Need HELP ! --- Truck 6.0 choked & DIED today--- Fuel Filter related?

[cliffsuperduty]

Well, it started well enough: trying to beat the cold weather into the Houston area, I quickly changed my fuel filters before the frigid weather blew in. Started it, moved it and parked it. Went to lunch (ran for 30 min.) came home parked it. Went back out this evening about 4pm, temps dropped from 74 deg. to 40 degrees. Started truck, ran about half a mile.....started running rough, choking, NO power. Died. Resuscitated multiple times (really overstressed the duty cycle on the starter I'm sure).....finally got back a few blocks from house and had wife come with her Chevy Silverado and towed me back home in traffic with all the Chevy boys annoyed and laughing I'm sure. Not sure what has happened and what to do next.

Here are the facts and what I propose. This is my first diesel and I do all my own stuff on all my vehicles, so I need some help to get this going so I have something to drive this weekend:

* 2005 6.0 has 19,000 mi. and never a problem
* I proactively changed the fuel filters realizing I was 4K mi. overdue; this morning about 9am
* Hurriedly changed them this morning minutes before the cold front hit....easily enough...motorcraft parts, changed o-rings etc...simple
* Based upon what I've read, you can expect white smoke and running rough after a filter change. This did NOT happen, as I drove it for about 5+ miles.....slowly to warm it up....idled in a drive through for about 10 min. On the way home after it warmed up I gave it some throttle-- 2500-2800 rpm.....SEEMED to lack a little power, but no rough idle or anything
* Parked it.......about noon
* Came back out at 4pm.....drove about a 1/2 mile and it started 'running on a couple cylinders'....still no smoke....
* FINALLy got it restarted 3 different times and got it back close to house and decided it tow it rest of way rather than burn up the starter.
* Does NOT start and die, start and die......almost completely dead....seemed as though I was lucky to get it started a couple times
* Everything very tight, no leaks....
* Parked in street awaiting my attention tomorrow

HELP !!!!!

What I propose for tomorrow once it warms up, unless some of you more experienced, smarter folks have other ideas:

* Take the cap off the engine filter and check for fuel
* Take the water plug out of the frame filter and let fuel drain
* See if it runs....and for how long
* If it still fails--- take the filters out and see if something is obvious
* If it still fails--- back out my Superchip if I can get it running
* Tow to Ford

Why is such a simple procedure, which the Ford supposedly has a 'auto-air purge' system for, so finicky? Or did I do something wrong or overlook something. I'm very blown away that it took so long to fail after changing the filters. COULD the cold weather have anything to do with it? I've had it over a year and it would be a WEIRD coincidence for this to be something different or more serious. It really appears like a fuel delivery problem.

Help !!! Need your guidance and experience,

Thanks in advance,
Cliff

2005 Crew, FX4, Red, Lariat, Airaid, Superchip, Rotella Syn 5-40W

[Sushibar]

I personally changed 10 fuel filters in mine, always started right away with no smoke....just like normal. I am a DIY'er. I've had other things wrong but never after changing a FF.
Sounds like other problems. Make sure your tank is over a 1/4 tank. Anyone else? Always used MC/Racor Filters.

[Richter69]

be sure the filter cap on the bottom is fully seated, if not it will suck air and do as you have stated. Hope the pump is not smoked.

[DRJ48]

[ QUOTE ]
be sure the filter cap on the bottom is fully seated, if not it will suck air and do as you have stated. Hope the pump is not smoked.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree the lower filter cap can seem like its tight when you install it, but you have to make sure its fully seated or it can suck air. I have not experianced it in my 4 filter changes, but I have read about it happening on this site several times.

[GrampyJim]

It get's "cold" in Houston???

Temperature skyrocketed today... all the way up to 0F... Kinda nice since I had to work outside for part of the AM...

[Texrob1]

Yes it does get cold in houston. I woke up this morning to 34F. We even see it in the 20's occasionaly. That's cold down here!!

[cliffsuperduty]

So THANK YOU for your inputs..... Your guidance was correct:

* I followed my troubleshooting flow as I layed out
* The engine filter cup was about half full
* I first tightened the frame filter, realizing that when first did it that it was very tight but I could see a slight 'gap' between the housing and cap. Afraid to strip or break the plastic cap I used 'good' judgement on the torque
*NOTE: the engine filter says right on it: 14 nM of torque, but WHATEVER the torque on the frame cap you could not get a torque wrench in there anyway !
* After trying all my tricks I completely took the frame filter out. I wound up 'hand fitting' the filter into the housing first. As opposed to clipping it in the cap and then installing. I got a feel for how the filter fits and rotates (not round and round, rather only 360 degrees due to a tab on the end of the filter. After playing with that and feeling like I finally had it seated
* I reinstalled the cap and screwed it tightly until it made full contact with the filter housing (which it did not do the last time)
* No more chugging, only some initial roughness for about a minute or less and then very smooth......let it idle for a long time, ran it around the block and power was THERE now!
* I COULD be fooling myself but I am certain this was the problem and it's not easy with out light and guidance on how the cap must fit. It was as tight as I could get it, and must have been how the filter was seated, keeping me from seating the cap all the way

I'm sure Ford would/could have solved my problem with a set of injectors and a fuel pump, but this was much easier (on the wallet) ;-)

Thanks for taking the time,
Cliff

[Saskford]

[ QUOTE ]
* After trying all my tricks I completely took the frame filter out. I wound up 'hand fitting' the filter into the housing first. As opposed to clipping it in the cap and then installing. I got a feel for how the filter fits and rotates (not round and round, rather only 360 degrees due to a tab on the end of the filter. After playing with that and feeling like I finally had it seated
* I reinstalled the cap and screwed it tightly until it made full contact with the filter housing (which it did not do the last time)


[/ QUOTE ]
I had the exact same problem the last time I changed the filters. If I snapped the filter into the cap it was virtually impossible to screw the cap on. When I put the filter in the housing first the cap went on easily. The Ford filter has a tab on it that seems to catch on something in the housing preventing it from turning. When I snaped the filter in the cap it also did not want to turn freely in the cap. I used Fram filters the last time and did not have this problem.
Gary