Dodgezilla

I was cruising home after work and everytime I came to a stop the idle would jump up about 200rpms and then drop to about 500rpm. Then it would go back to the normal 750rpm but still run rough. It seemed to get worse each time I slowed down to where I had to pull over and pop the hood. Now, I had noticed that my fuel pressure was sometimes at the normal of 18-19psi and sometimes it would be at 12 psi. Once it was even down to 8psi! I figured it was the guage or the wires to the guage. Anyways, I figured that maybe I got some bad fuel so I drained about half the fuel canister on to the ground and I had no problems after that. I changed the fuel filter this AM and it looked normal except the very bottom had some light brown crud on it. It was not much and there was none in the canister itself, just on the filter.
I think half my problem is that I was trying to run the tank down to almost empty so I could install my Fuel Tank Vent Relocation kit and maybe I just have a bunch of crud in the bottom of the tank. Hopefully I won't have any more problems....
I ended up having to fix the wires to my fuel sender as one broke off as I was pulling the filter cap off. I'm pretty sure that was the pressure problem I was seeing.
I swear! This truck has been virtually trouble free since I've owned it and if this is the worst that happens I'm OK with that....

Dodgezilla

Just drove about 75 miles and truck is running as normal again. I'm happy.....

abc4yew

D'Zilla, I believe ya. When I drained my tank to install the FASS pickup there was about an 1/8 of a tank left so it was heavy but the bottom of the stock pick up was sick with crud. I dipped my furnace oil tank (diesel) the other day and there was about 1/4 inch of crud in the bottom and that tank is 2 years old. What they send through the diesel system these days is crap. I have to get a new FASS filter on monday as I'm having the same fuel delivery sputters as before. I dump my water separator every fuel up but I didn't do it for a couple of partial fills because I'm not driving much, I filled a coffee cup (not the ground )with watery diesel before the diesel looked and smelled good. The FASS by the fuel filler is nice for dropping the water and checking the filter when you are filling up. ks

Dodgezilla

Well, the fuel that came out of the canister looked fine. There was a bit of dirt or something in the bottom so I drained it completely this time. I'm glad I had a fuel filter handy!!

TurboTed

Good to hear it worked out!(I carry a spare as well.)

coobie

Good news.I have a question for you,Do you run any kind of fuel additive? Just curious,Thanks coobie

jrs_dodge_diesel

Which is a great reason to change your fuel filters periodically.

Here is another reason, the dirty filter here had ~10,000 miles on it, and is a Fleetguard Stratapore.

Dodgezilla

I run a PS/MMO mix but I have never realized any gain from it like some members claim. No better mileage, no better idle, no smoother performance.

My filters always look like that too. It's normal but I also change mine with every 2nd oil change. This time it just needed it 1000 miles early.

tcb

glad to hear all is well now. i to am getting ready to do the vent relocation, let me know how yours goes. my 03 has been trouble free also, only trips to the dealer have been for normal service items and hopefully he will remember me if i ever have trouble. even with pulling tractors and a few perf. mods the trans is still good. every time i get the itch to upgrade i remind myself of that.

tim

Dodgezilla

Hold off as long as you can! Once you start you can't stop! I'll let you know once it's in. Heck, I just read where another guy just fills a 5 gallon can and uses that to finish filling up instead of standing there forever. I know that mine will hold 5-6 more gallons once I get the first click off! I may just do that from now on. It will be easier than dropping the tank. Now I'm scared to run it so low on fuel too.....

Superduty

"there was about an 1/8 of a tank left so it was heavy but the bottom of the stock pick up was sick with crud."

I am not knocking the FASS fuel pump here. I just would like some information.

I notice you run a FASS. Are you running just the pump or the pump and filter setup ?

Does the fuel run through the filter and then the regulator (back to the tank) or does the regulator return it to the tank before it gets to the filter ?

Was the crud grit/dirt or did it look like something else ?

coobie

I am running the fass system with the filter setup,and love it.( quote by superduty over at the dieselram web-stie)You will never know when you will need enough fuel to feed a locomotive.I guess I bought a train filteration and pump system,when I bought the Fass system. coobie

Superduty

Does the fuel go through the filter and then get to the regulator or does it go through the regulator before it gets to the filter ?

abc4yew

Superduty, We actually had this discussion before but I'll inject it to the new folks. I'm running the 150gph with the filters. I just quickly ran out to the truck to see. From what I can see the only way for the fuel to get back to the tank after it is filtered is from the return line from the engine. This line now drops into the overflow line from the filler tube. And yes I agree the FASS pump is noisier than most. I don't mind it because when the noise changes I know the fuel filter or water sep need dumping or replacing. The crud was in the filter cannister in the tank so it was the cleanest of what was in my tank. The plastic mesh filter was glazed over with "what looked like shellac" It had a good amount of what I now know is algae, "black snot" in it and a very fine black sand like dirt. As it was I doubt if 10% of the plastic filter area would pass fuel.
When I drop the tank to do the fuel tank vent, I'm going to get the tank steam cleaned and be back to a clean square one. I wish my tank had been empty when I did the FASS. I tipped it up and wiped the bottom and it really wasn't that bad but it wasn't steam cleaned clean that is for sure. The advantage of the constant overpumping of fuel by the FASS or others is that the fuel load is being constantly filtered and dirt is hopefully getting out of the tank. ks.

Superduty

Just to confirm then... if the only fuel that is getting filtered is the fuel coming back on the return line from the engine pump (CP3), then the FASS isn't filtering the fuel coming out of its return line. Right ?