HDJ81 Fuel suction hose/filter, wow!

[BCR4619]

Hey all as some of you may have noticed in my other thread I had some fuel issues a while back, follow the link below...

HDJ81 1HD-T Issues, help

Anywho I had the problem come up again, having not drained the tank since it ran fine since my last problem it came back and bit me in the ass ..... I was driving up a hill and it stalled out and I knew i was "low" on fuel somewhere between a quarter and empty (I know I shouldn't be running that low) so I thought this was the problem, but after I filled up with 10L of diesel it still was doing this, great!

I went to Wal-mart (Apparently Lances favorite store) and picked up a Rubbermaid container to drain my tank, when I went home I opened up my fuel cap and a big WOOSH happened caused by air entering the tank which amazed me because normally its a faint sound not a big sound like I had just heard. So while draining my fuel tank I took off my check valve on the breather tube, now this got me curious and maybe someone can chime in here as there is an arrow on it that says "To Engine" but mine was with the arrow pointing to the back of the truck! can someone confirm that it should be pointing towards the front of the truck?

As the fuel was clear I knew it had to be something else, I had drained and primed my fuel filter on the way home to see it would have helped but with my luck it didn't, I then proceeded to take out my back seats and after fighting for 30 min I got the two one way bolts out I got to my tank inspection panel and my fuel pickup sender unit gauge thingy and there it was, what was causing all my problems, a plugged pickup tube! (see pictures below)

anyways cleaned it all up and put it back together and reversed my breather check valve till I found out the answer and all I can say is wow, its like a whole new truck! it gets up and goes like no other!

After it was all said and done it took about 3 hours of running around but now I think I have fixed all my fuel issues!

Cheers

 

[chet]

wow thats crazy! good to see you got it fixed. Will have to check my filter on the hj61

 

[sailor]

Christian- Put some BioBor in there stat!

 

[romey]

holy smokes, looks like alien poo! is that algae??! and what is biobor?

so lemme get this straight, access to this area is under the back seats and not the trunk. take the cover out and look in, clean and replace? and that crud is exactly what?

man, good for you for diggin in further and finding the source!
and thanks for sharing!

 

[BCR4619]

holy smokes, looks like alien poo! is that algae??! and what is biobor?

so lemme get this straight, access to this area is under the back seats and not the trunk. take the cover out and look in, clean and replace? and that crud is exactly what?

man, good for you for diggin in further and finding the source!
and thanks for sharing!

Thanks roomey!

Here are a few pictures showing where the access panel is...

There are 8 bolts that have to be removed to take the rear seats out, two of which are those one way safety type.... Hammer and screw driver didn't work so well so I drilled the "shallow ends" and was able to wedge a flat head screw driver in there and back it out, it worked quite well actually.

Once those are out you have to pull up the carpet and voila! you reach the panel seen in the first photo.

There are 3 Philips head screws that need to come out in order to lift up the panel, there is a foam gasket that is there to seal it so a little work will get it up without ripping it.

Third shows the top of the fuel tank with the bigger hose being the suction hose to the engine and the smaller one being the return line of warm diesel from the IP.

I stuck a small flat head screwdriver in there to pry up the lid and have to lift and turn the assembly at the same time in order to get it out or it wont come. I was able to re-use the gasket as it was in great shape.... the FSM says to replace so you your own discretion.

Have fun!

Cheers

 

[VE7PGE]

Hi Christian, good to have some photos to guide us along and see what is what. My HDJ81 is hard on fuel right now, so I did the Sea Foam in the fuel filter thing yesterday will see how that goes.
I like your TTG videos on You Tube. Your dads 81 running ok?

 

[BCR4619]

Hi Christian, good to have some photos to guide us along and see what is what. My HDJ81 is hard on fuel right now, so I did the Sea Foam in the fuel filter thing yesterday will see how that goes.
I like your TTG videos on You Tube. Your dads 81 running ok?

No worries!

I had to call my dad and said who is this guy lol.... funny you should post because I was just talking about you this weekend and how we should all meet up one day!

Thanks about the vids, I don't get out much anymore buce hope to in the future since I got my truck in June.

