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Possible Injector O-Ring Problems?

20K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Turbostang500 
#1 ·
I have a 2001 7.3L F350 that I use primarily to haul a 12,000lb 5th wheel with 140,000 miles on it. I brought it used two years ago and will put about 3,000 miles per year on it. It is stock, except for a straight pipe and the dieselsite IC boots. I just replaced all pads, rotors, calipers and brake lines. My mechanic said the old calipers were not hanging up.

Since I bought it, the power seems down. I have noticed that it struggles pulling up hills more than it used to. Also, the MPG has dropped from 15 to 9. Adding the dieselsite boots helped me hear the turbo more and seemed to give a little bit of a powerboost, but not as much as I would have liked. In November, I had it scanned and it passed both the buzz test and CCT test. I have been consuming oil at the rate of about 1 qt every 600-800 miles...no puddles, no smoke. From reading on here and talking to a few people, this would lead me to believe that my injector orings are bad, allowing the oil to mingle with the fuel and get burnt. When I changed my oil and fuel filter last month, the mechanic showed me the fuel filter (only 1 year old, ~3,000 miles on it) and it was black...more gritty than oily. He said it was probably bad fuel (but he is more of a gas mechanic than a diesel mechanic) So, my two questions....

First, will bad injector o-rings cause my symptoms (oil consumption, MPG drop & power loss) or should I look elsewhere?

Second, if o-rings are the culprit, what else should I consider doing while in there? I hope to order parts and take them to a mechanic (if I can find one in the Louisville, KY area). I am thinking I should replace the o-rings, glow plugs, valve over gasket, glow plug relay, UVC Harness as a preventative measure while I am in there. Anything else? Or should I wait until he is in there to decide what to replace (which means I might pay more locally for parts or he would have my truck longer)?

Thanks for your help!
Brian
 
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#3 ·
That sounds like o-rings to me. As long as your contribution tests pass, no need to replace the injectors. Replace the glow plugs but check the valve cover harnesses. if they are good, leave them, just install the 50 cent mod to keep them going.
 
#4 ·
Audio,
Thanks for your post. So, you think that a leaking o-ring(s) could cause a power loss? I've had some people say yes...and others say no way. Can you think of anyplace else I would be losing that much oil?...again, no smoke and no puddles at all.

Regards,
Brian
 
#5 ·
Same

An old post here I know but I seem to have the same issue with oil loss and loss of power. Stock 2000 7.3 with 186,000 miles. Switched to Rotella T6 full last winter with Donaldson ELF filter. I made dang sure oil was center of dipstick grid because of massive oil filter. Checked and rechecked after I changed oil and ran engine few miles then checked again. Checked oil 2 months and 1,000 miles later. Oil down to add mark on dipstick with is prolly a quart or two. This normal? No heavy hauling or even trailer pulling yet.

Seems kind of oily and dirty near valve cover but then again its 12 years old with 186,000+ miles stock.

I hear that T6 eats o rings. This true?
 
#6 ·
An old post here I know but I seem to have the same issue with oil loss and loss of power. Stock 2000 7.3 with 186,000 miles. Switched to Rotella T6 full last winter with Donaldson ELF filter. I made dang sure oil was center of dipstick grid because of massive oil filter. Checked and rechecked after I changed oil and ran engine few miles then checked again. Checked oil 2 months and 1,000 miles later. Oil down to add mark on dipstick with is prolly a quart or two. This normal? No heavy hauling or even trailer pulling yet.

Seems kind of oily and dirty near valve cover but then again its 12 years old with 186,000+ miles stock.

I hear that T6 eats o rings. This true?
:bump: Im in the same boat but do haul a heavy load every so often.
 
#7 ·
as far as I know, the T6 will not cause excessive oil consumption. It hasn't on my truck yet anyhow!

There are a few ways these things burn oil. First and most common, is through the crankcase vent on the driver side valve cover. This is why a lot of guys change it to vent to atmosphere. This way it isn't venting oil into the intake.
Second is the turbo shaft seal on the compressor side. If it leaks, it will allow oil into the intake trac. Third is normally injector o-rings. Some people say that it can push the oil back into the filter (because of a lot higher oil pressures) but it will allow oil and fuel to mix in the injector and then be burnt up. I guess a fourth place that I should mention but is rarely the case is the rings. It can happen but usually with the signs of excessive blowby.

These things will consume a LITTLE oil. Mine runs great and I have seen about a qt in 5000 miles. I know this is less than what you guys are having but just giving an idea.
 
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