Potential Engine repair/replacement avoided!!

Ever since this past September the mileage on our 7.3L Excursion has gradually dropped dropped and dropped to about 12 MPG which we have never seen before since we took delivery of our Excursion brand new.We're accustomed to filling once a month to where we're down to every 2-3 weeks but we knew something was definitely going on and we had to resolve this before it went any further.-popcorn

Since around October the injector noise and an unusual sound in cylinder detonation has been on the increase so I did the standard procedures of adjusting fuel pressure,modifying additive amounts/cocktails added to fuel,changing the 6637 filter,adjusting programming,changed the oil early(5,000 miles),checking Ambient and Charge air sensors that they're intact and clean,no boost leaks,kept the fuel level in the tank full,changing fuel suppliers,so on and so forth,yadda yadda yadda.

I had come to my wits end along with my poor wife worn of me constantly analyzing this and that with the truck I was getting close to cutting the Excursion loose but last week after discussing at length with Dennis at ITP about the increased injector and detonation noise I decided to eliminate the new high tech 15PPM ULSD fuel altogether and fill the truck with B20 BioDiesel.

Sunday morning I cruised to one of the DFW B20 stations(21 miles away) and topped off the tank with 22 gallons since I had more than a half tank to start with but this had to be done.

On the ride back to Richardson I wasn't 2-3 miles down the road on Irving Blvd as I clearly noticed the injector noise reducing,engine vibration reducing,turbo whistle increasing,shift points lowering and everything pretty much associated with an engine running higher quality fuel.:tu:

The results in my case is the new ULSD 15PPM Diesel Fuel is to blame for the ULSD has virtually no lubricating properties for the 7.3L Diesel Engine to properly run and perform as designed back in the 1990's.

I will continue to use only B20 Diesel Fuel and when available On Highway LSD 500PPM Diesel Fuel.

Off my soapbox thanks for listening

CHP

 

Your saga is no surprise to me. Glad B20 cleared everything up.

 

Hey Richard,yep I'm told that there's many many other PowerStroke owners everywhere with very similar issues,hopefully my experience and resolve will pass along to the next guy

 

that's great Bill. I bet the EPA and the fuel companies would claim their fuel had nothing to do with it though. I will certainly keep adding bio to mine! I can't wait for the engine failures to start mounting up and the mass claims against the makers to start.

 

Hey Bill, glad to hear you found your solution to their problem. I thought that the additives we add to our X's had the lubricating properties that were needed running ULSD, but it looks like all the additives can not make up for the ULSD. I have been running B20 and additives also, so I am glad you let me know to stay away from ULSD.

Did your MPG's go back up yet, have you had time to check it.-popcorn

 

Sounds like a great solution, but with the nearest Bio being a 45 minute drive for me what can I look into doing??

 

I should have the mileage numbers in a couple weeks and will be sure to post those numbers.

With the amount of B20 that went in to a half full tank I'll guesstimate we're actually at B10 but one things for sure the 7.3L's overall new performance from start up,to acceleration,to engine noise,smooth idle,etc has been amazing!

 

Check with one of your closest Truck stops and check the On Highway Fuel pumps where all the Tractor Trailers fill and see if they're labeled as ULSD 15PPM Fuel or Low Sulfur 500PPM Fuel.

Try and get the Low Sulfur 500PPM fuel as it has just enough of the lubricating properties our 7.3L's require.

My trip to the B20 pump is about 30 mins but it costs less than a set of injectors or and engine for that matter
Look for the below decal on the pump

 

bill
great story.. where is this station?? seeing as i am always in rockwall lately or over off lovers and hillcrest. i could fill up
thanks