2003 7.3 powerstroke leaking oil again

[kubota2234]

I have a 2003 Ford Powerstroke diesel that is leaking oil from the high pressure oil line off of the turbo again. I have been plagued with this problem for three years. I have took my truck to the Ford Dealership the past two times and they said that they had fixed this issue. I paid the warranty deductible both times proir to this one. NOw for the third time i contacted ford and well, I was told that i need to have it inspected again and i would be charged for the inspection and I would still have to pay to have this fixed AGAIN. The money is not the issue. My issue here is that why am i having to pay to have this "fixed" when in fact it has not been fixed? No one at Ford has even tried to assist me in making this right. I also started looking into Ford Customer Care on the internet and well there were very few good reviews compered to their bad ones. One of my friends who is a mechanic already diagnosed my problem for me and even when I explained this to Ford and what the problem is they acted like they didn't care. Other than having my friend fix the issue for me is there anything else I can do? Again my truck is a 2003 with only 85000 miles on it.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Find a new dealer. Really. My Ford dealer would do anything for me. He knows I buy a truck each year and my dad, brother-n-law, and about 20 friends and customers all buy Fords from him. I could cut the sales quickly with one bad experience.

I had this same problem my first time I owned a GM. I have since owned 2 others from different dealers. One was a good relationship and the other was so so. The worst vehicle I ever owned was a Dodge 2500 but the dealer was great. I had one particular part fail 6 times and they fixed it no questions asked. I will not ever buy another but anyone who wants one I would send them to the same Dodge dealer because the dealership was great, just not the product.

Chris

 

[Highbeam]

First thing is that you don't have a high pressure oil line to the turbo. At the turbo base there are O-ring seals connecting the turbo to castings, the oil comes up and goes back down through these castings. No oil line to the turbo. There are high pressure oil lines that connect to the heads but not the turbo.

 

[kubota2234]

Just repeating what the work order form from the past two times its been worked on from my ford dealership. Dont know but if there isnt a oil line there, what did they fix?

 

[soarkrebel1]

Here are a few website you can learn a little about your engine.

This one you can download the data.......Diesel Technician Society

Another....Diesel Technician Society

And some videos.....this guy knows powerstrokes!!!!!!!! POWERSTROKEHELP.COM - The Information Source for Ford Power Stroke Diesel Owners

 

[DieselPower]

Like Highbeam said, there are NO oil "lines" to feed the turbo on a 444E/7.3L Powerstroke, some have a EBV (exhaust back pressure valve) and some don't. Worked on many of them over the years as a Ford and International mechanic. There is a turbo pedestal and the turbo sets on top of that. There are o-rings that go between them and seal it. I have to wonder if their pinching the o-rings when they are setting the turbo back on the pedestal. It's a bugger to get back in there. Personally I always used Caterpillar o-ring assembly lube when doing jobs like that. It's a soy based lubricant much like grease. It's really good at holding o-rings and helps to keep them from being pushed out when your sliding the turbo back in.

This is what your turbo sets on and is the same from 1999.5 to 2003. The two holes in the top middle are where the o-rings go, one for supply one for return.

 

[Builder]

My 7.3's used to leak oil into the valley between the heads. It used to get 1-2" deep with oil if I let it go a couple months.

 

[kubota2234]

Well I dont know what it is, but like i said its been repaired two times and now when i tried to get it done the third......................Ford dont want to help when they are they ones who should have made it right to begin with.

 

[Duffster]

Are you sure it is leaking from the same place?

 

[Skyco]

One thing to check is the crankcase vent.
On my 96 Powerstroke I added an aftercooler to the turbo. Well the crankcase vent puts enough oil vapor into the system I had trouble blowing the large cooler hoses off under high boost. So I took the vent off the intake and routed a road draft hose back under the truck. Somehow it got a crimp in it putting the crankcase pressure a little high, it relieved itself by blowing oil out the turbo pedestal o rings into the valley. This is because one oil path up to the turbo is pressurized and one is a drain back to the block. If the crankcase pressure gets high the drain one can leak.
After undoing the crimp they sealed right back up. If your crankcase vent filter is restricted you could be experiencing the same thing. On the 96 their is a mesh filter inside the housing on the left valve cover, don't know about 99+.
Keep in mind IIRC there are o rings under the pedestal sealing to the block as well as on top of the pedestal sealing to the turbo. I wonder if they replaced both sets?

There are oil lines on the PSD but they feed oil to the heads under high pressure, could that be what is leaking? There are also o ring sealed oil galley plugs on the back of the heads that sometimes leak. There is an updated plug from International to cure that.

 

[Bill_C]

Unfortunately, I've found the dealers to be rather poor at diagnosing problems. IMHO they are largely just "parts changers"...a car comes in with some sort of problem, their manual just tells them to "change part X and charge them $Y". There's a big difference between "parts changers" and true "mechanics". Real mechanics will take a few minutes to methodically find out the problem.

The ONLY remedy (in my opinion) is to become a mechanic yourself. At current dealer rates, I can buy an awful lot of tools (and keep them) for the price of one dealer repair, when I do the work myself. Plus, I usually do the job right.

There's two good forums with lots of helpful info on our 7.3 Powerstrokes. Try www.thedieselsite.com as well as PowerstrokeNation.com ....Also go here Diesel Technician Society and download all of the articles on the 7.3 Powerstroke, starting with the 94 to 98 models (that'll give you an introduction to these motors, then the others show the changes on later years). I know, they're huge files, but quite a wealth of info...free.

