Yesterday on the highway my 2003 6.0 just died, it slowly lost all power and the water in fuel light came on. Had it towed home drained all the fuel from the tank ran it through a water blocker filter twice, changed the fuel filters, put some Diesel 911 in the tank and with filters. Started it up with just a 1/4 of a tank and maybe too much then the recommended amount of diesel 911 and it's idling like crap, it smells bad and it sounds bad. Its getting towed to the dealership tomorrow but that is something I want to avoid, please could you help me with this problem. Could you guys help me with an action plan of what to do next?

I'm also thinking its pretty much inavoidable that I'm going to have to buy a code reader now, are all code readers created equal or is it get what you paid for?

 

You could have gotten bad fuel somewhere. There are quite a bit of issues that could have caused that, without knowing more it's kinda hard to guess what it truly could have been. Depending on how bad it was, it could have done some damage to the injectors as well particularly if you're getting a "smell bad" as well.

No, not all code readers are the same. I would actually get the AutoEnginuity software with the Ford Enhancement on it(which you really have to do since you are wanting to use it on a diesel, no matter what you get, usually you'll have to pay for the portion to get it to work on a diesel) and use that.

 

Yeah so I bought a code reader and it said all systems are functioning within normal parameters. Like I previously mentioned all the old fuel was drained and put in some new clean fuel. Started it up and it was idling great for 5 minutes then it it got really rough, it was a pretty violent idle so I shut it off.

What the heck? I'm going to check the fuel filter on the frame rail and make sure its on right but I don't have much hope right now.

 

What code reader did you buy? If you bought one that only picks up generic DTCs then the truck's computer might still have a code in there that your reader isn't picking up.

Oh, I was under the impression that both were changed out. Both needed to be changed out at the same time for sure if it's a fuel related issue.

 

No it was changed out, Just making sure that it was seated properly and not restricting the fuel flow. It wasn't. I started the truck again and it ran just fine for a few minutes then when I went to pull it out of the garage, rough violent idle again.

I realize the cheaper code reader wouldnt tell me every code, I was a least hoping that it would give me a starting point of some kind. Well that was a waste of $100 bucks. So i topped off the oil cleaned the battery terminals, why? I dont know because I can I guess.

 

If you want something to try, consider air in the fuel. See page 79 of the Powerstroke Bible:
http://www.backglass.org/duncan/ps60_manual/

You could also try adding another 5 gal can of fuel. You mentioned you had 1/4 tank, and that's where the pickup bypass will start sucking air if it is bad.

 

I will try that thanks for the heads up.

 

Yeah that didnt do it either, also checked the EGR and it was fine.

 

First, I believe Diesel 911 contains alcohol. This emulsifies the water instead of demulsifying it. Ford specifies a demulsifier so that the water will stay out of solution and be removed by the filter.

Second, what is the efficiency of the water blocker filter you used? If it was just gravity flow over the filter, I do not believe the filter would have a high efficiency.

Probably not what you want to hear, but I would drain all the fuel in the vehicle and then try it w/ known good fuel - no additives. Make sure you cycle the ignition per the fuel filter change procedure to get the air out.

Is there any way you could have some air getting into the system due to a poorly fitting fuel filter cap?

 

That diesel 911 stuff sure smelled like it had alcohol in it but I didnt see any other products that said anything about water. Yeah the water blocker I was a bit sceptical about too so I used the filter that was on it to take the fuel out, took the filter off and cut in half. Sure as **** you could see the water. I put a new filter on and pumped it back in 1/4 of a tank. Probably a really stupid thing to do I know.

The fuel filter cap is good.

I'll pump all this damm mess out and try again with some good clean fuel, wish me luck lord knows I'll need it.

 

I certainly do wish you luck. I had a fuel mess years back w/ my 6.9L Ford. What a pain! Fortunately we were able to get the fuel company to pay for the fuel system cleaning. I doubt that you could make that happen today, but it may be worth a try. Keep us informed!

 

Wow what a pain this bad fuel is. I guess that is why I try to fuel where the big rigs do when I travel, it is not always convenient but it tends to be safer.

It seems like from some of threads over the months that there seems to be some fuel quality control issues stateside??

 

I pumped every last bit of that mess of fuel out of the tank couldn't get the hoses off at the front so just opened the housing and got a good amount of fuel cycled all the air, started it up and more of the same. Is this even a fuel issue anymore I don't know, its going to the stealership tomorrow. I just hope they can fix it and the truck gets to running like a champ again.



As for the bad fuel Im shocked that it even happened, here in Alberta if you dont offer diesel at your pumps your not competitive and your certainly not going to make any bucks. I think about 1 in 3 of our neighbours run a diesel and most fuel up nearby.

