2002 F 250 7.3 diesel fuel leaking from bell housing when turning over and will not start. What and where could be the problem?

 

The leaks are 'usually' generated topside.. Look into the engines intake 'valley' and you should see raw fuel collecting there,,it then makes it's way towards the back of the block and exits on the right side of the valley and on down onto the starter/bellhousing, and appears as a leak from the bellhousing.. The fuel filter/water separator is most often the leaking point or can be one of the fuel lines to/from the separator.. Possibly the filter/separator drain (yellow lever) as well, but will usually bleed fuel but still start.. A leak severe enough to cause a no start should be easy to see during a key cycle, or crank attempt.. Be careful around the fuel...

 

hayapower, thanks for the reply, but there is no fuel collecting on the top of the valley and also is dry around the fuel filter. Was told by a relitive that a rubber o ring around the fuel lines entering the heads may be leaking. But felt around with engine cranking and could not see anything or feel anything.

 

Be careful there buddy, you are heading down a path that can have a catastrophic ending, as happened to me when the gas supply lines to my throttle body came loose enough to allow a fairly good size leak to start.....engine purrs like a kitten for about 10 seconds and then Boooom, your neighbors have their normal boring day made eventful.

Now if I understand the basic fuel process flow, when you have your ignition set to run, but not started that puts the fuel system in the ready and you should have fuel pressure to your lines so you can begin the process of tracing from your tank all the way through to the engine? What worries me here is that if the supply is leaking enough that you can't even get a start? Seems like a lot of diesel getting out out your system, so please be careful there.

 

The steel lines from the filter/separator to each headare the fuel supply to the heads.. The right head (passenger side) connection is at the back of the head, the left head connectionis in the front area.. There are also cylinder head fuel galley drain plugs at the rear of 'each' head that should be checked.. How bad is the leak in avolume? Drip, streamect. Take an inspection mirror and look at the back of the heads for any leaks, or bottom sidefor any fuel tracking on downfrom that area as well..

 

sounds like hayapower has you covered on all of the places to check for a fuel leak-but no matter how severe the fuel is leaking the engine should still start-i have had many trucks brought in to my shop with the steel- housing to head lines split(really bad fuel leak) and the truck still starts and runs-if you turn the key to the on position you should see the fuel leak dripping from somewhere-sounds like you have more than one problem,mark.

 

ok, we got fuel to the filter, with lots of pressure, still leaks when only turning over, not with key in run postion, can still find no spot where fuel is running out of lines, did find tranny seperating from block must tighten bolts, it is coming from passenger side of block,but time for a repair manual or something. freaking -10 outside and cant push the heavey sob into the shop. The line in back does not look or feel like it is leaking though will try again later today if it worms up.

 

hi, lets see -the fuel system on this particular truck is electrical not mechanical-so if you turn on the key andthere is a fuel leak you will see and find it -since it doesn't leak until you turn it over the only place i can think of where fuel can leak out (in the locationyou say it is leaking) could be from the turbo boost tube on the passenger side -which would most likely be a bad injector on the right side that is dumping way too much fuel and it is dripping from the poor seal on the upward turbo boost feed pipe-other than that i am at a loss where it could be originating from?,mark.