My dads truck is still running, He's up to 215k's on it and still runs like a champ although the engine is really loud compared to mine except I only got 87k on it so who knows...

Whats your fuel issue?

Cheers

 

[VE7PGE]

Hey, my truck seems to be running good but is hard on fuel 14 to 15L/100ish city driving, so talked to Steve at EBI and suggested trying Sea Foam in the fuel filter.
So I drove the rig up Cap road to the Grouse Sky Ride lot, came home removed he fuel filter, filled the new filter with Sea Foam, installed new filter, did a short idle, then took er for a fast hard drive to Horsehoe Bay and back, then to the video store, back home and that's where its been till I drive it tomorrow. Oh changed oil and topped up fuel tank, 150,000kms on the clock!
Just took it through Air Care last week and it got a di-no test and passed with flying colors.
And Hi to the Old Man!

 

[Tapage]

Christian ... great advice .. ! thanks

 

[romey]

thank you Christian! i hope this will find it's way to someone's searches and pops back up!
awesome description and pics! my 81's runnin okay (knock on wood) but at least we have one solution for a particular common symptom.
cheers.

btw, what'd you use to clean that filter up? some solvent or just wipe and rinse?

 

[BCR4619]

thank you Christian! i hope this will find it's way to someone's searches and pops back up!

That's my whole intention of this thread, as it will help you and others.

btw, what'd you use to clean that filter up? some solvent or just wipe and rinse?

I have heard that carb cleaner works but I just bought a parts washer a week prior (luckey eh?) so I soaked it it the solvent (Dont have the name on me).... The stuff was like tar, I tried to wipe off it but that didn't work worth a dam so I soaked it in 30min intervals and used tooth brushes and the pump off the parts washer to blow from the inside out.

Cheers

 

[romey]

thanks! holy crud, that's stuck in good then! good to know.
cheers.

 

[gifu]

I had the same problem, and went as far as to remove the screen all together. BUT, I have a walbro pump back by the tank, and installed a large spin-on filter before the pump, with a glass bowl. My though process was... I'd rather change a filter under the truck while on a long trip, than open the tank up. Indecently, I was able to do the same thing on my BJ74... but it was a PAIN. Had to do it in the tank, as the access hole doesn't allow you to reach the screen. But it was doable.

 

[John Galt]

BJ74 Fuel pickup screen

I was able to do the same thing on my BJ74... but it was a PAIN. Had to do it in the tank, as the access hole doesn't allow you to reach the screen. But it was doable. ................................................................========================================================================================================================......Can you describe how/what you did?

 

[shromani]

Does one have to reprime the fuel line if they open the tank like this? If not, where on the fuel line does it opening it causes the loss of pressure/vacuum requiring priming?

I ask cause I'd like to check mine too.

 

[djsherif]

I had the same problem, and went as far as to remove the screen all together. BUT, I have a walbro pump back by the tank, and installed a large spin-on filter before the pump, with a glass bowl. My though process was... I'd rather change a filter under the truck while on a long trip, than open the tank up. Indecently, I was able to do the same thing on my BJ74... but it was a PAIN. Had to do it in the tank, as the access hole doesn't allow you to reach the screen. But it was doable.

Gifu,

Where exactly did you put the walbro and how did you connect it electrically?

 

[BCR4619]

Does one have to reprime the fuel line if they open the tank like this? If not, where on the fuel line does it opening it causes the loss of pressure/vacuum requiring priming?

I ask cause I'd like to check mine too.

Opening the tank itself shouldn't cause a problem, I had to re-prime as I had taken my fuel filter in the engine bay apart to flush out the feed line as it had some gunk in it.

if you drain you tank you shouldn't have a problem either but I would for good measure as its easy as pie!

If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

Cheers!

 

[finderscuba]

Gifu,

Where exactly did you put the walbro and how did you connect it electrically?

I installed my Walbro right before the fuel filter. I wired it to the accessory power block on the right side of the engine bay. It gets power when the ignition is on and while cranking the starter.

Works great and eliminates priming after a filter change.

 

[shromani]

after fighting for 30 min I got the two one way bolts

Any other ways to remove those one way bolts? I'm not being successful. I hear my air chisel calling

 

[Tapage]

with it's the walbro model that you choose .?