Left Me Stuck

[Mikes91]

Fuel filter light came on while driving home from school today... accelerator pedal became unresponsive about 1 minute later, then she died shortly thereafter.

Not sure why fuel filter light would come on other than an obstruction... anyone know for sure?

Lift pump just replaced maybe 5000 miles ago. Fuel filter just done about 1000 miles ago by Ford.

Truck towed to dealer... gonna be expensive.

Any ideas what happened? Are there fuel pumps in the tanks? I'm thinking trash from the tank must have gone through the system and lodged in the fuel pump...

Thoughts?

Mike

 

[Russ]

Did you change the filter? Might want to start there.

 

[ISurvivedNMU]

Did ya try to change the filter? Could have been water?

 

[gotdiesel?]

Have you bought fuel @ one of those unreputable stations trying to bolster tank levels with good 'ole H2O? Had a similar problem with '93 7.3 at work, turned out to be water. Good luck to you, and the checkbook!!!!

 

[argve]

Mike,

The fuel filter light turns on because of low pressure in the section between the filter and the injection pump (fuel after the filter) most common reason for this to turn on.

1. Fuel Filter needs changed
2. lift pump gone bad
3. the wire that leads to the pressure switch became grounded some way some how.

Now just have to figure out which one it is.

As said first line of defense would be change the fuel filter then move on from there. Typically I like to carry a spare filter with me just in case (I have used it once).

 

[F350camper]

Ya, I agree with Travis. For whatever reason, the pressure after the filter dropped low enough to cause the light to come on. And since your truck died, I would say the sensor is telling the real story. May as well start with the part that the sensor was designed to detect, a clogged filter.

 

[Mikes91]

The stinky thing about all this is that Ford's diesel tech said he couldn't find anything at all wrong. Drove it all over, idled it for 2+ hours outside the shop, and it never hiccupped.

I mentioned the fuel/water separator and lift pump as possible issues and the tech pretty much pooped those ideas. Looked at me like I must have a screw loose... saying that he'd just replaced the separator a couple months ago and said replacing it again now would be a waste of money. Said the lift pump is mechanical and it either works or doesn't work... said it isn't the problem.

Ideas?

The truck had air in the lines when I picked it up from the dealer... guess I'll have to get the wife to help me bleed that out tomorrow afternoon. Ford apparently turned the wrenches on something while it was there.

Didn't charge me a dime for analysis or their time driving the truck. I was surprised.

Ideas? Travis, where is this pressure switch and the wire you spoke of?


Thanks again,

Mike

 

[ISurvivedNMU]

How cold was this when it happened, and was it warmer when the tech looked at the truck?
Im going after the fuel gelling, or a wax buildup on your filter, restricting the flow..... Also idling for 2 hours???? that alone could heat up the filter to allow wax or gelled fuel to pass... Maybe Im out in left field here....

 

[Mikes91]

Originally posted by ISurvivedNMU
How cold was this when it happened, and was it warmer when the tech looked at the truck?
Im going after the fuel gelling, or a wax buildup on your filter, restricting the flow..... Also idling for 2 hours???? that alone could heat up the filter to allow wax or gelled fuel to pass... Maybe Im out in left field here....

Temps here have been in the 60s-70s all week... so gelling isn't the problem... Starting to sound like an electrical issue...? Not sure what to look at...

 

[ISurvivedNMU]

Sorry, for some reason I thought you were in illinios.... We just had a cold spell and right now its 50... My bad

 

[argve]

Mike the pressure switch is located on the filter head it's the bell looking thing with one single wire coming off it. It's on the clean diesel side just before the output line to the injection pump.

 

[Mikes91]

Originally posted by ISurvivedNMU
Sorry, for some reason I thought you were in illinios.... We just had a cold spell and right now its 50... My bad

Heheheh... our mornings had been in the 30s early last week... now in the 50s this morning. Much better!

 

[aaklingler]

I don't know how it would be an electrical issue, the only thing electrical that can kill your engine is the FSS, then the filter light might come on, i would change the filter if i were you, it might not fix it, but its the easyist thing you can do.

 

[Mikes91]

What about the pressure switch Argve mentioned??

Mike

 

[aaklingler]

i think that just turns the light on on the dash when it sees low pressure...