Engine Cranks / No Fire / No Start / Fuel Issue
Orange County, CA, USA.
2001. Ford Powerstroke. 7.3L. E450. 24 foot El Dorado Bus / Van.
Very tight, crammed, engine compartment. Hard to access and find stuff.
Problem Background / History:
Engine has 300,000.
I've owned 2 years. I've put on about 7,000 miles.
Ever-since I bought it, sometimes the engine would die on idle at a traffic light or in park. This only happened every once in a while.
Recently, engine idle sometimes rough upon starting and died out. Sometimes rough idle when in park or when stopped at traffic light, causing engine to die. Not all all the time.
I ran the engine with fuel tank low on empty, but got fuel, did not run out of fuel or die. Engine ran fine after that.
About 2-3 days later, after driving a few miles, I parked and it started to idle rough and want to die and I shut off engine before it died.
A few hours later, I was ready to leave, turned engine over, would not start. Engine cranks over. No combustion. No fire. Left it parked. I tried again later. No luck. I tried again a few days later. No luck. It hasn't started up since then.
Don't know what the problem is. This is my first diesel engine. I have read some comments here about various things to try. I'd appreciate some ideas and feedback on my situation.
People tell me to check / change fuel filter upfront on the engine. They say it's easy to do. I looked in there, the engine is crammed in the space, hard to access or find stuff. The fuel filter is buried under stuff. I took the air intake / air filter plastic shroud off. The fuel filter is still down under various electrical connectors, heater water hose, turbo charger air intake hose, etc. So, I still got stuff to take off just to access the fuel filter. And, the space is limited to reach the fuel filter or to remove it. So, it's not such an easy thing to do as some people say. I still have a few more hoses to remove to get to the fuel filter canister.
I bought a fuel filter to have on stand by in case I need it. Since I've already gone this far, I thought I might want to replace it while I'm checking things out. Who knows when it was replaced the last time. When I replaced the air filter over a year ago, it was extremely dirty, so the previous owner didn't seem to keep things too clean.
I need some good suggestions from experienced mechanics who've had this problem and have experience with it and not just hearsay.
I'd like to find the quickest way to test if the fuel pump is pumping fuel to the engine. I can't even find the fuel bowl. It's buried under something, somewhere. I could use an engine diagram / schematic for this exact rig showing where everything is located.
Don't know where the fuel pump inertia switch is located if there is one. This is a bus, not a pick up truck, so there's no passenger side kick panel area. Only door with stairs entry way.
I don't think it's air in the fuel line because I added fuel in tank and had been starting up and driving around for a few miles, for 2-3 days. I have experienced air in the fuel line before and it doesn't seem to be that.
I don't know if I sucked up junk from the bottom of the tank and maybe plugged up my filter in the tank or if some water?
I don't know if I burned out my fuel pump from running on low fuel recently? And, bus has 300,000 miles. Don't know if fuel pump was replaced or when. So, who knows it's life span.
I live in the road in this bus. So I was broken down in a parking lot. Warned to move. Got towed out of lot to the street. Neighbors called the police. Warned to move within 72 hours. Friend towed me across town. Street sweeper day coming on Tues early morn. So must move again. It's a race against the clock to fix this or I face $300 tickets, towing and impound. The bus is my home on the road. I live in it 365 days a year, 24/7. So, it's very critical and urgent that I get it up and going asap.
I am in Orange County, CA, near Costa Mesa / Newport Beach, CA areas.
I'm on a low, tight budget. Survival mode. I can't afford to hire a mechanic or go to a repair shop.
If there's anyone out there who can help remotely or is nearby who would be willing to give me a helping hand, I'd really appreciate it. I'm a social media guy. At least I can give you a shoutout on social media and my YouTube channel.
Hoping I can get this fixed and back on the road again as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, it's a game of cat and mouse, trying to avoid the neighbors, the street sweepers, the cops, the parking lot owners and the tickets, tows and impounds.
Thanks so much.
Sincerely,
JR
Google Search: Road Warriors 360
If interested, like life on the road and like to help people, follow me on Instagram; YouTube; Facebook; Twitter.
