I changed the fuel filter today, it went smooth until I got under to change the water/fuel separator filter one and found some sludge build up..check picture and tell me please how bad this is and how can I clean this fully. Thank you in advance.



At this point i went ahead and installed the new filter (both) , but I haven't cranked the engine yet.








you can tell by the picture that the old filter it is not an OEM

 

The Fuel filter has been Updated awhile Back so that might be some of the Diffrence in fuel filters you see

I know there was an O-ring added in the updated part And I cant remember what else changed if anything

The goo in the HFCM needs cleaned out it or it will trigger the WIF light if it hasnt already


Make shure to cycle key but dont engauge the starter yet this will prime fuel system and get the air out the lines do it 4-5 times then start

 

Thanks blade35.
but, how do I exactly clean that stuff out of the HFCM. Thanks again.

 

How many miles are on the truck and more importatnly, how many miles are on that filter?

If it was my truck, I think I'd do the following (in order of importance).
Start using some type of fuel addative, if you aren't already.
If you're buying your fuel mostly from one station, find a different one.
Change filters again in about 1,000 mi.

Short of removal and disassembly I don't know of any way to clean the HFCM but that sludge needs to be kept OUT of the injectors.

 

Just for an example of 15,000 mile fuel filters. (the bottle is how much fuel came out of the water drain plug)

 

I did an oil change using motorcraft filters, also replace fuel filters and now the truck kind of hesitates to start when cold (not drastically , but it wasnt like that when it had that dirty oil and old filters i had replaced). After it cranks, it idles rough for a few seconds then rpms pick up and runs fine. I wait till the coolant is about 100* before i take it out the driveway .. The initial take off is kinda slow but after a few mnts. it runs fine.

My question is....I ve been reading the above quote " run it hard " to blow sooth out, clean injectors etc...how hard should I run these engines. Is this something that you guys do all the time? floor the gas pedal or something.....how do you guys do it...or you dont do it at all?....it seems to me that Im taking it too easy on these engines.

** I primed the fulel as recomended prior to cranking it up.

note: the oil i got out was dirty and probably really old (just bought the truck) the filters were after market for what I understand. (see my other post) I replaced it with 15w-40 motorcraft and OEM filters. Truck has 214k. SHould i use another grade/brand of oil for these high mileage engine?

I was thinking doing another oild change at 3k to recycle that old oil that stayed in the engine and also replace the fuel filter/s at 1k speacially after finding the goo/sludge on the HFCM

and one last thing...should i use any fuel additives? if so which ones do you guys use.

Thanks .

 

Abram,
Most of the users at FTE use Diesel Kleen grey bottle during the summer. White bottle in winter depends on your location. Southern AZ desert here. Run grey bottle all year. Also run 15w-40 year round.

 

Thank you very much. Diesel kleen it is then. Im buying some today. I will report later on if notice a difference.

Aslo is the Rotella brand any different than the motorcraft 15w-40 oil?... Thanks.

 

As hot as it gets in AZ I think I'd be running the Rotella full synthetic 5w-40. Me thinks it prtects better both cold AND hot.

 

Abram, some of use the rotella T6 full synthetic oil from walmart, they have the filters too. After your truck is warmed up, you can do the Italian tune up! Mashing on the skinny petal a few times, to cycle the turbo veins. These engines are made to be worked hard/out

 

Well....you've got a truck with 214K on it. The previous owner apparently scrimped on maintenance judging by the appearance of the filters and HFCM, didn't use OEM filters and didn't change the oil very often. Wanna take any bets on whether he changed the coolant every 110K like he was supposed to? I'm guessing that the rest of the truck received the same level of maintenance that the engine did. And you want to know if it's a good idea to "run it hard" to clean it out? The only thing that might clean out is your wallet.

You're on the right track with the future oil & filter changes. I think I'd run it another 1000 to 1500 miles, change the oil and filter and the fuel filters. You don't say if it has an auto tranny but if it does, that needs to be flushed and refilled as well as having the external fluid filter replaced.

If you can't prove that the coolant was changed, that needs to be done as well.

Personally, I use Stanadyne in my 2005. I've used it since the day I bought it new. The truck has NEVER been back to the dealer. It runs fine and will start at 15 below zero even without the block heater plugged in (although I try to avoid such things). I drive it within its limitations and expect it will outlive me. Sure, standing on it, listening to the turbo howl and leaving a black cloud behind you is cool but I have better things to spend my money on than truck repairs. If you do a little extra maintenance now and no permanent damage has already occurred, there's no reason you shouldn't get another couple of hundred thousand miles out of that engine.

 

No way a black cloud in rear view is COOL..... it is most definitely UNCOOL!

 

My suggestion was to cycle the turbo veins as you build boost, this would tell him if he has a turbo sticking issue and as a baseline. I would get a gauge that plug's into the obd port, to see the health of your engine.