My Strange Dead Engine Episode
#1
Chapter President
Thread Starter
My Strange Dead Engine Episode
Driving down the four lane a couple of days ago at about 65 mph and noticed a little "self" acceleration. About the time I looked at the dash and gages, it died like the key was turned off. My first thought was "AHHHHH...VP44". I had been seeing a little white smoke on warm starts, and with 180k +, I figured it was my time.
I coasted off to the shoulder. I was lucky, if I had been 2 or 3 miles down the road, I would have been in heavy traffic and would have had a hard time getting over. I turned the key off and then tried to start it.....crank, crank....nothing. Not even the FASS. I got out and looked under the truck at the FASS and all the lines and connections were fine. I popped the hood and all looked well under there. Just for grins, I opened the filter housing drain and let a little fuel out. I got back in the truck, hit the key,the FASS came on and it cranked right up! FP idling at 18 like it has been. All the way to the house, it seemed to be a little low on power.
The fuel filter didn't have but about 5k miles on it, but I decided to start there and changed it. Now the amazing part (at least to me), the truck is running better than it has in a long time! Only black smoke at startup, idles good and seems to have found more acceleration and power.
I'm not putting down bio, but about three weeks ago, I ran two tanks of Bio *****, from Loves Truck Stop thru it. Before the first was refilled, I noticed a power loss, but attributed it to the bio. After the second tank, I went back to #2, but still had some loss of power and acceleration.
I don't know. Could have been the bio or just something in the system somewhere, but it's gone now and the truck runs great.
I coasted off to the shoulder. I was lucky, if I had been 2 or 3 miles down the road, I would have been in heavy traffic and would have had a hard time getting over. I turned the key off and then tried to start it.....crank, crank....nothing. Not even the FASS. I got out and looked under the truck at the FASS and all the lines and connections were fine. I popped the hood and all looked well under there. Just for grins, I opened the filter housing drain and let a little fuel out. I got back in the truck, hit the key,the FASS came on and it cranked right up! FP idling at 18 like it has been. All the way to the house, it seemed to be a little low on power.
The fuel filter didn't have but about 5k miles on it, but I decided to start there and changed it. Now the amazing part (at least to me), the truck is running better than it has in a long time! Only black smoke at startup, idles good and seems to have found more acceleration and power.
I'm not putting down bio, but about three weeks ago, I ran two tanks of Bio *****, from Loves Truck Stop thru it. Before the first was refilled, I noticed a power loss, but attributed it to the bio. After the second tank, I went back to #2, but still had some loss of power and acceleration.
I don't know. Could have been the bio or just something in the system somewhere, but it's gone now and the truck runs great.
#2
Registered User
Just cuz it's biowillie doesn't mean it's pure. The storage tanks coulda been funky, Could have been stuff in your tank that just happened to break loose. Just count yourself as lucky. I give one "fart" to worry, two seperate problems to blame for sure. Bio has many things for and against it. I'll still go with B? whenever I can because I "beleive" that I'm using US farmers more.
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Remember, bio will loosen up all the crud in your tank and fuel lines. My guess is that you just cleaned out 7 years of gunk that was in your fuel system, and it ended up in your filter.
#5
That's one of the things they mention as a drawback about Bio. It also makes an excellent solvent, and if you have crud in your tank or lines, it'll come loose. Should be good to go now though.
#6
Chapter President
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by oestreich84
Remember, bio will loosen up all the crud in your tank and fuel lines. My guess is that you just cleaned out 7 years of gunk that was in your fuel system, and it ended up in your filter.
#7
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I would bet on the Bio...as much as i would love to get you an injection pump and install it for you!! haha....You might have not see the crap it loosened.......i would like to see about moveing your FP gauge tap between the filter and VP-44 in that high flow line you got......that will take all the guess work out of what the VP is seeing........
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#9
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Location: Dayton, NJ (temporarily while In USCG on Staten Island)
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crobtex, all it takes is one bad load of fuel, wheter it is bio or #2. With the heat down there, the tanks down there don't take much to funk. My dad gets bad fuel regularly, he is in angleton tx, so he tries and buy where more volume passes through.
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