Orange County, CA, USA.
2001. Ford Powerstroke. 7.3L. E450. 24 foot El Dorado Bus / Van.
Very tight, crammed, engine compartment. Hard to access and find stuff.
Problem Background / History:
Engine has 300,000.
I've owned 2 years. I've put on about 7,000 miles.
Ever-since I bought it, sometimes the engine would die on idle at a traffic light or in park. This only happened every once in a while.
Recently, engine idle sometimes rough upon starting and died out. Sometimes rough idle when in park or when stopped at traffic light, causing engine to die. Not all all the time.
I ran the engine with fuel tank low on empty, but got fuel, did not run out of fuel or die. Engine ran fine after that.
About 2-3 days later, after driving a few miles, I parked and it started to idle rough and want to die and I shut off engine before it died.
A few hours later, I was ready to leave, turned engine over, would not start. Engine cranks over. No combustion. No fire. Left it parked. I tried again later. No luck. I tried again a few days later. No luck. It hasn't started up since then.
Don't know what the problem is. This is my first diesel engine. I have read some comments here about various things to try. I'd appreciate some ideas and feedback on my situation.
People tell me to check / change fuel filter upfront on the engine. They say it's easy to do. I looked in there, the engine is crammed in the space, hard to access or find stuff. The fuel filter is buried under stuff. I took the air intake / air filter plastic shroud off. The fuel filter is still down under various electrical connectors, heater water hose, turbo charger air intake hose, etc. So, I still got stuff to take off just to access the fuel filter. And, the space is limited to reach the fuel filter or to remove it. So, it's not such an easy thing to do as some people say. I still have a few more hoses to remove to get to the fuel filter canister.
I bought a fuel filter to have on stand by in case I need it. Since I've already gone this far, I thought I might want to replace it while I'm checking things out. Who knows when it was replaced the last time. When I replaced the air filter over a year ago, it was extremely dirty, so the previous owner didn't seem to keep things too clean.
I need some good suggestions from experienced mechanics who've had this problem and have experience with it and not just hearsay.
I'd like to find the quickest way to test if the fuel pump is pumping fuel to the engine. I can't even find the fuel bowl. It's buried under something, somewhere. I could use an engine diagram / schematic for this exact rig showing where everything is located.
Don't know where the fuel pump inertia switch is located if there is one. This is a bus, not a pick up truck, so there's no passenger side kick panel area. Only door with stairs entry way.
I don't think it's air in the fuel line because I added fuel in tank and had been starting up and driving around for a few miles, for 2-3 days. I have experienced air in the fuel line before and it doesn't seem to be that.
I don't know if I sucked up junk from the bottom of the tank and maybe plugged up my filter in the tank or if some water?
I don't know if I burned out my fuel pump from running on low fuel recently? And, bus has 300,000 miles. Don't know if fuel pump was replaced or when. So, who knows it's life span.
I live in the road in this bus. So I was broken down in a parking lot. Warned to move. Got towed out of lot to the street. Neighbors called the police. Warned to move within 72 hours. Friend towed me across town. Street sweeper day coming on Tues early morn. So must move again. It's a race against the clock to fix this or I face $300 tickets, towing and impound. The bus is my home on the road. I live in it 365 days a year, 24/7. So, it's very critical and urgent that I get it up and going asap.
I am in Orange County, CA, near Costa Mesa / Newport Beach, CA areas.
I'm on a low, tight budget. Survival mode. I can't afford to hire a mechanic or go to a repair shop.
If there's anyone out there who can help remotely or is nearby who would be willing to give me a helping hand, I'd really appreciate it. I'm a social media guy. At least I can give you a shoutout on social media and my YouTube channel.
Hoping I can get this fixed and back on the road again as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, it's a game of cat and mouse, trying to avoid the neighbors, the street sweepers, the cops, the parking lot owners and the tickets, tows and impounds.
Thanks so much.
Sincerely,
JR
Google Search: Road Warriors 360
If interested, like life on the road and like to help people, follow me on Instagram; YouTube; Facebook; Twitter.