# FUEL LEAK ON 7.3 POWERSTROKE



## BIG NICK

HEY EVERYONE I'VE GOT A 1997 FORD F-250 CREW CAB ON I CANT PIN POINT THE LEAK JUST KNOW THAT ITS COMING SOMEWHERE ON TOP TOWARDS THE BACK I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR THAT CAM SENSOR RECALL AND I TOLD TO CHECK THE LEAK, THEY HAD IT ALL DAY AND COULD NOT FIND IT NEITHER. I CHECKED ALL AROUND THE FUEL BOWL PUT IN A NEW FILTER AND O-RING BUT ITS STILL LEAKING. I'M ALSO WONERING IF THE RUBBER SEAL IS DIFFERENT ON A 96 MODEL I'M ASKING BECAUSE MY TRUCK WAS BUILT IN 96 BUT IT IS A 97 MODEL SOME OF THE PARTS ARE ACUALLY 96 PARTS. MAYBE THE RUBBER SEALS ARE DIFFERNT??? IM NOT SURE, ANY HELP GUYS!!


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## rippin lips

Check back behind fuel bowl in front of Turbo.Replace the hose with the Blue line.They all seem to have that problem,But it is a 97.My 95 did same thing it will sit in the valley.


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## wfishtx

I'm 90% sure its probably your fuel pump. I had this same problem on my 96 model and it too would puddle in the valley. Let me guess it probably appears to be leaking out of the front of the transmission as well? That's exactly what mine did.

I'm shocked the dealership didn't give you that as a possibility to the problem. From what I've heard its common on those motors.

Cost me about $600 for the local mechanic to replace the pump. Apparently you have to take a lot of stuff off the top of the motor to get to it. Dealership wasn't much more.

Good Luck


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## rippin lips

I didn't need to take anything off.It was the hose.I thought it was the fuel Filter bowl also at first and that is easy also.JB weld can fix the fuel filter bowl good.They are expensive.


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## bwguardian

I would believe it is one of two things...either the fuel filter valve o-rings or the fuel pump. The pump on those is mechanical and the rod that drives it off the cam can be a pain when replacing...one of ours is a 1996. They are not that difficult, just do your reasearch on it at thedieselstop.com like I did and you should be fine. You can convert them over and delete the mechanical pump and put an electric one on the frame rail like the newer ones which is what really should be done given the after market pumps go out right after their warranty expires...that already happened to us. The o-rings on the fuel valve take a torque set #10 from what I remember and the o-rings are a 1/8" x 1/4" x 1/8" or 1/4" x 1/8" x 1/4" (can't remeber which but you can look it up on thedieselstop.com) I went and bought them at Home Depot for like $0.20 and they have been fine for 4 years now...Ford wants like $5 for those four little o-rings. As long as they have vicon in them you will be fine...we run biodiesel which is harder on them and mine has done the test of time.


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## WillfishforFood

the other thing it might be is one of the hard fuel lines. I have worked on many many powerstrokes and one of the things I have found is that the clamp that holds the hardline the feeds the rear of the heads wears through the dang line. 

I cant believe that they would charge 600 to do the pump. I can do one in about 30 minutes if its cold. If you were up near college station, I would be happy to take a look at it. There are really several places it could leak, including the small orings in the hardline connections, and I have actually seen a head crack where the fittings screw in. Hope you can get it fixed easily.


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## BIG NICK

THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO GUYS THE LEAK IS MAKING A DANG MESS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I'M GONNA TRY AND CHECK IT OUT MYSELF GONNA LOOK AT ALL THE SPOTS MENTIONED ABOVE.


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## 4kids

I second BWguardian's thoughts regarding the fuel filter water drain valve O-rings. That's where I would start. check out dieselstop website for more info. I bought the o-rings off internet and replace them myself. Google it and you will find lots of sites with instructions.


