diesel fuel , dirty filter question.

[luckyman]

Here's a question maybe someone here can answer. I have a 7.3 in a f250. The filters are black when I change them. The fuel from the fuel filter bowl has black particles in it when I drain it. A few years back I dropped the tank and cleaned the pick up screens. The pick up screen was clean but the return line has a goofy looking plastic piece with screens. Those screens were packed tight and as full as it couldn't fit any more. There are rubber flaps that let fuel around the pick up and also the return screen if they plug. fuel was by passing the return screens for who know how long. After cleaning and changing filters my filters seemed to be much cleaner when changed.

 Question, were is all that black particles coming from. the plastic tank, o rings and rubber lines, filler neck rubber. warn primary pump. It's been a few years since I cleaned the tank and now my filters are looking black once again. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

Diesel is the dirtiest fuel made, plus whatever crap is in the station takes.

[huntnphool]

Here's a question maybe someone here can answer. I have a 7.3 in a f250. The filters are black when I change them. The fuel from the fuel filter bowl has black particles in it when I drain it. A few years back I dropped the tank and cleaned the pick up screens. The pick up screen was clean but the return line has a goofy looking plastic piece with screens. Those screens were packed tight and as full as it couldn't fit any more. There are rubber flaps that let fuel around the pick up and also the return screen if they plug. fuel was by passing the return screens for who know how long. After cleaning and changing filters my filters seemed to be much cleaner when changed.

 Question, were is all that black particles coming from. the plastic tank, o rings and rubber lines, filler neck rubber. warn primary pump. It's been a few years since I cleaned the tank and now my filters are looking black once again. 

 Have you ever rebuilt the fuel bowl?

 After years, the rubber o-rings begin to harden and fail, most often leading to fuel drips from the bowl into the V of your block. A lot of times the tiny black particles are pieces of rubber.

 The first typically to go is the o-ring for your water/fuel drain lever.

 The plastic on your cheaper filters will do this as well. I've had good luck with Baldwin filters, you might give them a look.

[bornhunter]

6.7 in a 2015 Ram. Are the fuel filters pretty easy to change?

[jackelope]

6.7 in a 2015 Ram. Are the fuel filters pretty easy to change?

YouTube is your friend.

[bornhunter]

 

[slowhand]

I know My 2015 F350 6.7L Ford fuel filters are crazy easy. I love it, takes maybe 20min for the entire process. 

[huntnphool]

 His 7.3 filter is right on top and easily accessed.

[slowhand]

His 7.3 filter is right on top and easily accessed.

Sorry I was commenting on the Dodge 6.7 fuel filter

[huntnphool]

His 7.3 filter is right on top and easily accessed.

Sorry I was commenting on the Dodge 6.7 fuel filter

 

[luckyman]

Here's a question maybe someone here can answer. I have a 7.3 in a f250. The filters are black when I change them. The fuel from the fuel filter bowl has black particles in it when I drain it. A few years back I dropped the tank and cleaned the pick up screens. The pick up screen was clean but the return line has a goofy looking plastic piece with screens. Those screens were packed tight and as full as it couldn't fit any more. There are rubber flaps that let fuel around the pick up and also the return screen if they plug. fuel was by passing the return screens for who know how long. After cleaning and changing filters my filters seemed to be much cleaner when changed.

 Question, were is all that black particles coming from. the plastic tank, o rings and rubber lines, filler neck rubber. warn primary pump. It's been a few years since I cleaned the tank and now my filters are looking black once again. 

 Have you ever rebuilt the fuel bowl?

 After years, the rubber o-rings begin to harden and fail, most often leading to fuel drips from the bowl into the V of your block. A lot of times the tiny black particles are pieces of rubber.

 The first typically to go is the o-ring for your water/fuel drain lever.

 The plastic on your cheaper filters will do this as well. I've had good luck with Baldwin filters, you might give them a look.

I haven't had to rebuild the bowl. It has leaked past the drain lever before but that was when the filter was dirty. A new filter wipe out to bowl turn key on and work the drain lever a couple times to clear away any contaminates on the oring and has never leaked afterwards. I do suspect oring ware could be some of the contaminates in the fuel.

[luckyman]

Diesel is the dirtiest fuel made, plus whatever crap is in the station takes.

Thats what I was kind of thinking. It may be where I buy from.

[timberghost72]

Your injector o-rings are failing. It is black from oil getting into your fuel system. The particles are o-ring material but those don't cause the filter to turn black.

