Looking for opinions here -

I pulled the drain plug out of my HFCM today to install the improved Int'l version. I've never drained it before. There was no sign of water at all (may not be surprising here in CA) but there was a lot of rusty debris. I could not even see it while it was draining, but once I got the bucket out from under the truck I was shocked to see this. The bucket was spotless before draining. It's possible that breaking the plug loose knocked this stuff off the frame. I wasn't paying much attention at the time.

For background, I've had the filters changed twice by the dealer. Once immediately after I bought the truck, once about 10k miles ago, and it's time to do them again which I have planned in the next week or so. I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that when the dealer changed my filter they would drain the water trap as well.

What say you all?

 

Looks like your choice of filling stations need to change. That looks like dirty fuel. The frame filter/water separator filters from the tank up, then it moves to secondary filter up top. You are either getting really dirty fuel or your tank is dirty.

 

And you don't get rust or corrosion particles from a plastic tank.

 

No doubt. Thats why I think dirty fuel. That's a lot of rust and corrosion to come from the HFCM component.

Either way that would seriously worry me.

 

I wouldn't rule out crap falling off the frame. Seems like a lot of junk to make it through the lines. I don't remember how the pump is setup on the 6.0, but it would be very easy to knock a little bit of crap off where the HFCM sits, especially if you didn't see chunks coming out. If you drained it into a screen and caught that stuff I would find it more plausible.

 

Yeah, it might have just fallen off the frame/pump. The allen wrench snapped a little when it broke loose.

As far as dirty fuel, I don't think it is that. Because I inspected my tank when I did the harpoon mod. That was a year ago this month. The tank was spotless inside at that time. I know anything can happen in a year, but my gut says this stuff is older than that. Also, the end of the old drain plug is rusty.

I don't know how that much stuff could have been in the stream without my seeing something. Hopefully it is just falling debris.

I will be doing the filter myself soon, so I'll get a look inside. If all that stuff was in the water trap, some of it would have to be on the filter too.

Thanks for the comments.

 

I concur, change your filters even if a little early and exmine them. If they don't reflect what you found in your samples then case closed. If they are contaminated I would either do early filter changes for a while or drop the tank.

 

Rust off the back of the old HFCM water in fuel plug???????

 

When I changed my fuel filters today, I noticed that while the HFCM was draining that it got on the DS, and I saw some rust particles fall into the bucket.

 

I'd run it by a magnet just for kicks.

 

I was told that the fuel pick-up in the tank has a screen or filter on it to prevent anything like this even making it to the HFCM.

My guess is rust or dirt from the frame rail and from around the old drain plug m(on the outside of the plug and gasket).

 

Good idea. I'll do that tomorrow. But, just pinching it between my fingers, most of it does not feel like grit, and it breaks down into slime.

 

You can blast around the HFCM with water and compressed air and drain the HFCM again. See what you get.

 

Welcome to my world I'am having the same problem and its from your gas station. I have a margarine tub that I hold under the drain not under the frame but right under the drain. I hold the tub in one hand and allen wrench in the other. I also have a larger tray on the ground to catch the rest of the fuel after I get a sample from the patient

Change your filters and keep a eye on the crap coming out of the filter during the water drains.

 

This is a post in another forum where ford voided a guys warranty for rust in the fuel system... Turned out the fuel pump is steel with a tin coating. The coating wore off and the pump started to rust. ...the rust in the system was from the pump outer casing. I would just keep an eye on it and see if it appears again. You may want to drain it every day to get it all out. It is possible it came from the fueling station and if so then it is floating around in the tank. Just go with it (drain it more often and see what happens. Technically there should not be enough water in the fuel to rust the pump but you never know...