Why does my diesel truck die when I'm driving?

60

Asked by Laurie Sep 15, 2014 at 01:03 AM about the 1984 Ford F-350

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 1984 Ford F350 Diesel truck. Has 6.9 motor. Truck starts okay and will idle all
day long. But as soon as I start to drive anywhere it acts like it's running out of fuel and
dies. I made sure there was fuel in tank.  I have changed filters and fuel lines, replaced
fuel pump. I have tried everything I can think of, to no avail. Help please???

23 Answers

62,665

Dam! Those are simply diesel engines. I've had that engine and it was a bit under powered but reliable and easy to work on. When my fuel pump went, I replaced it with a generic electric pump from Auto Palace. ( I'm dating myself lol) As for your problem, I'm still learning towards the fuel system. But what and where....... Is it possible that there's a pin hole leak? Mine was in a 1981 I think. What are your thoughts on that? I am going to think about this one.

7 people found this helpful.
62,665

Something just came to my beedie little brain. Gas ( fuel ) Cap. Have you changed it lately? Just for grins and giggles take it off and see if that helps.

3 people found this helpful.
62,665

Air Filter? Fuel shut off switch? Water separator? Humm?!?! It's something goofy like that. Hummmmmmm!

4 people found this helpful.
60

Already tried the gas (fuel) cap, air filter, fuel shut off switch. So now I'm trying other fuel tank. I agree it has to be something goofy. Never had a problem before. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.

2 people found this helpful.
62,665

Was the fuel pump put in by someone who knows what they are doing? Like I said before, my pump was mechanical and I replaced it with a electric Auto Palace off the shelf one.

5 people found this helpful.
60

Putting in an electric fuel pump now. Wish me luck.

3 people found this helpful.
60

Haven't been able to work on it yet. Sure hoping that fixes it.

1 people found this helpful.
62,665

Me to! I did the "Fuel Pump Dance" but there's a typhoon just north of me and I'm not sure if it worked. ( I live in the Philippines)

4 people found this helpful.
70

Did you figure it out? My 94 7.3 IDI is doing the exsct SAME thing... ?????

7 people found this helpful.
195

Hey Laurie, I have a 1988 f350 and I have the same trouble. I fix it and I will promise myself if someone have the same trouble I will tell :D. If all your trouble did'nt fix answer me. Ivs been working very hard for month and half to find the answer by myself

7 people found this helpful.
60

I am having the same exact problem 1989 Ford F-250 with a 7.3l Idi auto with run for hours in park but if I put in reverse or drive acts like its out of gas an starts to act out of gas and dies

6 people found this helpful.
30

Same issue 1989 F350 7.3 - love to hear the solution to this.

3 people found this helpful.
10

I've not had that problem in a truck yet. But I have had it a couple times in boats that I was delivering up the coast from LA or San Diego or San Francisco to San Francisco or Seattle, and even in Gasoline engines. Going slow the engine ran fine, but when speeding up the engine died. In most cases the vent line to the fuel tank(s) was/were partially clogged. In each case where there was main tanks and auxiliary tanks I found that running on an auxiliary tank instead of the faulty main temporarily solved the problem until I could get the boat to a mechanic with a compresser so that all the fuel lines could be blown out.

1 people found this helpful.
195

It could be your fuel pump or the mecanic fuel pump. Maybe you're pump vaccum who's blowing to much air and if you have to many miss fire or trouble shooting it might cause that. but for the fuel tank is dosent madder if it clogged, its only when you're about to fuel the tank it will be over flow even if you put 1/4 litter in it. Check you're fuel line from the valve selector whos distribute the fuel, taht could be clogged. Sorry its hard to find the trouble if im not see or hear the engine

3 people found this helpful.
10

Check your lift pump housing? More than likely it is a block in the housing.

1 people found this helpful.
30

It's the plastic filter on the bottom of the sending units fuel pick up tube inside the tank , I already had an electric fuel pump in line so when I checked my fuel filter and the pump flow gph was good along with IP pump as well , I took the inlet fuel line off the electric pump and blew air back by mouth into the tank , then pulled a siphon to get fuel back in the line before hooking it back to the pump, started driving and it happened again, eventually made it home to drop the fuel tank down and find that plastic filter busted up and lodging in the line.

3 people found this helpful.
80

I have a 2004 Ford f350. I have that same problem. It'll run good but as soon as I slow down or sit idle in traffic, it dies out. My fuel tank is full and I just did an oil change. I need help?!

7 people found this helpful.
25

I had an air intrusion ( hole where it sucks in air) in my fuel line in between the tank and engine. Its a little tricky to find because fuel normally does not come out. I wrapped a little electrical tape on it a year and a jalf ago and no problema still. It was hard to keep it from dying with the hole, you have to keep on the gas and control the other manual pedal and brakes. Goodluck guys

2 people found this helpful.

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