jpete

Met with a Ford engineer and a Fleet rep regarding our fuel tank issues. Bio diesel is the cause of the delamination according to the fuel engineers. Apparently biodiesel is being sold retail without labeling of the product pumps at service stations because there is no regulation for labeling. We have probably been using biodiesel blends without our knowledge for months. The chemicals and other compounds used for refining the bio products are attacking the tank coatings. New tanks available since March have coatings that are resistant to higher biodiesel concentrations. We have six trucks w/6.0L that are affected. All will need new tanks. Change intervals for fuel filters should be halved. Evidence of coating in the filters should be addressed immediately to prevent injector damage from low fuel pressure.

Thanks all for your replies. Thanks Alex for the SSM. I am struggling with biodiesel being the cause. We have never run any bio diesel. We operate a fleet of 46 Ford vehicles, most Powerstrokes from 1999 through 2006. Only the 04 and newer diesel units have had a tank problem. I would lean more toward incompatabilty with ULSDiesel. Could there be a manufacturing problem with the tank internal coating? Or maybe an inferior steel issue? The loss of coating that I observed was not from the bottom of the tank. Coating had fallen from the inside top of the tank. Coating complete gone and severe rust started into the steel. What is strange is that the inside top of the tank would only contact fuel if packed full or by sloshing of the fuel. Any water would sink to the bottom of the tank. We have accumulated over 3 million mostly trouble free miles on our Ford fleet. I believe this problem will turn into a major debacle given the number of Powerstroke vehicles sold the last 5 years. I hope Ford will give this problem high priority and come to a conclusive finding. Thanks again Jack Peterson Fleet Manager The Craig Group

Have had 3 trucks with fuel tanks that are "delaminating" internally. Trucks have approx. 60k-80k miles. Have found an silvery paste or flakes in the HFCM filter, also have found reddish powder and particles of rusty metal. Injector failures have been attributed to this delamination. Tank is not covered past the 3-36 warranty, injector failures now are also not warrantable if caused by the tank failure. We have replaced the bad tanks but are the new tanks going to fail again in 60k miles and cause repeated injector issues? I had the opportunity to examine a delaminated tank. I stuck my hand in the fuel sender opening and scraped my fingernails on the "roof" of the tank and came away with a handfull of rusty powder and debris. Are you guys seeing this type of problem. Any insight from you fine folks would be appreciated. Jack Peterson Fleet Manager The Craig Group Mays Landing NJ