02 F-150 CNG leak

[new2cng]

Just bought an 02 F-150. It has a CNG leak somewhere near the pressure reg and the "service engine soon" light on. I'm investigating repairing the leak. There don't seem to be many options. 63.5 cent per gal seems great but if it costs $1,000 to fix twice a year or more, not cost effective.

[cngaz]

Re: reliability

I think you will come out ahead, but if you are only doing it for the money, you may come out behind too.
Most of us like to save money, but we're in it for more than that.

[Idarusskie]

Re: reliability

why should it cost you 1000 to fix the leak? gets some snoop and look for the leak yourself. Then when you take it in you will now what it will cost. Snoop is soapy water for those that do not know. This is what they use when they work on your furnace. You will want to do this in a well ventilated area. If the leak is so large that you don't have any CNG left then use nitrogen. Never air. air plus natural gas = boom boom.

[Curtis]

Re: reliability

Just for informational purposes, natural gas can't burn except in a very narrow air/fuel ratio, about 5%-15%. Fill a room from floor to ceiling with methane and you couldn't light a match and get it to burn... although you'd likely suffocate from a lack of oxygen. Methane also has about twice the ignition temperature (about 1100 degrees) of gasoline (300-600 degree's), thereby making it harder to ignite.

Take all due precautions and use of soapy water is an easy way to determine the source of a leak. I wouldn't suggest the repair is beyond you, but even over tightening a loose fitting can result in damage to the fitting that requires more expense to replace. Just proceed with caution and use common sense.

[new2cng]

Re: reliability

The leak appeared to be at the pressure regulator. I was told that the reg cost upwards of $1000. The leak turned out to be 2 o rings and a copper washer. it was on 2 different stainless steel lines at the reg. Whoever serviced it before used the wrong size copper washer. It cost me $16 in Starbucks coffee. It removed the "service engine soon" light until I turned it on to CNG. It stills idles rough on CNG it ran strong on the freeway at 70 mph for about 12 miles then cut out. I have now taken it to the local FORD dealer to check the codes, but that is usually the starting point for "lets try replacing this".

[new2cng]

Re: reliability

already did that. The $1000 is just a general number that I threw out because when a dealer seems to get involved I hear the cash register ring.

[Idarusskie]

Re: reliability

That is one thing I have noticed. You almost have to fix things yourself because the dealers do not always know what they are doing.

Is there anyway to send the regulator back to be rebuilt?

[TheBundo]

Re: reliability

Maybe you can fix it with that stuff Billy Mays sells

[ajgiorgi]

Re: reliability

Oxyclean or the hardwood floor cleaner. lol.

[TheBundo]

Re: reliability

Oxyclean or the hardwood floor cleaner. lol.

The magic putty junk, puts it on a copper pipe, leak gone. Yeah, that'll work for a long time

[John Mitton]

Re: reliability

Title clarified and moved to the Ford forum.
Folks, please be more descriptive in your new thread titles