Somebody lend a hand to my plight.

[DickRichard]

I own a 2001 Ford F250 Diesel, and am in need of some assistance.
I need to know how to locate the fuel water separator and then need to know how to drain the water therein.
This in an emergency because my truck just keeps on dieing whenever!
I could be driving or at a stoplight and the son of a gun just cuts off on me!
Can anybody shed some light with detailed instructions on how to get this job done so that I can get on with my life!'
*****I need detailed instructions or a website that can help with detailed instructions!*****
I am at my wits end!
:drive:

[bigcountrysg]

Originally Posted by DickRichard

I own a 2001 Ford F250 Diesel, and am in need of some assistance.
I need to know how to locate the fuel water separator and then need to know how to drain the water therein.
This in an emergency because my truck just keeps on dieing whenever!
I could be driving or at a stoplight and the son of a gun just cuts off on me!
Can anybody shed some light with detailed instructions on how to get this job done so that I can get on with my life!'
*****I need detailed instructions or a website that can help with detailed instructions!*****
I am at my wits end!
:drive:

Is the Water in Fuel light on. If not then most likely it is not causing the problem. The syptoms you are describing is the good old cam position sensor (cps) gone bad.

The fuel water seperator is on the top of the engine. There is a little valve off to the left side of the fuel filter housing. That is the drain valve. You just open that up and it drains out. Then close the valve. Now when you do this you should replace the fuel filter as well. If this does not fix your problem then go to the cps.

To find the cps it is on the top left side of the crank pulley on the front of the engine. If you were laying underneath the truck looking up it would be at about 1pm on a clock. It is held in with a 10mm bolt, you will need a 3/8 ratchet, 3 inch extension, and the 10mm socket. You may also need a long handled straight screw driver to pop the sensor out. Make sure when the old sensor is removed that the o-ring that seals it comes with it. Then you place some motor oil on the o-ring on the new sensor and install it. Plug the wire back in and then clean up and go for a test drive.

Some times the CPS will throw the check engine light and sometimes it won't. When mine went out it did not throw any dtc's.

[Dagnuten]

It will be all right, and welcome to the org.

Now to answer your question...

First off, the fuel-water seperator is dead-center of the engine, on top, behind the plastic cover that says powerstroke, or ford, or whatever it says, mines gone. Thats also where the fuel filter is. The filter is under a round black plastic cap on the fuel bowl. but there is a yellow lever on the back side of it(twards teh windshield) on the passenger side.

Crack it open and it'll drain the fuel bowl down by the passenger tire. It's a good time to change the filter too.

Now you say it just cuts out on you. Usually when that happens it's not fuel, if there was no fuel the injectors would start knocking and making a racket!

I bet ( if like you mentioned it just cuts out for no reason - completely dead) it's the cps. Do a search, there around 25 bucks now at the dealer if you get the right (new) part number.

[Dagnuten]

blast, he beat me to it!

[ABOBB]

Welcome to Powerstroke.org

Here is a link to a thread about the CPS... thought that might be useful to you if you decide that is what the problem is.

7.3 Cam sensor replacement procedure

[bmiller2000]

OK I am having the same problem as above but I have changed my cam senson yesterday and this morning guess what? DIED again twice. Like I reached up and turned off the key. Help what else can I check!