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Smokes below quarter tank of fuel

2K views 14 replies 3 participants last post by  Mcarso1 
#1 ·
Wondering if fuel tank has some crud in it cause truck runs and idles great but when fuel level gets low it smokes for 10-15 seconds on start up but when tank is full all the way down to quarter or third of tank nothing? On my second tank with diesel cleans clear diesel treatment. What to try next?
 
#2 ·
you could drain the quarter tank using the hfcm. pump it into a bucket until it stops. see how it looks. then maybe run a water dispersant with a full tank. although with water, it shouldn't really make a difference what level the tank is at, since the water will sit at the bottom regardless
 
#4 ·
always nice to actually see what's in that tank.
check out gastankdepot.com. their prices are damn good. unfortunately, that's about all i know of them. they distribute titan tanks as well, if you want something bigger
 
#5 ·
Yes I really believe there maybe some algae in there. I noticed last week when fuel guage was on quarter tank the DIC said low fuel 50 mile to go at a quarter tank on guage? Then driving up a pretty steep grade the DIC went away . Also noticed since I got the truck that when guage gets about on E and the DIC says 50 to go I take it to fill up and it will only take 24-25 gallon of fuel and I fill it to top of neck so I know that's all I am getting in there. I thought the book said 30 gal tank on 08 crew cab short bed?
 
#8 ·
Yeah, your tank should hold more than that if it's the CC short bed. I can put 30+ gallons in mine (one time I even put 31... it was really really low... don't ask).

Have you popped open the lift pump housing to see if it's got crud in it? I'd check around the water separator valve. Get the $45 kit from Ford and take that housing apart. When I took mine off, I found a nice gel-type goo surrounding it. I know I had never had the problem before going to a particular fuel station but went there twice and the water separator went from a pour to a trickle. Haven't been back since cleaning that housing.

That should possibly give you an idea of what is in the tank.

If you can't figure it out there, you can lift the bed (you'll need 2-4 guys) off and check what's in it. I suggest the harpoon mod while you have it accessible.
 
#10 ·
Ask them for the water separator rebuild kit with the yellow lever, they should know what you mean. It'll have the gaskets and things you need to put the housing back together after you take it apart.

The harpoon mod is what will allow you to fill the tank up all the way without it clicking the fuel pump nozzle every 2 seconds. Usually when you get to 24 gallons in the fuel tank, it'll shut the pump off or you have to pump fuel really, really slow. The harpoon mod stops that but you need to have access to the tank. Use the search or Google... there are a few write ups on it.

You can drop the tank on a lift or just take the bed off. Either one.

There are lots of available cleaners that are safe for diesels, but there are also pump systems that can be used to clean them as well. If you can find a tank cleaning service, that would be ideal. They'll most likely be servicing things like dump trucks and semis, but might be able to get your tank clean without dropping it.

What does your fuel filter look like?
 
#11 ·
The mechanic who just recently changed all the rocker arms, pushrods and oil cooler changed all filters and fluids before I picked it up and said filters looked good with a tiny bit of water marks on lower but nothing enough to worry about? I'll do some searching on the other items and I appreciate all the help.
 
#12 · (Edited)
delaminating is an issue with tanks placed behind the rear axle. not forward. you can pump the fuel out with a makeshift device out of an old fuel pump. or use a small sump pump. i lean it up at an angle and drop the pump down in the corner. lets everything drain down into the corner so you can have a good look. i usually just use brake clean and clean rags to get it clean.
 
#15 ·
I'll probably just drop it out but will have to wait another week to do so. My son in laws lift has a truck on it that won't be off till mid next week. Is there anything besides the obvious I should know before hand? Tips and tricks or having parts on hand before? Was mentioned earlier about brake cleaner and rags as well as water drain plug kit and the harpoon mod which I haven't looked up yet.
 
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