2003 F-250 7.3L 285k mi
Hi Scotty,
We’re a one vehicle RV family that just moved from Pa to Az. Had injectors, Hpop, IPR, CPS, etc done in Pa. Truck got us here. Yay! But now ... hoping the truck isnt toast.
-1.5 months ago started noticing more exhaust smell. Entering the cabin while sitting with a/c on. Smelled like fuel.
Truck running ok. Calculated fuel milage around this time, ok.
-2 weeks ago started to see significant exhaust smoke. Light color i think. Truck running ok still. I just happen to check my oil and find its way higher than dipstick mark. (Normally abt 3gal oil, i later pulled extra gallon out). Not milky. Seems like diesel fuel intrusion to me?
-fuel bowl clear. Fuel filter nice paper color. Clean.
-coolant clear. Later pulled 4 gal out. Did not see fuel or oil.
Was advised (forums) that it could be injector o-rings. I bought 8 o-ring kits and changed. Thought i would find a damaged o-ring. All looked good to the eye.
Then the forum says, oh, sometimes injectors fail inside and they don’t fully turn off. Take injectors to shop for test.
I wanted to get compression numbers so decided to try that now. First step, turn over starter to blow out cylinders through glow plug holes. PFFFT!!! Coolant flys out of #5 glow plug hole. Pull injector and i see water dripping from the brass cup into the cylinder hole. (Im wondering if the cups are very weak and did it just now crack due to injector work? Do i have another original problem?)
(Brass cups a known issue on the 7.3L around 300k mi)
Thats when i drained radiator. I can now key cycle the starter and i see the glow plug holes huff n puff just like in videos. They kind of blew mist and then it got clear air. But #5 and 7 seem to have always mist. Put paper towel over glow plug holes and it is not water (seems diesel to me). Compression on #5/7 is way high, like oil is in there. 5/7 are like 480/515psi (higher than new truck).
Well you're definitely getting too much fuel into the system and that's normally the injector s
Can't you change injector 5 or 7 with that from a not-compromised cylinder and see if the problem (injector keeps donating fuel) moves to that cylinder?
The injectors installed(??) in Pa were new-oem/new/refurbished/from scrapyard??
(would be not nice to install 8 new injectors to discover, injectors were not the problem)
I swapped injectors 5/7 with 2/4.
It took a day but eventually they all were blowing air. It didn’t follow the injectors and it didn’t stay at the cylinders....
But i think this says, its not something down in the cylinder.. ?
Also since they are clear, the 5/7 compression has come down to normal levels.
Anyway. I guess its all pointing to the injectors. I found a shop that can do testing at $40 each. Im going to box them up and get them dropped off.
These were exchange/rebuilt injectors.
I called the guy and he said sure you can box them up and mail them to me, but debris inside that is preventing them from closing, its not covered in warranty.
I guess, but the previous injectors ran problem free for 19 years. These went four months.
The injector test guy just called.
He randomly numbered these injectors.
He says #2 drips and #7 just shoots a stream.
Says the issues are internal. (See pic)
He thought the o-rings I purchased were not good quality. Then I told him they were motorcraft. He was surprised.
Can anyone explain the three columns of numbers?
I can’t figure out how to add the picture
I can’t figure out how to add the picture
Possibly you missed the topic near the top of the page in the "Notices" section entitled "READ THIS FIRST - Forum Guide".
