Water? 7.3 I.D.I.

[mikeboggess]

Just when I thought nothing else could go wrong. The (water in fuel) light has started coming on when cranking the engine and the WIF light goes off after the truck starts. I am positive I do not have water in the tanks. I do not get any water out of the valve underneath the water separator filter. The truck has started putting out more than usual grey smoke until the truck is driven on the highway. Truck has also begun to harder to crank.

 

[Matt_INW]

How long since the fuel filter was replaced? Bad fuel? Try replacing it now, ~$20?

 

[STabrizi]

Same issue, although mine might be timing related. It is Hot right now in Texas. Maybe our heat is the culprit. Because we have warm fuel return and like 100 percent humidity liquid collects on the outside of my tank like it does on my a/c. So it may be doing the same inside the tank. Get some Isopropyl or HEET and get the water out. Now with that being said. Its hot. My batteries sometimes will boil over its so hot in my 94 IDI turbo engine bay. With batteries low on liquid you get lower amps to the starter which gives you a slow start. Can be very bad for the starter in the long run. Get your batteries tip top and in my case into a separate box for thermal protection. Check your TPS or "FIPL" voltage readings, whatever you wanna call it. my book says .88 - 3.88 yet ive seen 1.0-4 as well as 1.1-1.2 - no higher than 4.3. (research how to check your FIPL OR TPS to understand what i mean by those voltages. Check your grounds. Check your VSS. Batteries. but if you want do this. if the water light comes on. prime the fuel-filter with heet to see if it goes away once the water has been reduced chemically. You could have moisture trapped in your fuel system.

 

[mikeboggess]

How long since the fuel filter was replaced? Bad fuel? Try replacing it now, ~$20?

Replaced the filter 1 wk. ago and added 1 can of Seafoam to both tanks.

 

[mikeboggess]

Replaced the filter 1 wk. ago and added 1 can of Seafoam to both tanks. he temp. here has not fluctuated in some time 70's in the am then 90's in the afternoon. I am in Texas also near Canton.

 

[steelheadguy]

My water light comes on when cranking. Is it not supposed to?

It flicks on withbthe starter and turns off as soon as the key returns to running.

 

[mikeboggess]

OK, maybe I have just not noticed this before but there was a time (months ago) that the WI light came on and stayed on, a quick drain at the water separator valve cured that. So maybe you are correct because it does not come on brightly and does go off after the truck starts. Something I erroneously omitted is that I had three injectors leaking for months and just replaced them 2 wks. ago. The mech. that rplcd. the inj.'s said the oil was contaminated w/diesel fuel and it was seriously contaminated. When I would come to a stop my oil press would drop to almost zero. Changed the oil and oil pressure is up and stays up.

 

[BrianX128]

Mechanical lift pump or electrical? Diesel can only get into crankcase certain ways and a bad lift pump would explain a couple of things here.

 

[mikeboggess]

Electric pump, ONE of the best things I ever did was to throw away the mech. pump. I have not asked the mech. how fuel could get in the crankcase yet.

 

[OLDBULL8]

You say the engine oil was badly contaminated with diesel fuel. That can happen with severely leaking injectors (needle stuck open), but you should be black smoking like crazy.

Happened to me on a 780 mile run. Drained at least a gallon over fill out of the crankcase. I was pulling a 25 ft goose neck with a F350 CC on it, so I was pulling pretty hard thru SC, NC, WV and in OH with a 45 MPH head wind. That was with a 90 SC F350.

The WIF will come on, on a start, that's a light bulb check same as all the other lights do.

 

[mikeboggess]

Thank you, you definitely have more experience than me. Unfortunately I do not have black smoke, the smoke is greyish. Prior to replaceing the injectors the truck would suddenly start clattering at isle, after the inj. rplcmt. the truck idles perectly but smokes.