7.3 wont start, lots of aeration

[Aeretion]

so just put in a used motor in this f-550 tow truck and cant get it to start. found out after taking the fuel filter off and watching the bowl while someone turns the key to the run position the fuel is aerating so fast its like a soda can foaming up with so many bubbles if you get what i mean. anyone have any input on this, we put on a new high pressure oil pump and have great oil pressure readings from the scan tool. we have no codes, and the thing will only run off starting fluid.no leaks in any of the fuel lines. its a 2001 f-550 7.3 auto pos any ideas what can cause the aeration? can it be the fuel filter housing itself? yes we are a professional shop but theres **** out there that kicks our asses too.

[JSchuricht]

The common spots are the recirculation valve on the pickup and the hose on top of the tank. To test it, pull the hose off the back of the fuel pump and stick it in a can of fuel. You can eliminate a few things with that, if it is still not working you are going to need to check pressure. Also since you have a scan tool, run a injector test to see if everything is fireing off.

[Aeretion]

well, i did the fuel injector test and they all buzz. getting to the fuel tank on this truck is gonna take a forklift to take off the bed since its a tow truck, another thing is we drove this into the shop. so im thinking only other thing is to put on the filter housing with the pressure regulator on it that came with the original motor, i used the filter housing that came with the junkyard motor so who knows what condition that thing is in, plus the fact i used the same high pressure oil pump that came on the junkyard motor and it didnt work so i swapped out the one off the "supposedly" bad motor and now we have oil pressure....yeah i shoulda just used put on the old housing since i was already there....did i mention im a heavy line tech not a diag tech or diesel tech. kinda sucks when your new diag tech doesnt do diesels.

[Rob454]

I had a problem like that where I couldn't get my truck starred and the diesel fuel was aerating and basically coming out of the tail pipe looking like a billowing white smoke that was actually just diesel fuel mist. Also started blowing fuel out and dumping it on the ground.
After wracking my brain thinking the worse things possible I replaced the fuel filter screw on cap and gasket and fuel filter. The old cap and gasket was just tightening but not sealing completely. Replaced filter and gasket and truck ran fine.
This is gonna sound stupid but is the gasket on the right way.

[Aeretion]

yeah im gonna swap out the housing, i mean there could be a leak in it that i cant see, junkyard motors are abused so who knows. and it dont fix it our master tech is gonna get the keys thrown in his hands whether he says he does diesels or not

[Aeretion]

its the shops tow truck, we were able to get it started enough to drive it inside the shop before I swapped the motor. the old motor had bad injectors and bad high pressure oil pump along with bad glow plugs that had set a p0380 code and well over 300,000 on it. the service manager wanted a new low mileage motor in it, i used the same wiring harness and transferred all sensors over and put new glow plugs and injectors and high pressure oil pump in this pos. only thing i didnt transfer was the filter housing. theirs tons of fuel in the tank too we topped the bastard off. i didnt do the diag on this, im just simply the heavy line tech, o well might have a pink slip coming since all fingers are being pointed my way. their mad for losing money not having our tow truck hooking cars right now.