Fuel Leak Repair

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

Ok so I have a pretty steady leak coming from somewhere in the valley. And after searching I don't know how many HELP fuel leak! threads I have come to the conclusion there are just way to many possible candidates for a leak. So my idea is that since I am taking the fuel bowl out to find/stop the leak I am going to replace everything. So I am going to order the master o-ring kit for the fuel bowl as well as the seals for the fuel rail plugs(which aren't leaking but if Imma pay shipping I wanna have them laying around) the seals for the banjo bolt, and new hoses for all the lines. My question is, is there any need to order the pre-cut OEM style hoses that are offered, other than the obvious advantage of not having to cut them? They are 5-10 dollars for 2-3 inches of 3/8's fuel line that you can get for 1-2 dollars a foot from your FLAPS...... The only thing I have found is that they list it at 300 psi which I don't understand cause this is a mechanical fuel pump, is that really necessary? Maybe with a CP3 in a common rail but I can't imagine the mechanical pump supplying that much pressure. Can I just buy bulk 30-50 psi fuel line and save a bunch?

Sorry so long, also is there anything I have missed that I should get, or anything I need to know going in to this? I can't really find where the leak is coming from since I am at school I don't have any sort of mirror or way of really finding it, so I figured I would be proactive and just cut out as many options as I can.

Thanks in advance
Nick

Edit: I am gonna try and make sure it isn't coming out of the weep whole two while I have it running just in case I need to buy a fuel pump as well, I am just hoping replacing the major know leak spots will take care of it.

Biggreen96 · Oct 18, 2011

No you need to run fuel injection line due to the diesel. normal rubber lines will be eaten up by the diesel i believe.

SDS97_7.3 · Oct 18, 2011

When I replaced mine when I had to change the fuel pump, I just went to my international dealer and got 12" of fuel line.

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

So if I go to John Deere (my dad works there so I get a discount) and just get some 3/8 fuel line it should be fine as long as I get some rated for diesel fuel?

SDS97_7.3 · Oct 18, 2011

Thats all I did. Holding up just fine compared to the hard as a rock and splitting stock line

Tom S · Oct 18, 2011

It is also possible the bottom of your fuel bowl is rotted out.

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

Tom S said:
It is also possible the bottom of your fuel bowl is rotted out.

Don't say that! haha jk........I know, I'm hoping that I don't find that when I get in there. With a little luck it isn't the pump or the fuel bowl. but we shall see

thanks huys

chromehound · Oct 18, 2011

Are you 100% the leak is in the valley? The rubber insert that goes on line that feeds the head was so bad on mine that fuel was everywhere and I hunted all over until I just laid under the truck with a flashlight and by chance saw it spraying out.

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

Well I checked the back one on the passenger side and it was dry. You are talking about the plug on the head? And there is def a puddle in the valley, so I'm assuming it's coming from the fuel bowl/fuel pump region. One or more of the like twenty possibilities. I just can't get a real good look at it, and it is rather intermittent like one day I will have a huge spot under the pickup and the next few days I will try to park places that don't have spots, and it will be dry the next time I come out to start it so idk.......

Biggreen96 · Oct 18, 2011

No hes talking about where your fuel lines go into the back of the head

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

Oh I'll have to check that out......... I felt all around the back of the passenger side head though and didn't feel any diesel......... the valley does have a puddle in it though, but maybe it could be coming from the line and running down into the valley, then running back and down the bell housing idk

chromehound · Oct 18, 2011

Mine was where the steel line attached to the back of the passenger side head to supply the fuel feed and caused a big leak. Another thought - have you inspected your filter? More than once on two of my PSDs the O-ring on the filter wouldn't seat just right and would work its way out just enough to cause major leakage but was hard to see until I really looked it over.

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

chromehound said:
Mine was where the steel line attached to the back of the passenger side head to supply the fuel feed and caused a big leak. Another thought - have you inspected your filter? More than once on two of my PSDs the O-ring on the filter wouldn't seat just right and would work its way out just enough to cause major leakage but was hard to see until I really looked it over.

See I think I had that happen before...... It was leaking fuel shortly after I bought it I changed the fuel/air/oil everything you do w/e and shortly after it was leaking fuel...... So I took the filter back out and checked it over and put it back in then actually torqued it with a tq wrench thinking maybe I just didn't get it tight enough not wanting to over tighten it. and the leak went away until now....... might wanna check that again, but it would be weird for it to do it after I torqued it down idk I'll check it again

Thanks I had forgotten about that till you said something

chromehound · Oct 18, 2011

Hope it's something that simple because I'm outta ideas aside from what was covered.

FWIW: my '01 did it to me on 3 seperate occasions, twice right after I changed the filter and the other on took a couple of weeks and a few miles to do it and I tend to tighten things more than they need to be by accident most times.

94.5stroker · Oct 18, 2011

Yeah me too that would be great if it was something simple........ And now that I think about it I did tighten it a little bit by hand right after I started smelling fuel, but before it started leaving puddles. Maybe when I snugged it up it made the oring slip even more out of place and that's why I started getting more of a leak? :shrug: I will drain the bowl down and take the filter loose check the oring and maybe put a little fuel on it to make sure it is good and lubed up....... then try to somehow dry the valley and see what happens I guess...... I'll prolly go ahead and order the orings for everything on the top of the motor(fuel wise) since I need to get some y-pipe boots before I blow one of em up, they look like orange marshmallows haha... I hate paying shipping for 10 dollars worth of stuff...... two birds one stone haha

94.5stroker · Oct 23, 2011

Ok so I drained the bowl today to take the filter out...... when I did it was fairly dirty, but not black black so I kinda checked the o-ring and tried to find the screen they always talk about cleaning with a q-tip.(still not sure if I got the right one, I'm gonna have to search it more but it seems to idle better prolly just my imagination through who knows) After that I put it back together thinking I would get a filter soon at work, once I did I started it up and it just started pouring fuel so I figured I must have forgot to close the valve. Checked it and it was closed and it was pouring out bad, so I went and bought a new filter little different style then the one I had so idk. It's a Wix filter that is under the car-quest brand so should be a decent filter idk. With the new filter it just barley drips, so I am hoping that it is just the fuel that had yet to drip down off the motor, and it isn't leaking at all. Time will tell but I had to come up to school to study for an exam tomorrow, so I will have to wait till later to check it. (Fingers crossed)

fatsix · Oct 23, 2011

Bevel side up on the filter gasket. My father in laws was leaking today, it had a flat spot in the gasket. And don't be afraid to crank it down.

Powerstroked162 · Oct 23, 2011

Wash the valley out when you get home with a garden hose if you can. It will help you see if you still have a leak after its all cleaned out and sits overnight.