Hey guys. Had an odd experience today that left me asking more questions than answers. I filled up both tanks of my IDI ($110 later...) and flipped the switch to the back tank for the first time since I bought it. I figured Id rather find out it doesn't work in my hometown than a couple hundred miles from home. It ran fine for the 10 miles from the gas station, to wally, and back home, til I pulled in the drive. It started spittin and spudderin. I pulled up in front of the garage fearing the worst. It idled at about 400 rpm and knocked around like crazy but didn't die. I revved it up to about 1500 rpm and it blew all sorts of whitish/bluish smoke. I thought this was it... head gasket. I was about to blow a head gasket because my truck blew a head gasket I thought maybe my fuel pump was acting up and not supplying enough fuel, so I switched it to the front tank. Revved it up some, blew out enough smoke to make a pullin tractor look bad, then decided to shut er down. Fired it up right after, and ran like a top. It missed and knocked for about 2 seconds, then quit and ran like a top again. Last I checked, it was impossible to blow a head gasket, then it fix itself, so it must be an injector... right? Maybe its a spark plug

 

in that case im willing to bet its bad crap laying in the tank after takeing my tank down for the first time since owership 7 years + it was filled with all kinds of junk orangish stuff and brown stuff that looked like rust (alstho none was found) and what apeares tyo be rubber pices from the pick up that rotted off ( sounds like this would be my first check ) also inspect fuel filter sometimes they get trash and water and will make it run like crap and last guess by me would be a stickiy injector or pump maybe run some diesel kleen throu ?!?!?

 

Iv been debating running some sort of cleaner through it. Im sure itd help! Ill dump some in it before my trip tomorrow. Thanks for the info!

 

probably air intrusion

 

if you haven't changed the fuel filter lately, do so. and use that as an excuse to give it the diesel-kleen treatment. just fill the new filter with it when the truck is hot, install the new filter, run it for just a couple seconds to move the cleaner into the IP, then shut down and let it sit for as long as is practical (overnight), then just drive normally.

it does sound like its starving for fuel, either due to a restricted line in the rear tank, or an air leak somewhere in the fuel line. the problem is somewhere in the tank or the lines between it and the selector valve, i would think.

 

Sounds like you sucked up some crap in the back tank. I bet it was a mix of old fuel, water, dirt and who knows what else. Agree good idea to swap the filter out. What is in your back tank is now a mix of new fuel and the old crap. It is also common to have the fuel pickup tube corrode a hole in it so it sucks air. You probably need to drop the rear tank, clean it out, and then check or repair the pickup and level sender. Too bad it is now full of fuel, you will need to get that out to drop the tank.

 

Run a cleaner and change that filter as others have said, I've had a few hinkey fill ups over the years, stalls, sputtering, blowing smoke, sounds like it's misfiring, etc. Toss a bottle of Diesel 911 in and then I'd top the tank up every day or so to dilute whatever crap was in there and it'd go back to running just fine again. I'm sure there are other brands out there, but I keep a bottle of this in my tool box year round, and it's saved me from a bad situation a few times from bad fuel to crap in the tank and from -50 weather.


DIESEL 9?1?1® For Winter Emergencies: Winter Rescue Formula ? use to reliquefy gelled fuel and de-ice frozen fuel-filters.

 

That's the stuff my dad uses. I should prolly get some! I doubt this ol truck has had an easy life lol im sure that back tank is full of garbage. I see a weekend project comin soon!

 

It's the best conditioner I've come across for sheer just getting the job done. If you can afford it, I replaced my back tank with a new one for $120 at my part store, list was $340 so I'm not sure what you'd be looking at, solved a mess of my problems. Front is coming this summer (Hate working on tanks during the Fall/Winter).

 

the lift pump should not be able to forse water thru the fillter..but it can slow or stop fuel geting to the ip...most fillters have a drain petcock on bottom...open this if you have one,, when running,look for water and crud...if was first time u used the back tank could have air in line and crud...bad pick up...you will finger her out...