Clogged fuel filter

[rossman]

So I was cruising around in my Z the other day.  The fuel level was getting low so I took her over to a relatively new Shell station in my area and filled up with premium.  After about two or three miles I noticed my pump started making more noise.  So I started heading home.  By the time I got home the pump was buzzing REALLY loud causing the whole floorboard to vibrate. I immediately suspected one or both of the fuel filters were clogged. Today I confirmed it.  I can't even blow thru the paper filter filter. I haven't yet checked the pre-filter.

 

My fuel system is practically brand new: new pump, new filters, re-coated tank, new stainless lines, new fittings, new flex lines, etc.

 

I'm thinking it has got to be dirty gas from the Shell station.

 

I drained the tank and out came a little particulate crap and ~17 gallons of waste. 

 

So my questions are, how do I flush the system lines to make sure I got all the crap out? What the heck do I do with all the gas?  Dump it in the Shell store and set it afire? 

 

Thanks! (I am kidding about the fire part )

 

 

[dexter72]

Make sure that the tank isnt causing the debri. Safer to check whether it was re-coated or not. The filters should have caught the crap, I would install a clear/glass filter to see what the crap is.

 

After checking everything, Strain the gas through paint strainers, Pantyhose. Leggings. Put the gas in another car you have if you don't trust it.

[rossman]

Thanks for your response. I should have described my fuel system since it is completely custom.  I had a sump welded in the tank and professionally refurbished (re-coated) inside and out.  The fuel lines are custom bent stainless and earls fuel hose with AN fittings. There is a 100 micron filter on the intake side of the pump and a 10 micron filter just before the fuel rail.  

 

I need to flush out the line between the 10 micron filter and the tank.  The 100 micron filter is not plugged but has some crap in it.  I'm not sure if it can be salvaged (it's stainless mesh) but I'm going to replace it anyway.

 

I automatically assumed the crap came from the Shell station since it happened so soon after I filled up.  I guess it's possible that my tank started corroding or something inside it disintegrated but it seems very strange since it was running normal literally minutes before.  

 

I don't trust the fuel and I poured it into dirty/oily containers so I'm just going to recycle it.

 

My plan it so blow out the fuel line with water then alcohol and compressed air and slosh water then alcohol in the tank until it runs clear.  Anybody got a better idea?  Should I flush the pump somehow?

[rossman]

Here are pictures of the fuel system.

[rossman]

After inspecting the filter and thinking this thru *rationally* I believe the fill-up may have been a red herring. The filter is plugged up with very fine, muddy looking particulate.  Since I didn't flushed the lines after the install and there very well could have been residue in the lines and tank.  Oh well.  I bought two 10 micron filters. I'll carry one as a spare in case it happens again.

[Tony D]

On our club caravan to ABQ ZCON in 95 (?) all the cars filled up in the same filling station in Arizona.

 

Almost EVERY car started having problems afterwards. Some literally dying at the roadside. We were pulling fuel filters at the roadside against protestations of owners "it's BRAND NEW, we changed it two days before leaving on this trip!" One 280Z had a stock, obviously new Nissan OEM EFI filter, the owner showed me the Nissan Dealer's Service Invoice from the Thursday of that week prior (it was Sunday afternoon...)

 

Took that filter off (man, it felt heavy!), tried blowing through it. No go. Reversed it, and blew through it to get clumps of brownish red claylike silt. We hooked it up in reverse, and jumped the pump on to flow onto I40's shoulder it till the fuel looked relatively clear and then installed it the right way around. Car started right up and made the climb to the top of the hill into ABQ just fine afterwards.

 

I had put a huge oversized filter on my 260Z, and by that week's end it was starting to show signs of fuel starvation, so at a filling station leaving ABQ, I pulled it and put a stock filter out back. Cut the big one open: red desert silt, same as in the 280''s.

 

Upon talking, we all had filled from the same "premium" pump. That tank was obviously low, or contaminated.

 

All it takes is ONE fill up. If the truck just filled and stirred up the sediments in the tank...if the tank has old inventory and you suck off the bottom with a high concentration of contaminants or solids... Beware when pumping if the fuel seems to take forever to flow: the pump filters likely are clogged, there IS junk in the gasoline coming from the refinery...but a majority of contaminants comes from the in-ground tanks.

 

One fill up is all it takes. I wouldn't call it a Red Herring by a longshot!

[rossman]

Thanks Tony! Yeah, I'm still not convinced. I looked at the filter again last night. It's now completely dry. The crud is a fine white powder, almost like gypsum. I'm going to call the station today, I'm sure they will deny it but at least they will know there is an issue if others complain too.