Fixing fuel leak/ replacing EVERYTHING
 

Hey guys, thanks for all who responded to my other post! You've given me some great assurance that I'll be able to fix my truck on my own. So just to be sure, I'm going with OEM Ford parts. Is there a list of parts someone could post that I need? I'll be replacing the fuel lines, pump, bowl, etc on top of the motor. Also going to need some guidance on where to start. Anything would help and I'll be sure to post pictures. Hoping to get this done in a day or so definitely going to take my time.

Boggin Dave
1996 f250 xlt auto 2wd ECSB 93,800 original miles

If you want to replace everything, have you thought about e fuel?

That's the ultimate solution!! I sure never have looked back.

To start off lets slow down.

First - Why do you need to replace your fuel pump? Is this just because, or because its truly failing. Have you tested it? To test the fuel pressure there is a shrader valve on the side of the bowl that allows you to use a standard tire pressure gauge that goes over 60 psi…. Start the truck even if running like crap and you should see 50+ psi at idle closer to 55-60. If you do see this pressure you likely have a good pump. The only way to confirm is to test fuel pressure under load. Have a friend rev the truck a couple times and see if you get any drop greater than 3 psi. The proper way to test is to get a threaded hose to a gauge and go drive the truck WOT while watching your fuel pressure. Pumps can show 55 psi at idle, but under load crash in pressure. This can be from a bad pump, restriction in your fuel tank, or restriction in your bowl filter. Bowl filters have a restriction gauge on the bowl that lights up a dummy light on the dash to tell you to change filter. Its 95% of the time a bad pump or crap in the tank...tank is the other 5%.

Get back to us on results and we can go from there… Here is a link to a new pump if you are just wanting to replace it. Replacement Mechanical Fuel Lift Pump Ford Powestroke 7.3L 94-97

Second. There are two fuel lines that crack more often than not right off the pump. If these are weeping replace them..they are cheap and easy. This would be a good time to address your fuel bowl if it is leaking at all too. Here are the links to both fuel lines OEM Fuel Reg Bypass Hose Replacement - High Temp Factory Replacement hose (94-95) and OEM Fuel Hose Replacement - High Temp Factory Replacement (94-97)

Fuel bowl – Unless you have cracked the darn thing there is no reason to buy a new one. Here is a link to the rebuild kit… $12.50 is all you need. Complete OBS Fuel Bowl Reseal Kit - Ford 7.3L Powerstroke (94-97) we can get into rebuilding instructions later. If you want a new bowl its 300$ Complete Fuel Bowl Assembly 94-97 - Riffraff Diesel Performance I have a spare used one out of my truck if needed to be purchased if ours is cracked, but there is not a reason to do so if yours is not cracked.

Replace your cap with an OE cap and buy a couple of OE filters. Do not use those garbage autozone filter units! Cap - Fuel Bowl Cap 7.3L Powerstroke 94-97 Filters - Ford Powerstroke 7.3L Fuel Filter 94-98

All this being said if you go buy yourself a brand new pump bowl and hoses to the mechanical pump you are looking at around 450 shipped from Clay at RiffRaff…which is nearly half of what those **** tards tried to charge you. You can do it as cheap as maybe 60-70 bucks too by rebuilding the bowl yourself and verifying the pump to be good.

E fuel is a good option too… but to do it right it can get fairly expensive and is not needed IMO on stock injectors… Some claim a snappier go pedal and smoother idle…. I never have noticed that but that’s me…. The options are yours!!

Here is a good write up with pictures to rebuild the fuel bowl….https://www.dieselorings.com/docs/OB...owlRebuild.pdf

Here is a video for a 99 and up bowl which is a little different than our but not all too much…you can watch it just to get an idea… there are a ton of videos out…probably much better than this one.

Yes I have definitely thought about e fuel. I wouldn't know where to start though, obviously would need some advice.

My fuel filter light is on. It came on mysteriously when it was at the mechanics. He said the sensor was bad, but I don't believe this mechanic or any other mechanic anymore honestly. I just want to get rid of this leak in my valley. I don't NEED an e fuel conversion, although it would be nice. But I just want to replace anything that might have sprung a leak. Maybe I'll start with the hoses and go from there instead of trying to overwhelm myself with replacing it all.

Whell they probably forgot to pug the restriction plug back onto that side of the bowl or really screwed something else up. Look inside the bowl and see what you find. What shop did you take the truck to? What is their name?

JW truck repair in San Rafael, CA. I've also taken my truck to Anthony's auto reapair in Novato, Left Coast Diesel in Concord, Auto Solutions in San Rafael, Diego's truck repair in Greenbrae, Dons truck repair in Santa Rosa, and a few others I can't recall. They all said the same bs. The most recent mechanic quoted me over 1,000.00 to replace the fuel lines and fuel bowl. That's steep. So I'll open the fuel bowl later today and check it out. I just watched some videos of pulling the old o-rings off the fuel bowl, that actually looks fun. My question, which may sound dumb but forgive me, is how do I drain the fuel system so it doesn't leak everywhere when I pull the old lines off?

To drain the fuel bowl just rotate the yellow petcock lever (water drain). Fuel will drain down the front of the block so put some rage or a drain pan down there.

There will be a little residual in the bowl that can be soaked up with rags in the engine valley once its removed.


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I got that part but what about pulling the lines off? Won't the fuel come out of those?

Maybe a little bit, nothing to worry about.

About efuel, I decided to get rid of my mechanical pump, not for any performance reasons as my engine is stock so far. I'm changing it mainly because I can easily carry a backup electric pump and change it alongside the road if it conks out. Not so with the stock mechanical pump. Plus it mostly does away with all the possible nuisance leak points in the valley.

Downside to efuel is that it does take some time to study all the different efuel threads on and decide which way to go. You can buy a complete kit for about $1500 or put together your own for half of that or less. It also takes some halfway serious messing with your truck and also there is the electrical hookup to consider.

Fuel bowl rebuild is easy. Get the kit from dieselorings.com and don't forget the three little blue hoses.

I will be in the bay area next week so might be able to help if u get stuck (south bay).

Richard

Edt: other than a basic set of tools with plenty of extensions you will want a crows foot wrench (for the plastic thing in the middle) and a set of flare nut wrenches. All available at harbor freight for cheap.

Edt2: few cans of brake cleaner too and some brushes...

Edt3: some simple green and a crap load of rags to clean the valley too

....and a small trowel if your valley was as dirty as mine lol

Haha Jarrett...I was there too bro. Not a leak since E fuel though other than the line I blew the other night on the way home from work.