Guys using E-85 Check your fuel filters!!

timspony

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After going though this thread...I decided to change my stock fuel filter today!

I ran E-85 all of last year, 1,600 miles and made about 25 passes....have to say my filter looked like new! :) ...Pictures really don't show how clean it is (and it's still wet)

Very happy....E-85 FTW!! :beer:

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Senkak

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timspony

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04ASSASSIN

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I changed my filter 2 weeks ago an it had what looked to be some sort of gel on it.
Drove the car last night an noticed the fuel pressure was dropping from 60psi down to 20psi under boost and it would stay there for several seconds of idling. What would cause this?
 

Senkak

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I changed my filter 2 weeks ago an it had what looked to be some sort of gel on it.
Drove the car last night an noticed the fuel pressure was dropping from 60psi down to 20psi under boost and it would stay there for several seconds of idling. What would cause this?

What fuel and fuel pumps?
 

stkjock

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This is from another board I frequent.

I have been running Fore Triple pump setup for about 2 and 1/2 years, the fuel pumps used are 3-255lph. I have had zero problems with this fuel system and made 800RWHP. In anticipation of making more power, I decided to upgrade to the CPe hat with 3-465 pumps.

I began pulling my old hat yesterday and snapped these photos today, as you can see. I did not opt for the Anodized coating offered by Fore for E85 based on research from buddies who have been running E85 for years. Apparently the were right, rubber fuel lines look great and have no break down or corrosion, the pumps and hat have a very fine talcum power type residue and in some spots it is kinda caked on. I used Fragola lines, fittings and Fore rails, everything appears to be in good shape. I did have alot of debris in the tank considering I have only been running E85 for 10,000 miles. I cleaned both sides of the tanks and reassembled and wired my 2nd and 3rd 465 pump to a pressure switch. Here are the photos I snapped of the hat, I think its safe to say E85 is no different than gas except for the trash in tank.

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vladSVT

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triple 255s here and no issues. Ever since I changed my fuel filter, I've been checking it regularly to make sure.
 

c6zhombre

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FYI.....

Was at a car meet tonight and a guy I know with a recently e85 swapped 2011 gt500 running a KB at 22psi was there....but without his gt500. I asked where his car was and he tells me his car is down with "clogged fuel filter with metallic sludge". He then asks "hey did you get the bad batch of E85 over at the station like I did??" I was like "what bad E85 LOL....it's been fine every time I fill up and the car runs great. Fuel filter looks great....I just filled up" There is only 1 E85 station down here for 200 miles.

I asked him what fuel pumps he's running and he says walbro 400. I told him to junk those things and get 465s (f90000267) instead
 

safado

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I just checked my fuel filter again.. while swapping out the GTSC pumps for a Fore hat with 465s...... 5 more tank fulls since last picture... still like new
 

c6zhombre

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Update on mine...

Here's the filter change I did on Jan 10th. This filter was in the car for at least 2 years and saw duty on E85 and 93 octane tunes. Notice how it looks very good...but it is stained brown a bit. I put a brand new identical model filter in on this day

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http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/12610578-post75.html

I did an oil change Sunday and decided I'd go ahead and swap the filter from Jan 10th. I've run about 6 tanks of E85, or roughly 900 miles. No 93. Here is a picture of that filter, it is on the right. The previous filter that came out on Jan 10th (and noted above) is to the left. Notice how the filter on the left that saw 93 use is much more stained on the fibers. The filter on the right that saw straight E85 use is absolutely pristine in color...fibers are identical to a brand new filter. The pumps in the car are supercar gt pumps and have been in the tank for over 4 years to my knowledge

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E85 continues to impress and so does this car :rockon:
 

vladSVT

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04Sleeper,
Couple of questions about he pumps you dissected.
1) Were all of them completely dead? Did you bench test them?
We did not test them on a bench. We did hook up each pump individually and flowed fuel through them. (In the tank in the Fore Hat. Testing each individually with each set of wires) Each one was providing up to 60 PSI with no issues on the regulator. All the pumps worked perfect and no loss of fuel pressure.

2) if you did bench test them, how many amps were they pulling to run?
We did not test amp draw. But the 40 AMP BAP did not have any issues and the 30 amp fuse inline was fine and never blew. The BAP was only hooked up for voltage stability and was set between 1-5. Just barely on.

3) what did the pre / post pump filters look like? Was there black residue like the OPs filter?
The Pre-Filter (Fuel pump sock) looked fine. The post filter looked like this.
Photo-0559.jpg

Photo-0560.jpg


One thing to note, this filter was after fueling up at a brand new Valero station in Little Elm , TX. After that, we never went back to that station for fuel and started using Kroger again. Went back to a paper filter again and no issues with the new pump in place.

He did have a piece of Pushloc hose that was changed out as well for Fragola. After cleaning with alcohol, we cut the line open and wiped it with a clean cotton rag. Here's what it looked like. You can see black residue from the inside of the hose.

Photo-0561.jpg


4) what do you make of the black marks on the outside of the Walbro cases? I've seen failed pumps with what looks like evidence of arcing between the pump and the hat. But yours looks like the rings in the pump hat were breaking down ( if it was a fore style hat).
The marks were from the O-Rings on the Fore Hat. This was an older style Fore Hat with the black O-Rings, not the new Viton O-Rings.

5) when these pumps went out, we're they fused individually and did any of them pop a fuse?
The pumps never went out. They worked just fine and we concluded that it was pretty much a waste of $$$ cutting open perfectly good pumps in the name of curiosity. No fuses ever went out.

I didn't cut open any of the failed pumps I had because the manufacturer wanted them back. Hopefully they will let me know what they find.

Please share your findings as well.


Im going to bump this up for some clarification as I am stuck in the same situation. So what is the conclusion? The pumps work fine, look fine also, and the filter is clogged.

I have triple 255 pumps just as above, and my filter is getting black.

So from what you tested, the pumps are working fine/and looking good also (besides small black resiude), yet his filter is still black. So you concluded that its the lines that were causing the clogged filter? Or over time the little bit of black accumulation from the pumps is what causes the filters to clog?
I just want to make sure as to what to do next, ditch the 255s and get some new pumps, or maybe change out the line and keep the same pumps.
 

specizripn

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What I'm getting from this is the people with 465s or gt pumps, good fuel lines, and go to good stations have clean filters, and the people with gunk showing up have a different kind of pump. The evidence is really pointing to the pump being the problem...
 

Senkak

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What I'm getting from this is the people with 465s or gt pumps, good fuel lines, and go to good stations have clean filters, and the people with gunk showing up have a different kind of pump. The evidence is really pointing to the pump being the problem...

Correct
 

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