horrible fuel leak..fuel in the valley....where to start?????

[slayerf250]

2002 7.3 4x4

yesterday I noticed a "diesel" smell while at a red light...today I let my truck run for about 15 minutes and went out a looked under it...OMG !!!!! terrible diesel leak!!! it was disguised as an oil leak because it was coming from the dust cover between the engine and tranny...turned the truck around so the back of the engine was sort of on a down-hill grade and it got worse!!!!! leaking was so bad that diesl was running down the the top of the tranny and looked like it was coming from the back corner of the tranny....

valley has diesel in it, back of the fuel filter appears to be dry....

it has to be coming from the top somewhere, leaking down across the back of the block and across the tranny....

truck runs like a new one...I just cant locate the dang leak!!!!!!! filled up about a 6 oz glass in about 5 minutes, so I know she's pouring...just stumped on where to look...

any help would be appreciated:confused :

[slayerf250]

update.....

climbed over the top of the engine with it running....confirmed the valley has diesel in it...lots of diesel!!!!! especially under the turbo....it has a big pool of diesel in the back....checked for a leak around the fuel filter...none found....completely dry....cant see anything leaking into the valley.....opened the drain on the fuel filter and it poured onto my driveway, but it leaked from a differnt location( about halfway back on the passenger side)....

reached as far under the fuel filter assembly as possible and it appears dry...

with a leak this bad it would seem like it should stand out like a sore thumb!!!!

again...any input would be appreciated

[stroked00]

Chances are its the o-ring for the seperator drain. I had the same problem with mine and went to Ford and they said it was a common problem. I think the parts were like $15-20 bucks, cant remember for sure. It came with a new o-ring and a new yellow lever for the drain.

[BigKid]

Originally Posted by stroked00

Chances are its the o-ring for the seperator drain. I had the same problem with mine and went to Ford and they said it was a common problem. I think the parts were like $15-20 bucks, cant remember for sure. It came with a new o-ring and a new yellow lever for the drain.

My 02 had this same issue.

[slayerf250]

nope...leak not coming from the fuel/water seperator.....dried the valley completely and started the truck and the fuel starts filling the valley somewhere from under the y-pipe...valley near the filter stays dry.....fuel starts filling the valley from the rear and moves forward...starting to suspect the fuel return line that connects to the rear of the head on the passenger side

[slayerf250]

problem ended up being the fuel line on the passenger side(from filter to head)...it actually had 2 holes rubbed in it..one pin hole and the other a good sized one near the bracket that holds it in place........all is good!!!!