'02 F350 7.3L installed Transfer Flow chassis 48 gallon tank in '03. At the time I was told the inside was treated and resistant for corrosion etc...

My truck began loosing power, bucking, became hard to start some mornings and the fuel pump began buzzing/grinding about 2 weeks ago after a fill up. (this is a station I generally use and the other diesel is doing fine filled up at the same time) I was pretty sure it was the pump so I ran the fuel out as the problem was intermittent. I took the truck to the dealer today.

I received a call back that the diagnosis was done and here were the results:
Hypothesis that the fuel tank had rusted/corroded inside
Thus:
remove fuel tank send it out to be lined
replace sending unit and fuel hose to pump
replace pump
replace bowl
replace filter
inspect injectors for damage (3500 to replace if needed)
replace a couple of other things I don't recall off the top of my head.

Total out, $3100.00 w/o injectors.



I called Transfer Flow to see if this was reasonable or if something else was at play. I expected a "Oh no, our tanks would not do that..."
That's not what I got. Instead I was told that recently some of the older tanks had turned up with this problem. It seems either biodiesel due to some additives and/or the new ultra low sulfer fuel is more corrosive than regular diesel and the tanks were never meant to contain this more corrosive fuel. Bearing in mind I had to replace gaskets shortly after only the new water... err fuel was mandated and I've never run biodiesel it would seem the new fuel may at least partly to blame if not totally to blame. This tank never sat empty for long periods of time, basically run it out, fill it up.

Does the list of repairs seem reasonable or a sales job? I can't understand why more than a clean tank, sending unit and possibly a fuel pump would be needed. As for the injectors... isn't that what the filter is for?

Has anyone seen this with their transferflow fuel tank? I know there is no warranty left and I'm SOL if it is the tank. Is it reasonable that the new fuel formulation could have caused this or are these tanks just normally going to corrode? If so, I'll never have another one.

Any alternatives or suggestions welcome.

Robert

 

Man, that interesting, did you see the damage first hand, look inside the tank with a flash light?? Subscribing...

 

I have not seen inside the tank, this is the "hypothesis" I was looking for a call to Transfer flow to stop me having to pull the tank and see first hand. It looks like at a minimum that will have to be done.

I will probably perform the work myself once I'm sure what I'm up against. I thought sure this would be a quick fuel pump replacement and I might as well let the dealer do it, you know with the economy down and all. Now it looks like MY economy is going down too.

/RB

 

Ive had a transferflow 47 gallon replacement tank for about 2 or 3 years? (And I drive about 30-40k a year) I long ago did the intank mods, and have the ITP filter on the frame rail. So I suppose If I had ANY much in there, it went directly into the big filter on my fuel rail. I would look more into that. That way anything that was in there, doesnt get stuck in the fuel pickup/pre filter, like it sounds like may have happened? I sincerely hope, that you didnt have all that work done? If there is still time, I would hold off, and get ITPs intank setup, and probably cure your problem for a whole lot less.

Also, have you looked in the fuel bowl for sediments, that got passed the filter? Seems to me whomeever quoted you that, just ASSumed the whole fuel system needs replaced, almost sounds like something Ford would do, specially on your dime, if you took it there, and werent covered by warrenty (which obviosly 7.3s are not anymore)

On edit: About once a year, in the coldest of winter, my filter clogs up, or gels. Replace the filter, and Im off again. So if Im seeing the same issue you are, it fixes itself when I replace the filter. And I have 203,000 miles, and still on the origionally installed injectors, with a worst rotational velocity of 2.0 All 8 due to be replaced next oil change

 

Where can I find this rail mount fuel filter? It sounds like it would have saved me a lot of grief.

I think my plan is to drop the tank and see what is actually in there and then go from there.

/RB

 

ITP 7.3L Fuel Tank / Pre-Pump Kit

If you havent done the work above yet, please dont, untill you do this. Be sure you do the intank stuff aswell, that takes out the in pickup filter/screen/mixing chamber (whatever they call it). Then its direct flow to the filter that goes on the fuel rail, also is supposed to keep air down in your fuel system by re-routing the return line away from the pickup, throwing the air bubbles, and return fuel out further into the tank.

