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#1
05-12-2007, 10:27 PM
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Fuel strainer
Well, you fellows ought to get a good laugh out of this one.........
The SD was exhibiting classic symptoms of fuel starvation at the 17 gallon point. No chance of going beyond this........very poor idle and low power. So, I managed to find a 1 13/16" socket and figured that I better get it done today. Ran the tank down to an estimated five gallons or so. Got a 5 gallon fuel container that I planned to drain the remaining fuel. Jack it up and set it on jackstands. Crawl under and try to release the fitting.........the strainer rotates. DAMN. Worst scenario. OK, I'll just remove the hose clamp from the opposite end and let the fuel drain down the hose............but, the hose won't quite reach the five gallon container............the end of the hose is about 6" above the container.............and the fuel is now running...........DAMN..........grab a 8mm allen wrench and shove it in the hose.........about a pint ends up on the floor. Remove jackstands and lower vehicle until it's almost right on top of the container.........excellent.........pull allen wrench and let fuel drain into container for about 1 hour. After one hour, there is still a steady small stream from the hose.........no sign of dripping........and only about 4 gallons in the container. I'm betting the clogged strainer is restricting the flow.......but........how much can possibly still be in the tank??? Well, I'm not going to wait four hours to see..........so..........I get the wrench out and loosen the strainer a bit more.......WRONG MOVE..........fuel starts to gush everywhere.........like there's 10 gallons in the tank..........the drain pan cannot contain it all........and there's fuel on the floor..........fuel on my clothes........fuel seemingly everywhere.........and I'm trying like hell to get most of it in the drain pain...........and it will not stop. After about a gallon exits all over me.......the floor.........the axle.........the diff.........it finally stops. I pull the strainer and it was as I figured..........packed full of black goo..........I'm amazed that the engine ran at all. So, I figured I'd clean it and keep it as a spare. A half can of Brakekleen and it's as good as new.........but, the hose won't release from the strainer (I figured I'd use the new one). Get the propane torch out and warm the aluminum to get it to expand off the brass........successfully........BUT........the heat from the torch burned through the screen of the strainer.........and now it's trash. Well, install the new strainer.........reinstall the fuel line.........try to prevent the fuel line from rubbing on the axle...........and install the fuel line on the hard line and tighten the hose clamp. Mop up the fuel with rags for about an hour............. And I figured it would be a quick 1 hour job............ 
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#2
05-12-2007, 10:37 PM
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Happened to me like that, only I had planned to use little hose clamps on the fuel line before removing the hose from the steel line and make it a clean no-spill episode. Nope. Totally forgot to do it in that sequence, ended up pouring fuel everywhere before getting it under control. Wish I had a video of me struggling to stop it. It's amazing how fast one gets moving under those circumstances.
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'02 BMW 325i '85 300D 450k '93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree) '08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k '06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)
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#3
05-12-2007, 10:42 PM
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Dang, you guys are entertaining....
 This was a pretty boring job when I did it. Hardly spilled a drop.... 
__________________
Palangi 2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz 2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser 2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg 2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE 0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE
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#4
05-12-2007, 10:45 PM
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Quote:
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#5
05-12-2007, 10:55 PM
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Also, FWIW, when I first got the 240D, the fuel system was NASTY
 . Had water, algae, rust flakes, you name it. I ran a naptha based fuel addative for a while (I think it was called Dieseline or something like that). The prefilter would plug with rust flakes, and the main filter would plug with gritty black sludge. When I pulled the strainer, it was perfectly clean. I believe the naptha liquifies the sludge built up on the tank walls and strainer. I suspect that is why Startron works so well. It isn't the mythical enzymes, it's the naptha.
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Palangi 2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz 2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser 2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg 2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE 0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE
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#6
05-12-2007, 11:00 PM
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 Next time use a bigger bucket...   
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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200
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#7
05-13-2007, 09:38 AM
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Brian,
Thanks for sharing a story I would have been too ashamed to relate. I did a similair thing, but 4 times over ( progressively less intrusive) as I tried, in vain, without success to patch, weld, reweld a fuel tank leak. Every time I thought I had it,( no leaks with fuel in the tank outside the vehicle) I would install, only to have it leak, ever so slowly, but leak just the same. Replacement tank and I am good. Thanks for the story as we all have been there.... Gary
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Gary Experience is something you get, Just after you needed it.... '99 E300 295K, '83 300D 220K, '75 240D 185K sold '80 MCI Bus Conv DD 6V92TA, w/4 cyl. Kubota diesel GenSet 12.5KW
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#8
05-13-2007, 11:38 AM
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I have a fire/fuel story that happened on a boat. I was deckhand on a small steel tug, we pick up a derrick barge for a short tow across the harbor so the scow crew stay aboard the derrick. After getting underway I look around and the guys on the scow are all jumping up and down yelling and pointing forward (toward us). On the stern deck of the tug I see something that really shouldn't be there, are we having a "religious" experience here? Theres a flame, more like from a "flame thrower," about four feet high shooting up from the steel deck.
The skipper knows immediately what has happened and makes a mad dash to the engine room. He had switched the return fuel from the two Jimmy 671s, to a full tank and as the fuel exited the small vent hole in the brass fill cap it got hot enough to ignite and DID. Something to keep in mind when switching tanks in the future. Normally fuel tank vents on a boat are not set up that way but this was and old piece of crap, converted landing craft (LCM)
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 1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car"
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#9
05-13-2007, 12:55 PM
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That's on my short list of things to do. Now that I have a viton o-ring to put in with the new strainer. Since I burn b-99 I will be covered with that instead of petro diesel.
Brian how many days before you stop smelling like diesel fuel? Also are the EGR kits ready? Chris
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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss
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#10
05-13-2007, 05:12 PM
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Quote:
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'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride. '13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride. Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.
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#11
05-13-2007, 05:14 PM
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Oh yeah the EGR block plates, those are pretty nice.
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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200
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