 

[gengine]

Unfortunately, I've found the dealers to be rather poor at diagnosing problems. IMHO they are largely just "parts changers"...a car comes in with some sort of problem, their manual just tells them to "change part X and charge them $Y". There's a big difference between "parts changers" and true "mechanics". Real mechanics will take a few minutes to methodically find out the problem.

The ONLY remedy (in my opinion) is to become a mechanic yourself. At current dealer rates, I can buy an awful lot of tools (and keep them) for the price of one dealer repair, when I do the work myself. Plus, I usually do the job right.

There's two good forums with lots of helpful info on our 7.3 Powerstrokes. Try www.thedieselsite.com as well as PowerstrokeNation.com ....Also go here Diesel Technician Society and download all of the articles on the 7.3 Powerstroke, starting with the 94 to 98 models (that'll give you an introduction to these motors, then the others show the changes on later years). I know, they're huge files, but quite a wealth of info...free.

Try telling my wife I can buy a lot of tools for the cost of one repair! I'd have a lot to play with after replacing my clutch!

 

[Bill_C]

I'm fixing to upgrade my clutch and replace the dual-mass flywheel with a solid flywheel and South Bend Con OFE clutch. The clutch/flywheel will cost $900 plus tax or shipping; I bought the transmission jack for $105 at Harbor Freight. While I'm there I will replace the up-pipe donuts for $10.

By comparison, I've seen folks post that a stock clutch replacement at the dealer was in the $1700 to $2300 range.

 

[Highbeam]

Come on Bill, put in the bellowed up pipes from international and elminate the donut leaks forever.

 

[Dadsgreenpsd]

Check the plug on the rear bottom drivers side plug of the high pressure oil pump. They will sometimes come loose. Unfortunately, this usually entails replacement of the hpop. Been there, done that. But, it was a pretty drastic leak.

I, personally, won't have my truck at a dealer. I will, if forced, take it to an international dealer. They are much more familiar with the engine.

Also, check ford-trucks.com and go to the forums, then scroll down to the 99-03 section. There is a vendor who hangs out there who sells nothing but diesel o-rings. They are also a great source of further information.

I second the bellowed up pipe recommendation, even though that solution is expensive. Permanent fix, however.....

 

[Chuck K.]

First thing is that you don't have a high pressure oil line to the turbo. At the turbo base there are O-ring seals connecting the turbo to castings, the oil comes up and goes back down through these castings. No oil line to the turbo. There are high pressure oil lines that connect to the heads but not the turbo.

Took the words out of my mouth...

 

[Bill_C]

Come on Bill, put in the bellowed up pipes from international and elminate the donut leaks forever.

I wish I could afford them, I've got the old body style (OBS) and the bellowed up-pipes are $900. Ouch!!

 

[Highbeam]

Ouch! I wouldn't do it either then. The 99-2003 bellowed pipes are about half that much and I still wouldn't do it. Good luck with that clutch, I wish I had the 6 speed.

 

[ddivinia]

I have a 2003 Ford Powerstroke diesel that is leaking oil from the high pressure oil line off of the turbo again. I have been plagued with this problem for three years. I have took my truck to the Ford Dealership the past two times and they said that they had fixed this issue. I paid the warranty deductible both times proir to this one. NOw for the third time i contacted ford and well, I was told that i need to have it inspected again and i would be charged for the inspection and I would still have to pay to have this fixed AGAIN. The money is not the issue. My issue here is that why am i having to pay to have this "fixed" when in fact it has not been fixed? No one at Ford has even tried to assist me in making this right. I also started looking into Ford Customer Care on the internet and well there were very few good reviews compered to their bad ones. One of my friends who is a mechanic already diagnosed my problem for me and even when I explained this to Ford and what the problem is they acted like they didn't care. Other than having my friend fix the issue for me is there anything else I can do? Again my truck is a 2003 with only 85000 miles on it.

I feel your pain. I have a 2001 7.3 that had issues from day one. Oil leaks, glow plugs, water pump, brake line, etc. When the automatic trans shelled out on my at 50K miles i figured it was time for something different. Ford hosed me on some warranty stuff and I refused to buy another one. I went with a Dodge Ram 3500 - 70K miles so far and not a problem. With the status of the industry - I guess I should plan on driving my Ram for a very long time or start looking at Fords again.

I am convinced I got a dud. My Brother has a 2001 F-350 with the 7.3 - no real problems except the cam sensor.

D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I guess I should plan on driving my Ram for a very long time or start looking at Fords again.

I am convinced I got a dud. My Brother has a 2001 F-350 with the 7.3 - no real problems except the cam sensor.

D.

I believe you had a Dud. I had the same thing happen to me with my one and only GM Truck. Could not keep it together, including the Dmax everyone ranted and raved about. Walked less than 2 years later and lost my butt. Went to the supposedly awful 6.0 Ford and have not had a single issue. I now own two and they have only been in the shop once between the two of them and 65,000 miles. I had a 7.3 4x4 long bed and with the exception of the cam sensor it was never in the shop a day. I did do the normal maintenance stuff like put ball joints in it, brakes, changed the fluids, but it ran until a deer took it out at around 120,000 miles. I never even had a problem with the auto tranny which was supposed to be a weak point.

I also hear you on buying Fords. They done a lot of good for themselves by not needing a bail out in the public's eyes. I know they have had their issues but if they can stay strong I am sure they will shine at the end of all this..

I will not give another single cent to GM. I already pay enough in taxes and did not want to be in the car business but Obama wants all too, so we all are now partial owners. Government Motors will survive but I am sure many feel the same way I do. When the one GM product I have dies or I can sell it I will wash my hands of them for good.

Chris