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Running out of fuel....in anything really.

frank rabbets

Well-Known Member
Guru
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
5,509
I hear so many stories about people who have run out of fuel and this causes blocked fuel filters by dirt being picked up. Is there any truth in this? I would have thought that the fuel pick up, already sucking from the bottom of the tank, would keep it clean. So many reprts but can't see the logic. Am I missing something?
 
ive had my in tank filter that caked in shit that the motor wouldn't run. I pulled over and blew down the fuel pipe to clear it. this would last a couple of weeks and block again. the water drain also needed emptying twice in that week!

it didn't seem to effect the fuel filter.
 
This has been a problem affecting mainly older vehicles with steel fuel tanks, the water in the fuel rusts the inside of the tank over a period of time, the rust eventually flakes off and blocks pickup pipes/filters. The water tends to be in the supply from the pump particularly from filling stations that are not mainstream, this has become less of a problem as smaller 'corner' garages become less and less. Keeping the fuel tank contents low can cause condensation on the walls of the tank, this eventually finds it's way to the bottom of the tank as diesel floats on top of the water. Another way of adding contamination is from fuel containers used during off road activities, to help with this and with regards to the 80 diesels there are THREE filters, the first is on the pickup pipe and this has been known to restrict fuel, second is the familiar large filter under the bonnet, and there is a third with a very fine mesh at the fuel pump inlet solenoid. My experience is that the pump filter is not normally contaminated, the first two however have often been seen to be blocked or at least severely contaminated.

regards

Dave
 
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