Sediment in fuel bowl and now no start after pump replacement

[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

Truck fuel pump starting leaking from the weep hole so upon removing everything last night to get to the pump, I came across a site I did not want to see. The fuel filter was muddy brown and in the bottom of the bowl was about a 1/8 inch of sediment. I immediately thought it was rust but after closer inspection it has more of a muddy texture but it is not course like sand. I did put a piece of clear tubing on the tank line and sucked some diesel out to see if any contaminants were present and their were and lots of it, some did appear to be rust.

Also after replacing the fuel pump I still cannot get the truck to start. I have done my research and yes everything is plugged in, fuse 22 is not blown, and the bowl is full of diesel every time I look. I did get the truck to fire this morning but it only ran for 30 seconds then died any suggestions would be great I have to get it up and running by Monday for work! Thanks

Edit: I got the truck running. I took everything back apart and pull the new fuel pump again, connected everything back and filled the filter housing full of diesel and it started right up. Weird.

[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

Well to be honest I am stumped... It looks like someone almost purposefully put dirt/sand into my tanks because I cannot imagine the all this sediment made it past the truck stops filter but maybe I am wrong. Anyone seen anything like this before? That fuel filter only has maybe 5-6k miles on it. I got 2 of those paper towels full of sediment and that only out of the fuel I drained out of the bowl.

[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

After a little experiment it almost looks like someone decided to pour brown sugar in my fuel tanks? Has anyone ever had this happen and if so what needs to be done to make sure it doesn't contaminate anything more?

[pittdiesel]

Good luck. I have no idea. Let me know what the verdict was!


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[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

Originally Posted by pittdiesel

Good luck. I have no idea. Let me know what the verdict was!


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I am not sure where to even begin. I called a local diesel shop and they said they see this more than they care to admit with a lot of semi trucks. They said do not drive the truck until you can verify most of the sugar is out if that is indeed what it is. What they do in the case of semi trucks is drop the fuel tanks thoroughly clean them out, disconnect all the fuel lines and back flush them, clean fuel filters and housing, and the major one was to pull all the injectors and try to back flush anything out as well or replace them as needed.

I know of one person that lives in my complex and would do this because he does not like me working on my powerstroke. If it is truly sugar I cant believe someone would do this to another persons pride and joy.

As an FYI when sugar and diesel mix I have read it does not "gel" as much or at all like it does in gasoline. Most of it just falls to the bottom of the tank and gets stirred up from the sloshing of the fuel until it gets sucked up by the fuel pump obviously causing much contamination until parts fail like my fuel pump from all of the seal getting destroyed.

[sargar]

A vandal is as bad as a thief.

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[pittdiesel]

Man I'm so bummed to hear this! Obviously someone doesn't like the smell of diesel in a winters morning.

I would suggest the following MODS:

Gas tank locks.
4" straight pipe.
Full coverage insurance (piss em off, bait em, then get it paid for!)


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[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

Originally Posted by pittdiesel

Man I'm so bummed to hear this! Obviously someone doesn't like the smell of diesel in a winters morning.

I would suggest the following MODS:

Gas tank locks.
4" straight pipe.
Full coverage insurance (piss em off, bait em, then get it paid for!)


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Haha I am already ahead of you with the 4 in exhaust and full coverage. I went to the store for locking gas caps and it doesnt seem like they would keep anyone out when I tried "testing" the locked cap in store and it broke and just spun off anyway!

After doing some more testing I sucked out some of the fuel from the front tank and it doesn't seem contaminated but I sucked fuel out of the rear tank and it had a ton of stuff in it. I am wondering if the idiot was not smart enough to know I had 2 tanks.... So my plan at this point is to suck out all the fuel in both tanks and run it through some clear in-line fuel filters and POSSIBLY reuse it depending how much sugar is left. I really dont want to drop the tanks have you ever done it and if so how long did it take?

After conducting another experiment with sugar I came across something interesting. I mixed the fuel with the brown sugar and it turned somewhat to gel however most of it stayed as a solid but I remembered that I have been running stabil diesel treatment because it has been so cold here to stop gelling and to help lubricate my injectors. What I found is that when I added the stabil to the sugar/diesel mix the fuel did not gel near as much and if any of the sugar was clumpy so to speak it would break down the clumps.

[StrokinNSmokin6.0]

I also was trying to think of a way to catch someone in the act and then it hit me. I might try and rig up a pressure switch that I can turn on and off from in the cab so that anytime either of my fuel doors open an old set of train horns I have laying around will go off. If that doesnt scare the shi* of someone it will at least draw some attention to the truck.

[psdstrkD95]

That is some frustrating stuff. At least you grabbed a new pump, I wouldnt have had the forsite. That alarm idea is pretty good you shoudl totally do that. When they pulled off my fuel pump they didnt see anything weird they would have told me. Is the pump cap a left or right hand thread i have never had to swith it myself.