2004 FORD E SERIES service

ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT
This booklet supplements your Owner Guide and is part of the owner’s
portfolio. It describes the operation of your natural gas vehicle (NGV)
and how it differs from a standard gasoline powered vehicle. Therefore it
is very important that you read this guide and thoroughly familiarize
yourself and others operating the vehicle with this information.
Some of the information in this supplement replaces certain instructions
in the Owner Guide. Please read this supplement carefully and
completely. Refer to the Owner Guide for complete vehicle information.
WARNINGS
Warnings remind you to be especially careful in those areas of the
vehicle where carelessness can cause damage to your vehicle or possible
personal injury to yourself, your passengers or others. Please read all
warnings carefully.
ABOUT THE WARRANTIES
The normal vehicle warranties will apply to your NGV. For further
information, refer to your Warranty Information Booklet.
Specified maintenance procedures must be followed. Repairs must be
made by trained personnel.
It is important that your NGV be properly maintained by qualified Ford
trained gaseous fuel service technicians. If a problem occurs, it is
important that properly trained personnel diagnose and repair the cause.
If the problem relates to the fuel system, proper part replacement is
imperative to keep your vehicle operating correctly. NGV fuel system
components and standard gasoline fuel system components are not
interchangeable. If your NGV is not maintained in accordance with
approved service procedures, damage may occur and your warranty may
be invalidated.
Any modification to the fuel system of your NGV voids the Ford New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Introduction
Introduction
2

COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) FUEL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG)
fuel system that is under high pressure.
Depending upon the application, the CNG fuel system is rated at a pressure
of 20,700 kPa (3,000 psi) at 21°C (70°F) or 24,800 kPa (3,600 psi) at
21°C (70°F). Refer to the label on the fuel filler door to determine the
fuel system pressure rating.
Use caution when servicing or maintaining any of the components of the
CNG fuel system.
Service to high-pressure fuel system components must be
conducted only at qualified dealerships by qualified technicians.
Failure to do so may cause damage to components or cause bodily
harm.
On F-150 Heritage natural gas vehicles,do not modify or replace the
bed with any non-OEM components. Should the bed need to be removed
for service or replacement, it should be done by a qualified dealership
using qualified technicians. Do not sit, stand or place heavy loads on the
in-bed or in-vehicle tank covers. Any bed cap added to this vehicle must
be well ventilated. Failure to provide adequate ventilation could result in
gas vapor build up over time potentially resulting in a combustible
mixture.
FUSES/ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
NGV fuse strategy may be different than a non-NGV. Consult theFuses
and Relayssection in theRoadside emergencieschapter of your
Owner’s Guide for differences.
Introduction
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ADAPTERS
DO NOTuse fuel receptacle adapters when refueling your vehicle.
The profiles of both the natural gas vehicle receptacle and the fuel
station nozzles are specified by ANSI/AGA NGV1-1994, CGA NGV1-M94.
These profiles are specified for compressed natural gas vehicles and fuel
stations for safety purposes. Three separate adapter profiles are
available. P24, P30 and P36 respectively, are specified for the three
different service pressures of 16,500 kPa (2,400 psi), 20,700 kPa
(3,000 psi) and 24,800 kPa (3,600 psi).
Your vehicle’s service pressure may be 20,700 kPa (3,000 psi) or 24,800 kPa
(3,600 psi), depending upon application. Refer to the label on the fuel filler
door:
• If your vehicle’s fuel system is rated at 20,700 kPa (3,000 psi), it can
be refueled using a P30 or P24 nozzle. However, use of a P24 nozzle
will result in an incomplete fill.
• If your vehicle’s fuel system is rated at 24,800 kPa (3,600 psi), it can
be refueled using a P36, P30 or P24 nozzle. However, use of a P30 or
P24 nozzle will result in an incomplete fill.
DO NOT over pressurize the CNG fuel system or damage to the
fuel system and possible personal injury may occur.
NATURAL GAS DISPENSING
Do not use liquefied natural gas (LNG) or a CNG that is derived
from a process such as flashing (heating LNG). Failure to use the
correct type of fuel may cause damage to the engine and fuel
system components.
Most dispensers have a digital indicator displaying the cost and amount
of fuel delivered to your vehicle. Fuel delivery to the vehicle is stopped
when the pressure of fuel stored on the vehicle equalizes with the
temperature compensated pressure of fuel stored at the station. As the
pressure between the station and vehicle equalizes, the cost and quantity
meters slow to a near stop. When this occurs, refueling is complete.
Certain noises can be expected during the refueling process and may
vary depending on the type of fuel station and your proximity to the fuel
compression and storage equipment. At the beginning of refueling you
might hear the rushing noise of gas entering the vehicle through the
station hose and tubing. At the end of refueling, the fuel receptacle on
the vehicle may make a high pitch noise or chatter. This is another
Servicing your vehicle
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SERVICING YOUR NATURAL GAS VEHICLE
Service to the CNG fuel system should be conducted at a
qualified dealership by a trained NGV technician only. Failure to
do so may cause damage to components or cause bodily harm.
