Piece of foil fell into fuel tank, problem ?

RKL · 10-24-2013, 09:17 PM

Before filling up with diesel at Pilot today I opened a new bottle of algicide fuel conditioner. I removed a loose piece of foil seal held it up to toss into trash when the wind caught it and it actually blew into the filler pipe. No choice other than to finish fueling up with diesel. The piece of foil was about 1/4 of the seal off a quart size bottle.

No knowing what the intank fuel pickup is(strainer sock) what is the worst that can happen as I am driving? Can it clog the fuel line to the fuel filter (2 micron Cat filter) or will it settle to bottom of tank? I know it can not get past the filter and not cause a problem trapped there. Thanks for your input. Rkl

dengraham · 10-24-2013, 09:37 PM

RKL,
I would not lose any sleep over it. It will probably just fall to the bottom of the tank and stay there. If it did float, it could be sucked into the fuel line but as you said it would never make through the filters. If it was larger and did float, at the perfect tank level it could cover the fuel inlet pipe. If this happened your engine would shut itself down and would need service. If this did happen I would just change the filters and drive happily down the road. I just would not worry about it.

BFlinn181 · 10-24-2013, 10:20 PM

If you think about it, you aren't using that much fuel per second to actually create suction like a vacuum cleaner. It might move around in the tank as the fuel sloshes, but I'm sure the filter will trap it if it does get pulled into the line. I think it's too small to block off the end of the fuel line even if there is no 'sock' on the pick up line. (I've never been into a diesel tank to find out.) I wouldn't worry about it.

Mr_D · 10-24-2013, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

If you think about it, you aren't using that much fuel per second to actually create suction like a vacuum cleaner. It might move around in the tank as the fuel sloshes, but I'm sure the filter will trap it if it does get pulled into the line. I think it's too small to block off the end of the fuel line even if there is no 'sock' on the pick up line. (I've never been into a diesel tank to find out.) I wouldn't worry about it.

The pump actually pumps a lot more fuel than the engine uses, there's a return line that returns the unused fuel to the tank. And yes, there is a suction created by the fuel pump, that's how the larger particles get sucked into the filter.

Arch Hoagland · 10-24-2013, 10:47 PM

Many years ago my six year old daughter put small small wooden balls about the size of a large pea in my truck's gas tank.

She told me she was getting gas for me. She used to wash my windows too. Great helper.

Those things are probably still in there. Never caused me any problems.

stink · 10-24-2013, 10:55 PM

There should be a "sock" filter on the suction line. It looks like a tea strainer made out of plastic and the size of a larger pill bottle. Do not fret about that small bit of foil!!

Chiefbvfd · 10-25-2013, 06:49 AM

I am not sure how Freightliner sets up their Motorhome fuel systems, but on their Fire trucks they have a fuel line filter on the end of the fuel pickup line in the fuel tank. If the foil did get sucked up against that filter, it wouldn't block enough fuel to cause an issue.

rlott2k · 10-26-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland

Many years ago my six year old daughter put small small wooden balls about the size of a large pea in my truck's gas tank.

She told me she was getting gas for me. She used to wash my windows too. Great helper.

Those things are probably still in there. Never caused me any problems.

lol Many years ago I also dropped stones from the gravel driveway down my Dads filler tube! They made such a neat sound . Clack clack clack clack sploosh!. But i digress from the topic.

Should be no problem. The filters will catch it if it gets drawn in.