bucking at 40

[bumpweLL]

Thanks in advance!
I recently acquired a 2000 e450 7.3 powerstroke (my 1st diesel) for my bread route. In anticipation of something bad i joined the forum. Very informative!
The last couple of days were not hard but harder than usual starting, it would chug and buck at times or just go from steady idle to plain stop. Today I had real issues. It took quite a few takes to get it going. Then it would choke, bog and even stall (2x) after around 40mph at running temp. No high end power all day. Foot off the gas, she most likely catches up. Good enough to get back to the lot. Idled ok when I last saw her.
Going on a few reads, I removed the air filter housing and opened the fuel bowl and it looked like toilet water in there. The gas was warm and thin, no sign of debris or clump. I couldnt get the filter out of the housing though, is there a trick to that without breaking it. It was all filth though and needs replacement. The outer screen was brown. Now, the funny thing is, I got a good deal on the truck because it had a fuel leak, I got it fixed and supposedly it was bad o-rings in the fuel/water drain line, so Im hesitant to play with that. He said it works as a pump? Is there any other way to drain the water?
I will also get to the filter underneath the bed, and freshen the oil while im at it, and if it fails ill try the bandit CPS.
Also while playing inside I noticed that oil must be coming up the breather hose because theres some in the intake tubing and some buildup in the turbo. Is that bad?

[Tyler]

I think the fuel filter just unscrews if I'm not mistaken but hell, I haven't changed mine in..... when was Nixon president?

Your problem could be water in the fuel from those bad orings. Water will sit either ontop of the fuel or at the bottom of the fuel in the fuel bowl, I can't remember if its heavier or lighter than diesel fuel. It will look like brown mercury rolling around.

Be sure to keep up on them oil changes as well, your HPOP depends on you! Bad oil = Bad truck.

The oil in the intake tubing is totally normal. Its crank case pressure being blown into the intake and sometimes some oil comes with it. Nothing to worry about here

[bumpweLL]

I tried to get everything together but I could only find the fuel/water separator for the bowl (wow 40bux for the Motorcraft!), and I couldnt find the filter that sits underneath. It wasnt even listed. I guess Ill pull it and go back to the store to try and match it. If anything should I try submersing it in some PS 911?
I went with 15w40 Rotella. Another thing is that the batteries look pretty fresh but the truck always registers ~12v both cold and running. Also my oil pressure gauge reads around 75-80% all the time, it doesnt fluctuate with rpm's. It that normal?

[Tyler]

I would only use 911 is the filter is gelled.

Good choice on oil, can't go wrong with Rotella.

You should be getting like 14.5V or so running, alternator could be going weak.

Your oil pressure gauge is a waste of space, they never read true values.

[bumpweLL]

this is awesome, she started running smooth again. But I abused the starter so much over the last couple of days that it pooped out. I will learn from my mistakes.
Thanks again

[Tyler]

Your welcome, stay aruond and never think twice about asking.