Fuel leak between turbo and fuel filter housing
 

Hey Guys,

I've got a 1998 E-350 with a 7.3 Powerstroke and I had smelled diesel fuel so I looked under the truck and saw it dripping from my tranmission bell housing. So I took the inner engine cover off and turbo heat shields and took a look with a flashlight and saw fuel puddled on the intake. I fired up the engine and saw no leakage from the fuel filter housing but I did see dripping from a pipe-like (1" dia) mechanism that appears to be connected to the base of the fuel filter housing and runs toward the back of the engine under the turbo. It has some type hex pipe plug on the end of it but it is not leaking from that end. Being its a van, it's really a bear to get in there to see things so I've been limited in my vision and have been using a mirror.

It's possible the fuel may be leaking from another point. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

sounds like your fuel leak is coming from your banjo bolt! has anyone messed with it lately? if so try tightening it some. if not take it off and see if there is any indication its not sealing like it should or maybe one of the fuel lines on the back is cracked/pinholed!

i know its tough but there is no easy way to get in there, even with a truck!

-cutts-

Is your truck a 98 1/2? The fuel pump is an in-line electric pump mounted on the left hand frame rail. Ther are a few fuel lines and the filter that can leak.

Early 98:
Maybe the fuel pump? It lives in the intake valley.

If you have something that looks like this you will need to remove the turbo.

-cutts-

Thanks for the reply. I checked the banjo bolts and they seemed fine.

Cuda Jim

Thanks for the reply..... the illustration helped a lot! I do have an early '98 so the fuel pump is located under the turbo. Last night I read an older link by a guy who had the same problem. It turned out to be a failing fuel pump so he had to remove the turbo, "Y" exhaust, fuel pump, etc.... . So I began doing this early this morning and after breaking off 6 studs I'm to the point of removing the turbo.................problem is I can't see what's holding it down. I removed 1 nut (toward the steering wheel side of the passenger compartment) but could not find any other fasteners. Any suggestions or illustrations would be greatly appreciated!

I am trying to get some picts for you.
Here's the written instructions From the factory manual:

Removal

Remove the engine cover.

Remove the turbocharger heat shield.

Remove the Marmon clamp from the turbocharger exhaust outlet.

Raise the vehicle on a hoist. For additional information, refer to Section 100-02 .

Remove the turbocharger exhaust outlet pipe.
Lower the vehicle.

Remove the rear engine lifting eye.

Remove the air inlet hose (elbow) from the turbocharger.

Loosen the two upper hose clamps where the compressor manifold splits to the intake manifold and the Marmon ring retaining the compressor manifold to the turbocharger. Remove the compressor manifold and discard the O-ring from the turbocharger.

Remove the two bolts and two nuts retaining the exhaust inlet adapter to the turbocharger.

NOTE: The right rear bolt cannot be completely removed until the assembly is lifted up.

Remove the four bolts retaining the turbocharger pedestal assembly to the cylinder block. Disconnect the electrical connector from the turbocharger and remove the turbocharger pedestal assembly.

CAUTION: Take necessary precautions to prevent any foreign material from entering the oil galleys and the exhaust inlet adapter.

Remove and discard the oil galley O-rings and the exhaust inlet adapter gasket.


Clean the oil galley ports on the engine block and turbocharger. Clean the exhaust inlet adapter and turbocharger gasket surfaces. Inspect the O-ring areas of the compressor manifold and turbocharger. Clean if necessary.

Installation

Install new oil galley O-rings (lubricated with engine oil) and a new exhaust inlet adapter gasket.

NOTE: To install the right rear bolt, lift the assembly up until the bolt drops into place.

Install the turbocharger assembly and connect the turbocharger electrical connector. Tighten the pedestal bolts to 24 Nm (18 lb-ft).

Install the compressor manifold (with a new O-ring) to the turbocharger. Securely tighten the hose clamps and the Marmon ring.

Install the air inlet hose (elbow) and securely tighten the clamps.
Install the two bolts and two nuts to the exhaust inlet adapter. Tighten the retainers to 49 Nm (36 lb-ft).

Install the engine lifting eye and tighten the bolts to 32 Nm (24 lb-ft).
Raise the vehicle.

Install the turbocharger exhaust outlet pipe. (Do not tighten the nuts at this time).

Lower the vehicle.

Install the Marmon clamp to the turbocharger exhaust outlet.
Raise the vehicle.

Tighten the turbocharger exhaust outlet pipe nuts to 49 Nm (36 lb-ft).
Lower the vehicle.

Install the turbocharger heat shield and securely tighten the bolts.
Start the engine and check for leaks.

Install the engine cover.