[huntnphool]

 Old Vs new

[luckyman]

Ill look into to that. It makes sense. Wouldn't it turn the fuel dark? Fuels is very bright green, just the filter turning black.

[luckyman]

Here's some pictures.

[timberghost72]

Ill look into to that. It makes sense. Wouldn't it turn the fuel dark? Fuels is very bright green, just the filter turning black.

No. Keep in mind it is not alot of oil getting by the orings and your fuel system is constantly flowing while running. Over time the filter turns black. It doesn't take alot if oil to turn a white filter black. If your fuel was dark then you'd run out of oil or your engine would die from low oil/oil pressure. Your injectors are fired from very high oil pressure. Low oil = poor or no fuel injection.

[huntnphool]

Oil can’t get into the fuel bowl via leaky injector seals though. Whatever is in your bowl is coming from the tank or pieces on/in the bowl itself.

[luckyman]

Ok I filtered my diesel sample from the bowl to get a look at the brown stuff. It looks to me to be sludge. It ground up between my finger with no effort to where it disappeared. It does contain aluminum slivers so must be injector ware.

[jackelope]

Some of those 7.3 trucks had fuel tank delamination issues.
 

[huntnphool]

Ok I filtered my diesel sample from the bowl to get a look at the brown stuff. It looks to me to be sludge. It ground up between my finger with no effort to where it disappeared. It does contain aluminum slivers so must be injector ware.

 Fuel is pressurized and flows from the bowl to the injectors, how does it flow from the injectors, back to the bowl?

[luckyman]

I don't know but if it has aluminum in  it, it comes from somewhere. primary pump? From the bowl it's pumped back to the tank where the screen was packed full off this stuff previously. Its been like this for over 100,000 miles that I'm aware of.
 Ill add it starts and run very well. I would like to pin point the issue.

[timberghost72]

Ok I filtered my diesel sample from the bowl to get a look at the brown stuff. It looks to me to be sludge. It ground up between my finger with no effort to where it disappeared. It does contain aluminum slivers so must be injector ware.

 Fuel is pressurized and flows from the bowl to the injectors, how does it flow from the injectors, back to the bowl?

From the fuel return.
The lower injector O-rings separate the fuel from the high pressure oil system in your heads. High pressure oil system fires your injectors and that pressure is a lot higher than your fuel pressure. If the oil is leaking past the O-rings it gets into your diesel fuel and into the bowl from your fuel return.

[luckyman]

Some of those 7.3 trucks had fuel tank delamination issues.
 

Can you explain that a little further?

[timberghost72]

The silver stuff in your fuel bowl can be from your fuel heater disolving. You have a few issues going on and all of these are very common.

[luckyman]

Yeah, heater was loose.

[jackelope]

Some of those 7.3 trucks had fuel tank delamination issues.
 

Can you explain that a little further?

The liner of the tank degrades and ends up in the fuel filter. Glob-ish gelatin looking crud. No metal though. Just goo.

[luckyman]

Some of those 7.3 trucks had fuel tank delamination issues.
 

Can you explain that a little further?

The liner of the tank degrades and ends up in the fuel filter. Glob-ish gelatin looking crud. No metal though. Just goo.

Thanks.
The tank is black plastic, not metal like earlier models.

[luckyman]

will Replacing injector orings be worth the trouble? It runs really well now. Besides keeping sludge build up out of tank and filter is there any thing else to gain or prevent.

[Special T]

You should call northland diesel services in Bellingham. I bet you could get them cleaned, tested and o rings for them there.

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[luckyman]

That's a thought. I've dealt with them before and had a good experience. Maybe a spring time project.

[kingmountain]

Could it possibly be algae in your fuel tank? https://www.bellperformance.com/bell-performs-blog/recognizing-diesel-fuel-algae

[luckyman]

I'm fairly certain it's sludge by the look and feel of it. No lost of performance that I can tell. At 250,000 miles plus, I'm sure injector cleaning and orings are probably over due.

[baker5150]

You should call northland diesel services in Bellingham. I bet you could get them cleaned, tested and o rings for them there.

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Northland knows their injectors. 

[huntnphool]

 You will know it’s time to change injectors when it gets cold and difficult to start in the morning without leaving it plugged in overnight.

[luckyman]

You will know it’s time to change injectors when it gets cold and difficult to start in the morning without leaving it plugged in overnight.

I'm good then. I just got back from curlew where it was parked for 3 days. 20 degrees out. heated the glow plugs and she popped right off.