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Someone please explain something to me

789 views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  lcducote 
#1 ·
I had some reeeeeaaaal fun with my truck today. First off it's a bone stock 01 F250 7.3. This happened a time before but it was a much easier fix the first time. So the first time i ran the fuel a little to low, plus it happened to be one of those 65 degree days in the middle of winter so i know condensation had to have formed in the tank. So it was sputtering like crazy, luckily i was passing a gas station with diesel. Fill her up and it took a few miles for it to clear up no problem. Well today was a whole other story.

Being the dumbass i am i let it get to low again, started sputtering and i was able to limp it onto a side street. Luckily my wife was following me since we were looking at houses. So i go to the gas station and grab a can and fill it up with 2.5 gallons. Went back and threw that in. I had a feeling it wouldn't do much and it didn't. So after 6-7 trips to the gas station i had close close to half tank. I took the fuel filter off to drain whatever was in there and replace it with fresh fuel but the god damn seal swelled and there was no getting that back on. So another trip to get a fuel filter. I'm thinking this has got to work now.....NOPE. Still won't start, it's not even trying. So i go back to the store, grab some oil since it was a tad low, some diesel 911 and some ether. Yeah yeah your gonna crucify me using ether but without it i'd still be sitting there. Believe me i used it sparingly. So basically after 4 hours of running around to the gas station and auto parts store i finally got it started.
It was running really rough, i was able to drive it slowly around the sub division hoping to clear it up. It took a good 5-6 miles of driving before it cleared up.

The question is am i doing something wrong here. As soon as it gets a tad warmer i'm draining that tank dry, i'm not going through this crap again.

Any insight would be appreciated.
 
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#3 ·
Next time don't try to start it right off. You need to cycle the key several times until the fuel bowl fills up and then try and start it. It sometimes takes a little while to get all of the air out
 
#4 ·
So is that just what it is, cycling the air out?

I did turn the key a few times to cycle the fuel a couple of times. I'm not a newb to cars but i am a diesel newb i'll admit that. I road race cars, build custom trail buggies yadda yadda so i'm no novice, i was just curious if i was missing something. If it's that simple than i'm happy, haha i'll stop trying to stretch that low fuel light.
 
#6 ·
Yep, that's it. It takes a little longer on our trucks sometimes than a gasser. Just from doing my fuel pump, I had to cycle the key 4 times to get it to start pumping again.
 
#7 ·
it doesnt matter what u do... if u run it out it is goin to act funny until all the air is out of the line.. i did this to an old 99 i had and filled it up and was drivin down the road just fine.. hit an air bubbl ein the line and knocked the truck out cold.. lol. let it sit for about 3 hours on the side of the street came back cycled it 3 times craked and drove it home like it never happened.. so just dont run ur truck out of gas... that would be the best solution.
 
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