[wrenchbreaker]

Recently my motor has started this random rough idle after getting on the freeway, after about 5-10 minutes of driving over 50 mph. The motor begins this rough idle and then looses power to where I have to pull off to the side. At an idle it's still way rough, shaking the truck. After sitting for about 15-30 minutes I hit an exit and drive about 25-35 mph and shortly thereafter goes back to normal.
Yesterday, it started again...Thinking maybe the cat. coverter was clogged, so I cut it off...Ran fine ( just could hear the torbo whistle now). Later, I had to park on a steep incline facing downhill. When I came back about an hour later, I noticed a stream of fuel running down the hill, dripping off the lower center pully. I couldn't see where else it was leaking from, but still ran fine after that, (about an hour more of driving, never went over 45 mph).
Today, drove about 15 minutes and heard a strange metal grind from the motor, and then again about 10 minutes later. Came home, popped the hood, oil is fine but a little white smoke coming from the dip stick (while idling). I ran it for about 5 minutes at about 1500 rpm, seems fine. While parked flat, just a very slow drip of fuel, right in front of the axle, about 4 inches right of center ( almost hard to notice). Engine valley is dry.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...Thanks guys!!

 

[CoalRollinRoosterCruiser]

how bout some info on the truck? Year, motor, mods, etc. etc.

 

[wrenchbreaker]

Sorry, got a little anxious...It's a 1997, f350, 4x4, 7.3 L, fully stock minus the cat. converter that I just removed
-Thank's Frank

 

[REDPOWERSMOKER]

CHECK YOU DRAIN VALVE ON YOUR FUEL BOWL IVE SEEN HOSES ATACHED TO THEM SO THEY DONT DRAIN INTO THE VALLEY

 

[CoalRollinRoosterCruiser]

also, when was the last time you changed your fuel filter?

 

[wrenchbreaker]

Yea, I've got a hose on mine, and it's dry...

 

[wrenchbreaker]

Fuel filter changed about two months ago...

 

[wrenchbreaker]

I guess one of my main concerns would be the grind that occur twice today within about 20 minutes... They were too short to tell much, but confident it will occur again...Would any of these symptoms suggest a bearing going bad somewhere?

 

[SMKSTAX]

Do you have a 5 speed or automatic?

 

[wrenchbreaker]

it's an auto

 

[RobW]

Since you couldn't find the leak, did you pull the dipstick to see with certainty that fuel wasn't in your oil? If that happened, you'll have a really clean internal setup, and prolly a wasted set of bearings. An internal leak could be catastrophic in short order. I dount that's your problem so far... But you may also check your coolant reservoir to be sure nothing else is in that. Sometimes a bad seal can cause oil to get into the coolant. I suspect that would be caused at the turbo.

 

[SMKSTAX]

it's an auto

Well there goes my thought. If it was a 5 speed i was going to say the grinding was your dual mass flywheel. Oh well.

 

[wrenchbreaker]

I'm not sure what fuel in the oil would look like...but all I can say is that it looked like clean oil. I do, and have had a few oil leaks for a few years- the rear main seal, oil pan (from salt) and the turbo tends to get oily on the housing. The motor has about 144 k miles on it, was replaced several years ago at the dealer w/ about 60k on it, they installed a new long block at that time. I will check the coolant for oil...

 

[wrenchbreaker]

Well, I checked the coolant reservoir, looks like it could use a good flushing, some crap on the bottom and kinda dirty green- but I'm not sure that I would call it oily...the grime was brown off the bottom, rubbed it in my hand then wiped it off and no oil residue left behind...if that made any sense?

Question: If I were to change the oil, should I find some metal in it, if I did loose the bearings?

 

[RobW]

Nope, no coolant system leak based on those findings. I mean, unless you're blind!:nod:

Was the oil recently changed? If not, maybe it looks clean because it's "watered down" with diesel fuel. I kinda doubt it. If it's within the usual level on the dipstick, you're alright there too.

Maybe check your flexplate for tightness. That's not common, but it recently happened to someone else I know. Grinding noise would come and go, never lasting long. Turned out to be loose... About 10 minutes and he was good to go. He took it to a local dealer, who lied to him, then directly to a transmission shop, who dianosed and repaired it promptly... And for free.:woot:

 

[RobW]

You'd prolly get pieces of metal if the bearings are bad... But you may see some anyway, but extremely small.

 

[wrenchbreaker]

Yea, this is a new grind just happened today, doesn't last more than a second or two. that's always the problem, it seems like unrelated things happen at the same time. Now I'm feeling dumb...what's the flex plate and where is it?
Don't know if it's worth also mentioning but, last month my trans was shifting erratic w/ the OD light flashing. I changed the speed sensor in the rear diff. and the problem went away...and I had just replaced it last fall for the first time. some things make no sense...

 

[RobW]

Flexplate = flywheel, but is the word used in automatic applications in standard vehicles. Bolts to the crank between the engine and torque converter. Funny though, the other guy I know asked the very same question.... So you're hardly alone.

 

[wrenchbreaker]

OK, so at least I know were not talking about a new space program, lol. I'll look into that tomarrow...

Thank's to all - Frank