FUELING
Do not fuel your vehicle with the ignition on the ON position. Failure to
do so may cause component damage.
Fueling a NGV, with a few exceptions, is very similar to fueling a gasoline
vehicle. The same care and cautions used when fueling a gasoline vehicle
should be exercised when fueling a NGV. In particular, for safety reasons,
an enginemustalways be turned off when refueling is occurring. Always
use the recommended fill nozzle to refuel your vehicle.
The fueling point, or fuel receptacle is located near the driver’s side.
When refueling, the enginemustbe shut off.
Two methods for filling the fuel tanks are available to NGV owners. The
fast-fill method, described below, is available at many of the commercial
and privately owned filling stations. The slow-fill method, also described
below, is available for purchase or lease from a number of commercial or
natural gas utility companies.
Fast fill procedure
“Fast-filling”a NGV involves rapidly (typical fill time: 3–5 minutes)
raising the pressure in the vehicle’s tanks by“fast-fill”refueling station.
“Fast-filling”a vehicle provides the greatest convenience to the driver in
terms of time spent refueling. However, present“fast-fill”refueling
technology does not presently allow a NGV to be completely refueled to
its maximum rated capacity. Therefore,“fast-filling”results in a reduced
driving range and an initial fuel gauge reading of Full. However, within
approximately 10 minutes, the fuel gauge of a NGV that has been
“fast-filled”will drop about
1⁄8th of a tank lower to reflect the reduced
amount of fuel that was actually added.
Slow fill procedure
“Slow-filling” a NGV involves slowly raising the pressure in the vehicle’s
fuel tank(s) by a slow fill station (typical fill rate: 6-8 hours).
“Slow-filling” usually is done overnight and allows the greatest amount of
fuel to be added to a NGV. A properly functioning “slow-fill” refueling
station will fill the NGV’s fuel tank(s) to a fuel gauge reading of “full” at
a temperature of 21°C (70°F).
Servicing your vehicle
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Crown Victoria (3600 psi)
Fueling method Standard tanks With extended range
system
1
Slow-fill 45.0L (11.9 gallons) 59.1L (15.6 gallons)
Fast-fill 38.2L (10.1 gallons) 50.3L (13.3 gallons)
1Police and Taxi vehicles.
Extended range fuel system
Crown Victoria Police and Taxi vehicles with the extended range fuel
system have a 5–passenger seating configuration with one additional
CNG fuel tank mounted in the luggage compartment.
E-Series vehicles with the extended range fuel system have one
additional CNG fuel tank mounted in the cargo area behind the rear seat.
TRAILER TOWING
On F-150 Heritage models, your NGV has the capability for towing up to
2,267 kg (5,000 lbs.) using the factory installed step-bumper. It is
recommended that the vehicleNOTbe modified for towing (i.e.-any
frame-mounted hitches).
Crown Victoria and E-Series Van/Wagon and Cutaway models are not
equipped with a trailer towing option. It is recommended that the vehicle
NOTbe modified for towing.
TOWING YOUR CNG VEHICLE
Refer to your Owner’s Guide for towing procedure except E-Series
vehicles with the optional tank package whichMUSTbe flat-bed towed.
NGV REFUELING STATIONS
To obtain a directory of all the refueling stations in the United States,
contact the American Gas Association (AGA) at (703) 841–8400 or the
national website: www.afdc.doe.gov/refueling.html. In Canada, contact
Union Gas at 1–800–265–5277.
SERVICING YOUR VEHICLE
The following is a brief description of unique maintenance items for your
NGV. For a complete list of maintenance items and intervals, refer to
yourService Guide.
Tank inspection and replacement
For your protection, the CNG fuel tanks require visual inspection every
three years or 58,000 kilometers (36,000 miles) whichever comes first.
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The purpose of the inspection is to check for exterior damage to the
tank which would shorten its usable life span. This inspection should
only be done by qualified NGV Ford service technicians.
The expiration date for the tank replacement is stated on each tank label
See instructions on fuel container for inspection and service life.
Coalescent fuel filter assembly
Your vehicle is equipped with a coalescent fuel filter assembly. Its
primary function is to remove contaminants; oil and water carryover
moisture from the fuel and trap it in the filter bowl.
The coalescent filter bowl should be drained every 48,000 kilometers
(30,000 miles). Perform fuel system depressurization procedure (outlined
in Service Manual) before disassembling the filter to avoid fuel pressure
regulator damage. The filter element (FG-985) and housing O-ring seal
should also be replaced as specified in the Scheduled Maintenence
Guide.
Spark plugs
Replace spark plugs every 96,000 kilometers (60,000 miles) on E-Series
and F-150 Heritage models and every 60,000 km (36,000 miles) on
Crown Victoria models. Use recommended nickel-plated platinum spark
plugs with the Motorcraft part number AWSF-22FM1 (or equivalent) on
E-Series and F-150 Heritage models and spark plugs with the Motorcraft
part number AWSF-22FM (or equivalent) on Crown Victoria models.
Servicing your vehicle
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