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## BIG NICK

TOOK ME A WHILE BUT MY BROTHER AND I FINALLY TORE IN MY TRUCK STARTED WITH THE DRAIN VALVE O RINGS TOOK A WHILE TO GET THEM OUT, BUT THE BOTTOM ONE WAS VERY DIRTY HAD A LOT OF BUILD UP ON IT THE TOP ONE LOOKED OK. DRIVE OVER TO HOME DEPOT THE GUY THERE TRIED TO SELL ME SOME O RINGS FOR A WATER FAUCET DIDNT THINK THAT WOULD WORK SO WE HEADED TO OREILLY AUTO PARTS AND FOUND SOME IN THE H.E.L.P. SECTION. GOT THE THE TRUCK BACK TOGETHER EVERYTHING LOOKS DRY IN THAT AREA NOW. BEFORE WE STARTED THE VALVE WAS WET ON THE TOP WERE THE SHAFT GOES IN AND WHEN WE DRAINED THE BOWL FUEL STARTED COMING OUT OF THE CRACKS AROUND THE SHAFT. WHEN WE GOT DONE WE DRAINED THE BOWL WITH THE NEW O RINGS AND NO LEAKS!!! HOPEFULLY THATS WHAT IT WAS. NOW IM WANTING TO WASH THE OLD FUEL OF OUT OF THE VALLEY AND GIVE THE TOP OF THE MOTOR A GOOD WASHING BUT DONT KNOW WHAT TO USE AND WHAT NOT TO GET WET COULD ANYONE GIVE ME SOME ADVISE ON THIS ISSUE AS FAR AS DEGREASERS AND STUFF ANY INFO WOULD BE APPRICIATED. THANKS BIG NICK


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## bwguardian

BIG NICK said:


> TOOK ME A WHILE BUT MY BROTHER AND I FINALLY TORE IN MY TRUCK STARTED WITH THE DRAIN VALVE O RINGS TOOK A WHILE TO GET THEM OUT, BUT THE BOTTOM ONE WAS VERY DIRTY HAD A LOT OF BUILD UP ON IT THE TOP ONE LOOKED OK. DRIVE OVER TO HOME DEPOT THE GUY THERE TRIED TO SELL ME SOME O RINGS FOR A WATER FAUCET DIDNT THINK THAT WOULD WORK SO WE HEADED TO OREILLY AUTO PARTS AND FOUND SOME IN THE H.E.L.P. SECTION. GOT THE THE TRUCK BACK TOGETHER EVERYTHING LOOKS DRY IN THAT AREA NOW. BEFORE WE STARTED THE VALVE WAS WET ON THE TOP WERE THE SHAFT GOES IN AND WHEN WE DRAINED THE BOWL FUEL STARTED COMING OUT OF THE CRACKS AROUND THE SHAFT. WHEN WE GOT DONE WE DRAINED THE BOWL WITH THE NEW O RINGS AND NO LEAKS!!! HOPEFULLY THATS WHAT IT WAS. NOW IM WANTING TO WASH THE OLD FUEL OF OUT OF THE VALLEY AND GIVE THE TOP OF THE MOTOR A GOOD WASHING BUT DONT KNOW WHAT TO USE AND WHAT NOT TO GET WET COULD ANYONE GIVE ME SOME ADVISE ON THIS ISSUE AS FAR AS DEGREASERS AND STUFF ANY INFO WOULD BE APPRICIATED. THANKS BIG NICK


Good to hear about the leak...relative to the wash, cover the alternator with plastic (I typically stick a large zip bag over it) and spray some of the engine degreaser you get from your local auto parts on. Remember to do this as it states...AFTER the engine COOLS down so you don't screw up the turbo, exhaust manifolds, up pipes, etc. Then let sit and wash off. I also generally try not to dowse the engine with a whole lot of water when rinsing simply cause there are some connections that really don't need to get really wet given their age. The ones I am talking about are the under valve cover harness connections and relays on top of the engine.


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