 

Sorry to suggest all the work on the fuel and then it still does the same thing, but you certainly do not want the dealership doing this and charging you for it.

Some other things to try:

You might try pulling the ICP wiring harness off and see if that makes a difference. The ICP sensor on the 2003's is known to get oil soaked and go bad. Your symptoms did not sound quite like a bad ICP, but who knows.

It also could be wire chaffing - I will post some links in a little bit.
Wire Chaffing Locations
http://www.thedieselgarage.com/forum...1&d=1208412696
FICM and ICP harness recall
http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articl...icle-05-13.php
http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articl...icle-05-11.php

Are your battery voltages good? Low voltage can really cause some issues w/ the engine due to the way the Fuel Injection Control Module operates.

Is there any way you can verify that you have good fuel pressure (ie may be a bad HFCM pump)?

Have you ever had your truck re-flashed at the dealership? If so, the flash most likely eliminated the EBP sensor from being an input to the PCM. If not, it could be a bad EBP esnsor.


Here is a collection of Ford advice on rough running:

Wire Chafing Issues:
A variety of driveability issues can arise from chafing/shorting wiring, such as crank/no-start, stall, running rough, misfire, buck/jerk or lack of power. The most common location for this is the valve cover/cover bolts near the FICM or the intake manifold bolts where the harness routes under the air intake hose. The harness should be rerouted and any chafe points insulated with rubber vacuum caps. Other chafe problems can occur where the sensor harnesses route around the valve covers, thermostat housing, idler pulleys, glow plug relay bracket, and near the accelerator pedal assembly (adjustable pedals), and also near the PCM by the battery and near the relay box brackets at the left rear corner of the engine compartment. On Econolines, also inspect at the top edge of the computer, along the oil dipstick tube bracket and auxiliary A/C lines. Broadcast Messages 1407 and 3077.

ICP Sensor Problems:
This is now covered by Customer Satisfaction Program 03B05. It applies to trucks build through 2-3-03. The program will be in affect until 12-31-05. Ford is authorizing a free oil and filter change tunder this program until 12-31-03.
Some 6.0 PowerStroke engines may exhibit rough/rolling idle, poor idle return, lack of power, injector fault codes or excessive smoke. This may be caused by the ICP sensor reading incorrectly. The ICP sensor and connector terminals should be inspected for damage (the ICP is at the rear of the engine, under the turbo), and the sensor circuits checked for opens or shorts. With the engine at operating temperature (engine oil above 180 degrees), the ICP sensor signal should be 0.16-0.28 volts (less than 70 PSI) with the key on and engine off. The engine needs to be off for at least two minutes for this test. If the ICP signal is not within this range, replace the sensor with P/N 3C3Z-9F838-EA.

Runs Rough, Lack of Power, Oil Level Overfull/Fuel in Oil:
This may be due to fuel leaking through or around one or more fuel injectors. There is a comprehensive TSB that has step-by-step diagnostic procedures to isolate the problem to determine in which bank the leak is occurring and to identify which injector and whether it is an o-ring or an injector failure. Note: If more than four quarts of fuel is present in the oil, the turbo charger shaft end play must be inspected. If end play is greater han 0.004", or if the compressor fins have come into contact with the housing, the turbo must be replaced. After replacing any leaking injectors, the oil and filter should be replaced and the truck driven 20 miles. These steps need to be done twice more before releasing the vehicle.
TSB #04-9-3.

Rough/Surging Idle, Excessive Smoke, Lacks Power, Poor Throttle Response:
This may be accompanied by DTC P2263. Inspect all intercooler hoses and pipes and exhaust system before the turbo for leaks. Ensure the oil level is correct there are no oil leaks and all electrical connectors are secure. Check the ICP sensor as in the following bulletin. If no problems are found, make no attempt to repair the condition. Engineering is investigating. Broadcast Message 0225, 0471. SSM 16488.

Lack of Power, Hard/No-Start, Runs Rough on Delivery:
Air in the HP oil and fuel systems may cause the above symptoms. The vehicle should be driven 30 miles to purge the air from the passages. If this does not resolve the concern, use WDS to command the variable geometry turbo actuator to cycle. If the concern is still present, continue diagnosis. Broadcast Message 0211.

 

Things happen and "you" can get bad fuel just about anywhere. It does happen, strange but it does happen.

Water in the fuel, is for sure a bad fuel problem, however, from what you make it "sound" to be it was pretty severe. I would imagine you have mechanical issues to deal with now. Which I would suspect anything with the fuel delivery system to be compromised, doesn't mean that it is, but I would try to rule those things out. If you had AutoEnginuity you can run injectors tests to test each injector individually and see if any of those are compromised and run other tests to help minimize what the dealership does.