tractor trailer like noise came on from the emergency engine fan (at least thats what I'm calling it) and I HAD to slow it down. It cooled back down to perfect operating temp in about 10 sec... Weird...

when we got to our destination (about 45 mins later) I looked under the hood and all of the coolent had blown out. ALL OF IT... it was all up on the hood and nothing in the tank.

I filled her with water for the weekend and its got some coolent it it now.

I noticed a little black smoke while hauling it up ou first hill after a 2 days stand still (camping) out in the mtns. but it was on for about an hr. just idealing while we packed everything up and loaded up the trailer. So soot maybe could have been the cause. Didnt see any black smoke after that.

If I keep it at 70mph in an up and down grade of about 6 % +- 2 it'll stay warm but not over heat.

Any Idea on what could be wrong if anything???

I was thinking head gasket? lol or maybe thats me just wanting it to be that....

Alex

 

You beat me to it!
I was thinking the same thing.