1993 Suburban with crud in tank problem

[Donald]

I had not driven my Suburban in about 3 years, then last Sept I drove it some. It started to have almost no power going up any kind of hill. I eventually had the fuel filter replaced along with the fuel pump and strainer. Things were fine for awhile but today same problem with no power on any kind of hill. Had the fuel filter replaced again and added 20 gallons of fresh gas and it seems to have fixed the problem. I have been using various gas treatments including a lot of the blue StaBil. My state does have E10 gas. They poured out the fuel filter into a glass and it looked cloudy with some water and rust at the bottom. I am wondering if adding fuel cleaners is causing the fuel tank to get cleaned too quickly and it has clogged the filter twice in 6 months. Maybe I should just let the E10 gas clean the tank. I will now carry a spare filter and some wrenches.

 

[merdog]

Hey Don:
Some of the pick up units have a filter sock on them, wait until you get real low on fuel and empty the tank and pull the pick up unit and ck the pick up sock and check out the inside of the tank. Every time you put fresh fuel in her you clean off the sock for a little while.. Good Luck.

 

[Donald]

The sock was replaced last fall when the pump was replaced.

 

[cchase]

I'd skip the cleaners for a while. Luckily filters for this are cheap and easy to replace.

 

[Donald]

What about tank level? When it clogged yesterday it was at about 1/3 of a tank. Its a huge 46 gallon tank. That works to be just shy of $200 for a fill.

 

[pottymouth]

If you're capable, drop the tank and flush it out. If the rust is bad (you probably have a ring of rust above whatever level the tank was left for those years) get a replacement. You might be able to get away with Kreem-ing it, but that's a pretty big tank to fool with.

 

[mechtech2]

Kinda late for Stabil, isn't it?

Who knows what crud is left in the tank and system? Keep at it until you are satisfied.

 

[Donald]

Blue StaBil has a lot of cleaner in it. Good to clean up engines that have not been used for awhile. In addition to normal stabilizing E10.

 

[Donald]

How many more filters should I go through. I now have a spare in my car. What frequency.

 

[MarkM66]

Replace the tank.

 

[Donald]

I will consider replacing the tank but my main priority is getting my 2001 Jeep repaired. Given that the engine is probably seized, it will take most of my spare money for awhile.