I finally had enough

[BioFarmer93]

Taking way too much pedal to start, dieing two seconds after starting, running rough, idling fast, then slow then fast again, shutting off for no apparent reason after running and completely up to operating temperature. The last straw was a fuel drip, one every four seconds- located after seeing smoke wafting up from under the hood. It was dripping from the fuel heater onto the valve cover and onto the exhaust manifold... Not good.

Informative OB threads (Thanks Icanfixall!) and tech articles are read. Components are disassembled and cleaned. O-rings are acquired and installed. Components are oh-so carefully re-assembled and tightened. Holley Red's switch is flipped and AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! One drop every two and a half seconds now! Forensic investigation determines that fuel is actually seeping up around molded-in brass electrical connection in cap. Epoxy is considered and dismissed, this is La Florida! We don' need no stinkin' fuel heaters! Filter to IP hard pipe is removed (flange nut on IP was LOOSE!) and sawn in half.. ends dressed & both pieces flushed out well. What was Ford thinking?!? Hard mounting a filter on a vertical bracket on an engine with a natural lope and then hard piping to and from it? Especially to the IP at a 45 degree angle? Structural engineers refer to that configuration as "diagonal bracing", not something you do with a fuel line.. Really. Return hose from closest injector to filter is plugged & clamped. 5/16" I.D. black fuel hose and somebody's OEM in-line filter purchased at NAPA. Mechanical lift pump is already out of service so connection is made at end of hard line created earlier when Holley Red was installed and hose is thoughtfully routed up and over to new filter, then short hose to IP supply hardpipe. IP nut loosened, Holley Red's switch once again flipped... Wait for it...wait for it... SPLOOSH! Nut tightened, fuel mopped up... Now I can put those Beru's in, what I wanted to do in the first place. Screw Wellman, three days? Please! Tools put away & hands washed. Now, for the TEST. Cold motor, ignition ON, WTS for 9 sec's- NO CLICK CLICK! Flip Holley and immediately turn key with 1/4" of pedal for good luck. VROOM! I doubt that engine spun a full 360 before it fired off. Immediately went to a perfect idle. Ah, but the proof is in the pudding you say, so took Henry out for pudding. Pudding the pedal on the firewall, that is..(sorry) Just can't believe how much better he starts and idles and scats now. Pretty soon I'm going to have to start taking all the no-longer-used bits and pieces of off him just to save weight.

 

[gonecrazyi]

So no more fuel leak? Ive never had a leak at the fuel heater but the drain started leaking forcing me to go to a one piece filter instead of the two piece.

You sound just like me, I dont know how many stock ford and internation componants Ive removed from the truck and replaced with ones of my own design.

But it sounds like you have everything down pat now, just let me know when you want to come down and get that bumper and ps pump.

 

[BioFarmer93]

I'm gonna say probably this comin' Saturday morning if it's not raining- it's a royal PITA to hold pressure on the ignition switch to keep the wipers working. I haven't tore into the steering column yet to fix THAT particular little problem... Changed out the key switch but it seems the prob was a little deeper in. You been to the dentist yet? When you told me what was goin' on, my tongue automatically went to the place where my left eyetooth used to be... Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

 

[gonecrazyi]

I met with my dentist Saturday morning and he scheduled me to meet with an **** surgeon on Sunday morning.

Saturday night things got so bad that I had to go to the ER. That trip help to tide me over until Sunday when I met with the surgeon.

He pumped me up with pain killers and antibiotics. He also put a nice big cut in my gum to help with draining.

The swelling is still present, but it has gone down a lot. I need a root canal but have to wait until the infection is gone before it can be treated.

Tooth pain is the worst form of pain imaginable!

 

[BioFarmer93]

Tooth pain is the worst form of pain imaginable!- I was just getting ready to agree with you, then I remembered that kidney stone I passed. Good thing I didn't own a gun then, because I would have happily ended it then and there..

 

[gonecrazyi]

Ive never experienced a kidney stone, but Ive heard its bad.

So far tooth pain is my worst.

 

[94f450sd]

forget the root canal,its a temporary fix for a tooth thats gonna have to be yanked eventualy.might as well have it pulled.quicker and alot less pain.

 

[pafixitman]

Tooth pain is the worst form of pain imaginable!- I was just getting ready to agree with you, then I remembered that kidney stone I passed. Good thing I didn't own a gun then, because I would have happily ended it then and there..

Been there twice! Made blowing out my knee 3 times and having it drained twice a walk in the park!

 

[Willie Two]

From fuel filters to teeth & pain I have my own stories on my dentist but I am curious if anyone has "completely" removed the fuel filter assembly and regretted it later. What do the "New" fords do for a filter and is a heater really needed if the temp is above freezing. Water in your fuel ??? does it happen often enough now adays to the point where the truck won't run. If the water is going in with the fuel does it cause problems with the IP or the other components over a longer period of time ??? The last fuel filter I changed I cut it open and it did look like brand new... Anyone's experiences would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[turbo elk]

Shove a screw driver almost all the way your hand (near wrist at base of thumb) and have it irrigated with out any pain killers. WOW!! feels good!!

 

[punkmechanic]

The new trucks have primary and secondary filters. Even the 6.4 has two fuel filters and one still incorporates a water seperator.

Bypassing the fuel filter is at best a temp fix. I wouldnt run it too long like that. An ip is too expensive to rebuild considering it could have been prevented with a 10 dollar filter.

punk

 

[RLDSL]

forget the root canal,its a temporary fix for a tooth thats gonna have to be yanked eventualy.might as well have it pulled.quicker and alot less pain.

Thats the truth. I inherited lousy teeth and all I have to do is drive past a dentists office and a neon sign comes on that says " Root Canal" I finally gave up on trying to fix the blamed things, they just go bad again after spending a fortune on them and having to ride out pure torture without any decent pain medication ( I'm totally immune to the shots they give for that stuff, they dont do a thing) After all the thousands of dollars I've spent on those clowns for lousy work, no more, I'll just let the blamed things fall out before I'll go through that again. Cracks me up,when you try to get them to pull one they always want to give this big speach about how they can save the tooth, heck, what they want to do is save a down payment on a new benz

 

[fx4wannabe]

From fuel filters to teeth & pain I have my own stories on my dentist but I am curious if anyone has "completely" removed the fuel filter assembly and regretted it later. What do the "New" fords do for a filter and is a heater really needed if the temp is above freezing. Water in your fuel ??? does it happen often enough now adays to the point where the truck won't run. If the water is going in with the fuel does it cause problems with the IP or the other components over a longer period of time ??? The last fuel filter I changed I cut it open and it did look like brand new... Anyone's experiences would be appreciated. Thanks

Actually the truck itself will put water and air in the fuel through the return process and condensation. Plus it would blow your mind how many fuel stations have no filters on their pumps so you are getting all their water and dirty fuel.

 

[RLDSL]

Actually the truck itself will put water and air in the fuel through the return process and condensation. Plus it would blow your mind how many fuel stations have no filters on their pumps so you are getting all their water and dirty fuel.

And the ones that have filters, most of them are there for decoration and havent been changed in years and are in bypass.

 

[typ4]

Pain, being married twice. Oh and the cellulitis infection I got from a bug bite in my left leg on vacation in Wisconsin, had to drive the truck and camper home. It was worse than when I caught my other leg on fire. Got a nasty pic of it. looks like a burn.