After months of putting it off I dropped the tank and did the Hutch mod. I followed Guzzles page for the most part and also the info from Diesel Innovations instructions. Diesel Innovations Complete SS Pre-Pump fuel line kit

I didn't have a warm fuzzy using the supplied compression fitting (made in Taiwan) to extend the pickup line but used it anyway .

I got the tank mounted and fired it up and got this. It's a short vid but this is post priming with the key on 4 to 5 times and running for about 5min. Man she's just the great air gusher!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMFB...ature=youtu.be

So my question is are your Pre-filters solid with zero bubbles? Almost looks like my pump has seen better days? It doesn't appear to be pumping very strong but I don't know. I feel pretty confident the new pick up line from the top of the tank to the pre-filter is good. Which leaves really just the compression fitting in the pickup line in the tank right? The tank fuel level is pretty low but should be above the pickup foot. Should I add a gallon or two and see if the air disappears? That could confirm the leak is inside I guess. Looking back I could have pressurized the pickup line before closing it up to check for leaks but didn't think of it then.

 

Seems to be sucking air. Tugly had this problem if I remember right and had to drop the tank again. Did you double clamp everything? If you drop the tank, use a mity vac to check tight connections. If its really low maybe you have a bad foot and its sucking air off the side outlet. That's if you didn't run the line down all the way.

 

Is it possible that the problem is outside the tank? I assume that you replaced the stock "suckshion" tubing fittings with a rubber hose up to the fuel filter and then on to the fuel pump? It sure looks like you are sucking air, so your idea of adding fuel to the tank will help to narrow it down.

 

I had that very same problem with air bubbles, and it was the quick-disconnects that got me. My fittings in the tank were good (I vacuum tested everything pickup related before assembly), but I put the old quick-disconnects back on. I ultimately dropped the tank again and replaced the whole fuel line from the tank to the pump. The pump can't make good pressure when it's cavitating (air in fuel), and I can hear plenty of cackle in that 5-second vid.

I wouldn't add fuel... you still have the same problem that made you drop the tank to begin with.

 

Thanks for the feed back everyone. I dropped the tank again (getting pretty good at it) and double checked all the fittings and it held pressure.

I have narrowed it down to the 3/8" line I ran from the tank to the 5/16" fittings on the pre-pump filter. After T/S the issue, at one point after re-installing the filter, it wouldn't draw fuel at all until I wrenched down on the double clamps on the tank side of the 5/16" filter.

Looks like the Racor PS120-2 is in my near future. That way 3/8" in and 5/16" out to the pump. This is just way to Mickey Mouse for me. 3/8" on 5/16" fittings .

Yes, I have some cackle and I believe it is actually an injector. Just ruling out the cheaper/easy stuff first. If you can say dropping the tank on a 13yr old vehicle is easy. thanks again guys...

 

If you dont mind how did you get the instructions?I just got there kit today&it had none.

 

Sure here it is: http://dieselinnovations.com/techfil...k-pump-kit.pdf

The included plastic baldwin filter was sucking air big time. I replaced it with a filter with 3/8" on both ends and no more air. Still going with the PS120-2 soon. Call me crazy but I swear I noticed .5mpg increase after this mod.

 

Dad still has the Glass type pre pump filter. Every year when i change the oil i clean the screen in the filter. Pain in the ****. This year the glass broke and upon changing it out with another glass type filter i had laying around i fought like heck to get the air to stop getting sucked in.. The pump was not happy about the air getting sucked in. Again, Pain in the ****. Trying to talk him into what i did so i can stop messing with those little inline filter he has. I think everything, napa, Homedepot, Mcmaster was less than $125. I havn't touched it since 2011. Installed and forgotten. Maybe next year i will change the filter and the main filter.

 

I tried that, and it killed my fuel pressure with Stage II sticks.





I went back to a pre-pump strainer.

 

No starvations here, Fuel pressure rock solid. Idle and WOT. Even with a 3 year old 16mic filter. I still have factor pump. No big HP mods though.

I was going to do something like the Racor.(200+mic) But i was concerned about special parts, orings, breaking/cracking/splitting something while i travel.. Now I can just pull into any napa and be on my way quickly. I don't like it when i install stuff that is special order and something happens. Bad enough now just getting Ford Stuff while we travel. If it was a local running truck i probably would go with the Racor. I like the visibility option.

 

snknby123, I just did the same mod this past weekend and encountered the same issue. What kind of fuel hose are you running?

This was with single clamps and 30R7 fuel line (click for video):


This is after double clamping and upgrading to 30R9 fuel hose (click for video):


Still too many bubbles for my liking but I have yet to see one clearer than that. What is the part number for the 3/8" filter you swapped to? If it is anything beyond a strainer, I assure you it is not diesel rated with those little inline filters. Not that it will matter I guess if you are going with the Racor unit.

In the future, I'm probably moving to a setup like danskool is running.

 

Those little filters are junk as far as I'm concerned. They will work, but getting the hose to seal vacuum tight is a real booger and you have to tighten until you feel like you're going to crush the plastic nipples. If you insist on using that little thing, use a nut driver to tighten it instead of a screw driver.

Personally, Tugl'y Racor unit is the best thing I've seen done yet in this application. I have one ready to go on my truck in place of the tighter Baldwin filter.

 

The fram is a (10-mic). i wouldn't use the fram. The glass type is what dad has been using for over 5 years traveling to and from florida. I wouldn't call that junk with the mileage he has been putting on, But i would call it a pain in the **** changing the screen getting things sealed back up. But it does work good. I would bet dad has 70k miles through this glass filter setup. Both filters are 3/8"

 

I would agree, Dan, that the glass filter setup is a significant improvement over the plastic units. I myself ran a glass unit on my Excursion for about 3 years. The problem I have with the glass unit, though, is its small filter surface area. It does work, and really is a royal PITA to maintain. Also, unless both glass ends are cut and smoothed squarely across the diameter, it can also be a real booger to seal off to prevent air from being sucked in around the ends. I had to keep mine so tight that I was afraid of crushing the glass cylinder. For both that reason and its small size, I switched over to a larger BF1212 screw on element like has been running trouble-free on my truck for 7 years (with annual element changes, of course).

In my own mind, though, a larger filtration surface area is much more preferrable due to how long you can run between cleanings, and that is why I like Tugly's unit so much. You can still have the clear reservoir to see when pluggage is occurring, but since it is a screw on type of housing, it is a little more convenient for R&R when required, in addition to just having tons more surface area for longer run durations. Had I known about the PS120-02 Racor unit when I installed my first BF1212 element on my truck, I would have gone with the Racor unit from the very beginning.

 

One more tick mark under "pro Racor" vs. the metallic spin-on filters: I recently developed a vacuum leak on my fuel intake. How did I know? I got under the truck and glanced at the fuel flow coming in. It took me 1 second to spot the bubbles, and 10 more seconds to verify it wasn't a burp. If one were to have something similar to the 1212, how long would it take to find such a problem?


I can probably conduct the repairs (even if it involves dropping the tank) in the time it would otherwise take to determine there's air in the fuel.