I just did my 97. The turbo is on a base. The bolts are really hard to see. They are not the ones that are right under the turbo that are easy to get to. I saw a picture of the base on a parts diagram, or I wouldn't have seen it at all. There are 4 bolts, 2 on each side. You might need a mirror. Replace the 2 o-rings under the turbo while you are there. And there is a gasket under the turbo on the pedestal as well. Replace the 3 hoses, and there are small seals on the 2 lines that go to each head. I found it was easier to take the 2 bolts out of the bottom of the fuel filter, and pull it back to get the hoses on. It is also easier if you have someone help you. If I did it again I would take the passenger seat out.

Is this the bolts?

Those 4 you can see pretty well. There are 4 more that are hard to see. I don't know if it will come off with just the 4 in the picture or not. Never having done it before, I may have pulled more apart than I had to. I will take a look at it in the morning.


This is a link to Steve's site with more instructions. He has an F series though.
http://pages.prodigy.net/stevebaz/_...baz/index3.html
Cuda's might be more complete.

Cuda_jIm,

After you sent me the turbo removal and installation directions, I went back out to my truck and knew I had to find 4 bolts. I found 2 of the bolts right away on the turbo pedestal near the exhaust "Y" but they were hard to get at even with all the exhaust bolts/nuts removed or should I say broken ughhh! because I couldn't get the "y" out of the way. So I looked around and decided to take my air grinder with a cut off wheel and cut the rusty exhaust pipe bolts where they connect to the exhaust headers. You have to crawl under the vehicle to get two of them. What's nice about this is the fact they are through bolts with the bolt centers exposed so you can cut them with a 3" wheel or even a sawzall. Now the "Y" is gone along with the exhaust pipes which creates some room. I found bolt number 3 after I removed the rear engine lift ring and bolt number 4 under the turbo inlet housing. Number 4 requires lots of paitence and tool combinations. I used a 1/4" drive 10mm std. socket, 1/4" universal, 1/4" to 3/8" adapter, 3/8" x 6" extension and a 3/8" ratchet. Finally with the bolts outs, hoses disconnected and electrical connection disconnected I lifted straight up and out she came.

Proceeded to remove the fuel transfer pump (I believe it is the source of the leak) but had trouble initially NOTE: There is a hidden third rubber fuel line below the two other rubber fuel lines. This hidden line is just about impossible to get to the hose clamp screws so I took a very sharp wood chisel and lightly tapped the center section of the rubber fuel line until I cut through. Then with two hands I lifted upward jiggling the pump until the cam plunger came out of the intake manifold. Now that I'm in this far I'm changing all the hoses I can see, fuel filter, turbo intake hose, etc....

Sorry about the length of this reply. I really appreciated the help and wanted to share my experience in the event there is a future (fuel transfer pump changer) out there.

Thanks!!!!!!

Good job Project22, Glad the pesky fuel pump tappet didn't fall into the engine.

Get the blue hoses from Ford or IH dealer. Some after market fuel lines won't hold up.

Thanks Cuda_jim, but I've got to give the credit to God because I just read some other posts that warn about the tappet dropping.........not a good thing.
I do have a few questions though: My fuel fump is a carter #61067 (NAPA #) but I don't know what the item is connected to it (referencing your earlier diagram DV-0239-A detail #1). Is this a fuel filter housing and detail #4 the access nut to a cartridge type filter? I haven't messed with it yet until I find out what it is and if it's available.

Thanks!!!

That is used california trucks, (not yours). It's used where your banjo bolt goes. It stop pressure pulses from the pump.

All cali trucks (E&F series) MUST remove the turbo to replace the pump, the others don't.

I think I gave the wrong answer earlier to (fishmanndotcom) referencing the banjo bolt. I thought he meant the fuel line connectors going into the rear of each head off the pump. If your're telling me that that this is some type of pressure regulator used on Cali. E & F series trucks only then I've got some homework to do because I apparently have a Cali. E series? This regulator (Bosch #9 401 240 169) is attached to the back of my fuel pump and has 2 "fixed" steel fuel line going back to each head. I live in Wisconsin but bought the truck used from Florida about 4 years ago. Maybe it's originally from Cali. or somebody swapped the motor? Do you have any suggestions how I go about checking the VIN# to the Eng#, that is, if they are supposed to match? I'm concerned about ordering the wrong parts based on my vehicle build date which is 8/97 versus the motor type Cali./49 and/or motor build date? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!!

On the rear of your fuel pump, do you have a large horizontal disk sitting above the the two fuel lines that go to each head? (like in the picture of the fuel pump posted above) If yes, then it's a cali truck.

But...if on the rear of your fuel pump you just have a banjo connector (round heavey tubing with a bolt going through the middle into the fuel pump and two lines coming off of it going to each head) then it's a Fed. truck.

You can always go to a Ford dealer and have them run your VIN for build info.

Hope this helps.