Injection Pump Question

[Dirtleg]

This is my first post here. I bought my 93 f350 4x4 2 days ago. I have been looking for this type of truck for a while now and happened to find this on my trip to Houston this week. Price was right and the truck is reasonably clean. I wish I had found this site prior to my purchase but am really happy with the truck so far anyway. It is my first diesel and I've much to learn about proper care and maintenance.

Well just wanted to say hello and also let ya'll know that I am really glad to have found this website. Very good information and tech pages here. On to my questions.

Truck starts and runs perfectly when cold but won't fire when hot. I found the tech info on this and it most likely is the injection pump. I can get it to fire and run if I spray starting fluid down the throttle body. I really don't like doing this but have had to as being stuck was not an option. This evening I am embarking on a trip from Houston Tx, where I bought the truck, to Atlanta, and then back to Virginia.

Will the injection pump just up and die on me or am I just looking at hard warm starts until I repair the problem. This I can do once I'm home. Also, the info stated that the pump is heat soaking. Am I correct about it being a vaporlock issue?

Looking for opinions, advice, quick fixes, or any other information that will help keep me going.

Fuel Filter. Is there a proper technique to follow when changing it? Do I have to bleed the air out of the system after and if so how do I do that?

I went ahead and changed the oil and accessory drive belt yesterday and bought a fuel filter but am too uninformed to attempt to install it yet. When I get home I will flush and replace the coolant. I read about cavitation so SCA'a will also become a maintenance priority. I intend to flush the brake system once home.

What are the primary issues with and care for the E4OD? It's been my experience with Ford automatics that if they haven't been properly serviced since new you are better off not touching them. They tend to fail soon after servicing.

If you know of any other issues I should be wary of please mention them.

Thanks. Greg

 

[Fordsandguns]

Welcome to the site! When you change the fuel filter, you need to fill the new one with diesel before installing it. I lube the gasket with oil or fuel also, just like an oil filter. I'm not sure about bleeding the air. It will probably start and then want to die when the air hits. You can feather the throttle to help with this. Using the starting fluid will help, but you should disconnect the glow plugs before using it. I've had to pull start mine once when I changed the filter. You might wait until you're home to do that filter. You can pour a cup of water over the head of the pump and it should start. I'm not sure if it could leave you totally stranded or not. There are others on here who are far more experienced than I am and they will be chiming in.

 

[forcefed]

As above try the cup of water on the ip pump when truck will not start. Do not crank on the starter too long. Most say no longer than 20-30 seconds at a time. As far as the fuel filter I always just fill my filter with diesel kleen in the silver bottle. I've never had a problem yet (knock on wood) starting mine after a filter change. I also didn't have a IP maybe going out either though. As for the E4OD I do not know anything about that. Somebody else will chime in on that subject.

 

[Dirtleg]

Thanks for the answers about the filter and the cup of water idea.

I went and got the coolant additive. Wix product 24056. Looked for test strips (litmus paper ?). O'Reilly on Rayford road/I-45 is the only store I found in Houston that has them in stock. I also put some Lucas upper cylinder lube/fuel conditioner in the rear tank and filled it up.

Speaking of tanks that rear one is rather small. I ran it dry last night (gauge still read 1/4 tank) and switched over to the front tank. Filled it up today and only 12 gallons to fill it. How large should the front tank be?

I had topped off both tanks immediately after purchasing truck and drove it on the rear tank. It went 176 miles on 12 gallons so almost 15mpg in Houston traffic. Seems pretty good to me for a 4x4 1 ton. My F250 2wd with 460 never gets this kind of mileage so it's better for sure. Would be more like 10mpg in town.

So far I am really liking this truck. Next I just need to fix the A/C.

 

[h2odrx]

welcome to oilburners!! fuel filter is not that bad I've had to change them on the road a few times it always works out ok, just takes a while to crank it. if you have a electric fuel pump you can use that to prim the new filter. mine had a racor fuel water separator which had a pump to prime it. fill the new filter full of power service then run it. fuel pickup breaks off and allows only down to 1/4.

ps. fill in your singature!!

 

[Dirtleg]

Again thanks. No electric fuel pump here. Unless there's something I don't know about. I believe I saw a mechanical pump on the side of the engine.

Testing new sig as well per request.

 

[SKimballC]

As said, just fill the new filter with diesel or Power Service and go. Any air at that point will bleed right through.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

The hot start issue is not vapor lock. What happens is the pump heat soaks, and the internal clearances increase, so that sufficient pressure cannot be produced by the injector pistons to fire the injectors at cranking RPM (this is why the truck will start on ether and keep running, higher RPM's mean less time for fuel to leak around the injector pistons).

I would suggest simply not shutting the truck down on the trip back except where the motor will have several hours to cool down. That means idling at fuel and food stops. As long as the truck RUNS ok, it should continue to do so.

The "water over the IP" trick is for diagnostics only and can damage your IP.

 

[82F100SWB]

Both of your fuel tanks are 19 gallons, sounds like the pickup has come apart on the rear tank though.

 

[Dirtleg]

Both of your fuel tanks are 19 gallons, sounds like the pickup has come apart on the rear tank though.

That would explain why I ran dry at 1/4 tank on the gauge. Thanks.

 

[h2odrx]

That would explain why I ran dry at 1/4 tank on the gauge. Thanks.

It is not a good idea to run it dry!!!