What's in Your Gas Tank!

[2001LC]

Replacing a fuel pump, preemptively!

Anyone every seen this stuff before?
Any ideas where the stuff came?
Any thought on how it got in?

Found a surprise. Which was only found in the basket where fuel pump & sock resides. 06LC w/250K miles. No indication tank ever unsealed (pump out).

Notice area outside basket is clean.

 

[2001LC]

Naturally I replaced the engine compartment fuel filter with new fuel pump and add 2 cans of 44K. As I always do!

Blew out filter into container.

Stuff dried fast and would not rinse out with water.

 

[nissanh]

Probably rust that has come in with gas at an old gas station. Modern gas stations are using plastic ground storage tanks. This is why we need to replace the fuel filter say about every 50K miles.

 

[2001LC]

Probably rust that has come in with gas at an old gas station. Modern gas stations are using plastic ground storage tanks.

My first though as well. Which why I use newer gas stations, when I can. I also avoid filling up, when fuel tanker truck fill storage tanks. As they stir up sediment.

But only found in basket? Which I would think we'd see outside basket, which I do not!

You're correct it is rusty and Magnetic.

After drying

 

[2001LC]

Sock was nasty also.

 

[2001LC]

I vacuumed stuff off bottom of tank, than drug a magnet around. (I did few more cleaning passes after this picture)

 

[2001LC]

I suppose more could be out of view, at forward outer corner of tank. Like we see more in corner of basket. But surprised not seeing some here (blue circle).

 

[2001LC]

Good to know fuel pick up sock & fuel filter doing their jobs.

 

[Eyedaho]

No sign of corrosion inside the hard lines? Seems like it would have to come in through the return to only be located there, but I suppose it's possible over time that particles got stirred up by sloshing and were pulled into that sump by the fuel moving into the pump?

 

[2001LC]

Return line is a possible path. But rust free CA rig, w/relatively high miles. Not like fuel just siting in tank or lines rusting them. If low miles, it be more likely than a high mile vehicle.

Sloshing around and what sock held back, is very good guess.

Likely bad gas, from same station with old tanks. Over time what sock held back, is what we now see collected in basket.

Nasty gas out there!

 

[nissanh]

the fuel pumps at stations should have their own filters to filter sediments before reaching the nozzle. those filters are not very fine so particles shown in your pictures can escape. Why is it in the bucket? Could that is the least turbulent and lowest place inside the tank?

 

[excessive]

what's crazy is 99% of modern cars now have no fuel filter at all

 

[Mike NXP]

what's crazy is 99% of modern cars now have no fuel filter at all

That will ensure that they just barely live past their warranty before crapping out =]

 

[2001LC]

the fuel pumps at stations should have their own filters to filter sediments before reaching the nozzle. those filters are not very fine so particles shown in your pictures can escape. Why is it in the bucket? Could that is the least turbulent and lowest place inside the tank?

Good points!

 

[ranma21]

Seen the same thing in one of the 97 80 I worked on recently with 320k.

 

[2001LC]

Seen the same thing in one of the 97 80 I worked on recently with 320k.

Picture or didn't happen----LOL

I recall a picture you text me, a few years back on one. I think your example was perhaps worst.

BTW: I test drove this one yesterday, monitoring long term fuel trims. LT Fuel trims came inline for the first time. Which I had recorded each time rig in my shop over past few years. LT FT where always hanging around ~7%. Now near zero. Sweet!