Help! Diesel fuel in coolant reservoir?

[scagmanf350]

I've got a 2002 F250 w/7.3 PSD 4x4 about 125,000 on the odometer. I'm having some issues. Lately my fuel economy has dropped and I have noticed a considerable amount of diesel in my coolant reservoir. I do not believe there is any coolant leaking into the engine as there is no noticeable smoke or smell coming from the exhaust. I know that diesel is leaking into the coolant system because as I'm driving the coolant over fill spills out while I'm driving. I have heard some suggestions from other people, but I'm wondering what you guys may think it is? Also how hard is it to replace the injectors in the 7.3? Any special tools needed or can it be done in the driveway?

[POWERSTROKER1]

Can you see diesel in the degas bottle? If so its more than likely injector cups.

I just had this problem 2 months ago. the injector cups (not the injector itself)can develop hairline cracks allowing diesel into the coolant which ends up in the degas bottle, if it leaking bad enough to cause it to over fill, you have a big leak.

best way to find the cracked one(s) it to pull the injectors, get a lint free rag and wipe the injector bores clean, then and pressurize the cooling system. The one(s) that are cracked or leaking will have coolant down in the injector bore, the rest should be dry.

There are special tools required to remove and install an new cup. A large tap threads down into the cup and the tap itself is threaded down the center to accept the threads of a slide hammer. There is also a special driver that resembles an injector body to drive in the new injector cup.

I did not have those tools and had a hard time finding them around town, so in order to prevent me from doing damage to my own truck I had my truck towed to an injection shop to have the old cup removed and a new one installed.

Here is a write up on how to R&R injectors. I recommend you have a qualified shop do the actual injector cup replacement, everything else can be done in your driveway.

You will also need to change your oil before you fire the truck back up(after you get the injector cup(s) replaced), and do a coolant flush.

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Last edited by POWERSTROKER1 : 05-27-2008 at 02:00 PM.

[NCHornet]

I would pull your injectors and send them to a shop and have them rebuilt. Why just change the cups and O rings with 125K on them. Many have fixed this problem with just replacing the O rings as well. The way I look at it, they aren't the easiest buggers to get to, especially pass side, so why not have them rebuilt by a quality shop? Most injector shops will have rebuilt sets sitting on the shelf, send them your cores and they will send you rebuilt units so there is little down time.

NCH

NCH

[scagmanf350]

I have been debating that. Kind of short on money right now and I'm getting some weird price ranges on injectors. I have been bid $372 per injector - $119 per injector. I'm not sure who to believe/trust on the price. I have never had to do this. Any ideas of what kind of prices I should expect to pay?

[NCHornet]

Call Beans diesel or Blackcloud and they will have good quality injectors. $300 should be for brand new units from Ford. Stay away from the stuff on Ebay, you want to deal with a shop that has been doing this for awhile. I myself would do all eight while your in there, kinda like changing plugs on a gasser, doesn't make sense to change 1/2 of them.
Good luck

NCH

[POWERSTROKER1]

NCH Hornet, what o-ring will fail causing diesel to leak into the coolant?

And why get new injectors? what wrong with the ones he's got?

the first thing he needs to do is make sure he doesn't have a leaking injector cup.

[scagmanf350]

I found some rebuilt injectors for $119 that sound to good to be true? If there is a leak in the injector cup what would I do then or even know that is the problem.

[POWERSTROKER1]

as NCH Hornet said, injectors for these trucks go for about $300. $119 sounds fishy.

If you have a leaking or cracked injector cup, you must have it replaced.
The way I checked mine was to pull the injectors, wipe the bores clean, then pressurize the cooling system, the cups that are leaking will have coolant in the bores.

[scagmanf350]

Hmmm. I don't think I have the tools required to do this one on my own. I wish. I think I'm going to call around to some local shops and start pricing. Will I hurt the truck if I continue to drive it or just leak diesel/coolant everywhere (a mobile environmental disaster LOL)? It runs fine just fuel mileage is in the toilet.

[TurboSevenThree]

I changed out my #8 AD injector because it was failing. I got mine from eBay but it was a place called "Pensacola Fuel Injection Inc." in Florida. It is a reman. one and it was shipped to me, $12 for the 3 day shipping and $100 for the injector itself. They took a credit card number to have on file, I have 30 days to return the core otherwise they charge $75. And guess what it works! They had 100% positive responses and there were alot of them.