 

I'm with Mike on the stealership and they're sales pitch. Chances are they didn't even take the lid off the fuel bowl to inspect!

There are the screen filters in the tank that will let smaller particles through but get clogged with larger ones. Then the pump isn't gettting the fuel it needs. These would be removed if you do a kit like the ITP link above. If those particles got through the pump, there could be damage to it but might not be also. The fuel bowl on the motor is pretty efficient as it's a 2 micron filter so my guess it that you haven't gotten any junk in/through the injectors. However, the bowl filter is probably pretty plugged up and not passing fuel to the injectors.

I'd say get a second opinion or do the work yourself if possible, cause the dealership is just out to take your money. IMO, they don't have any vehicle sense anymore and their ability to diagnose something that their computer can't tell them is IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

Get the tank replace/relined, do the ITP or similar kit for the tank and pre-pump filter, clean all the junk out of the bowl (it there is any), and replace the filter. I'd also put some sort of manual fuel pressure gauge on so you can see if you're losing pressure at the bowl. If you are after you do the other maintenance/mods, then maybe the pump is damaged. If that's the case, go with a Walbro pump cause it's cheaper than a factory replacement, flows more fuel, and mounts in the existing location.

Hope you get it figured out!!

 

What is this garbage? I couldn't get pictures but inside the tank was "growth" well below the fuel level and on the bottom of the tank. It was a corrosion of some kind not the bacterial stuff like found in boats. The fuel is eating up the tank. I've always bought on the road fuel, never used bio in any shape or form. Always straight up retail fuel.

The mechanic said he's seeing more of this lately with metal tanks. I'm finding several sources on the internet (some more official than others) swearing the new fuel is corrosive and for me the nail in the coffin is one of our neighbors. I happen to have been complaining to him about my truck repairs. He has used the same metal fuel can for diesel for 35 years, last fall he was pouring fuel and noticed something in the fuel... to make a long story short it was the metal from the can. It had corroded through it less than a year after switching to the new ULS fuel.

If you have a metal fuel tank... you'd better check it out sooner than later. Leaves me ticked... who in the government can I send this bill to? I can only imagine what's happening to underground storage tanks.

/RB

 

How long ago did you buy it? They say they have a 3 year/60k mile warrenty. I dont really want to drop mine again, I did that a few months ago, when I built my traction bars. But if your still in the 3 years, maybe you can get them to do somethign about it?

EDIT Also, I went back onto TF's website, and I have a feeling theres a possibility of the "aluminized" portion of the aluminized steel coroding. The stuff you saw was probably whiteish in color? Possibly gray by now? What did you see?

 

Hmm, I have a metal tank and my fuel pump recently started getting noisier.

 

The stuff was a light red. I bought the tank in 2002. If it had been occuring since 02 it would have been far worse. This was just enough to get into the pickup in the tank.

That's exactly how mine started, my fuel pump was making noise. I'd anticipated a quick pump replacement, few hundred dollars and on my way. I was wrong.

I'm still having a hard time swallowing this, but I keep finding more and more stories and published findings showing this new fuel is more corrosive. Here is one of them, ULSD could trigger other problems besides lubricity | Diesel Fuel News | Find Articles at BNET

I did call Transfer Flow, I was told they are seeing this problem on their tanks and said they believed newer fuels and/or bio-diesel was the problem. I've never run bio.

It may be a pain... but I'd pull the tank to check, if it's metal inside I think I'd line it anyway.

EDIT: BTW, I posted that specific article because it seems the most neutral on the matter, it's not trying to hide and it's not ranting about fuel. It gives good information raising doubts about the properties of the new fuel with referenced sources.




/RB

 

I'll be dropping the tank in the near future and will post back to this thread the results.
It will be about two weeks, I'm guessing, looking at my shedule.

 

Today I had the opportunity to pull the tank to check things out.
Good news, no corrosion anywhere.
I also did a fuel volume test just for grins.
Got 1/2 gallon in 30 seconds. That is more than twice the spec for this pump so it is going great.

Fuel Volume Test