rust in fuel filter housing

[ptjeep]

I have owned my 2001 F-250 for about 4 years now and every time i change the fuel filter there is lots of rust (appears to be rust anyway) in the bottom on the housing. My truck only gets about 3K miles a year so i just change the filter when i change the oil. So far it hasn't given any trouble but i would like to fix the problem before it leaves me stranded. I'm guessing it could be rust from the tank and was wandering if anybody else has heard of this and possibly the best way to fix or clean it. I tried to search but the search wasn't working.

[dray8165]

You are correct that the tank is the only reasonable source for this gunk. It may be the lining of your tank decomposing, which apparently is common with the new ULSD. You're lucky your tank pickup filters haven't clogged.

It might be worth dropping your tank, cleaning the filters, and sizing up how the inside of the tank looks. On antique vehicles, we usually have to have the tank boiled out at a radiator shop, acid washed, and then epoxy coated. Por-15 makes a kit to do it at home. I wouldn't mess with it unless your tank is extremely rusty inside. If it is just gunk from the liner and debris from the diesel that has settled, a good cleaning may be all it takes.

[NoRalPh]

My '02's tank is plastic. Were they metal in '01 ?

[dray8165]

Originally Posted by NoRalPh

My '02's tank is plastic. Were they metal in '01 ?

Good point - its probably just the liner coming out..

[ptjeep]

I talked to a guy at work who had a 7.3 and he said that the liner or filter around the pump was deteriating and falling apart on his giving him the same problem so i was hoping that some other people would say the same and it would be nice if the tank was plastic so i didn't have to mess with it. I guess i'll drop the tank first chance i get. Thanks for the help!

[Hank]

My '01 is plastic. You can touch it and tell. I dropped mine to do a couple of mods and it was clean as a whistle in there. The inside is bright white.

[okpwrlineman]

I think that anytime you have two different metals with fluid running through it you have battery like conditions.The fuel heater is steel and the filter housing is alluminum with fuel flowing through.The same principal as using anode rods in water heaters and ect.