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Fuel Filter or Vacuum Leak?

Wreckclues

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Jefferson, Massachusetts
New issue with my M813, she starts and runs fine then after about 8 minutes stalls out completely when I give her any throttle. Been running fine since I changed the fuel filter in October. Problem began after a run involving maneuvers that flexed the frame and sloshed the fuel tank. I let her sit a couple days, did the same maneuvers and she stalled out after about 8 minutes. Just did a static test and she stalled out again.
Thought it might have been water in the tank or filter, but tested the fuel with Gasoil water finding paste and found nothing.
When I replaced the filter in October I thoroughly cleaned the housing. Now the bottom is full of crud, as well as the bottom of the filter, but the rest looks good. Don't know enough about these filters to judge if it needs replacing. The old one looked ten times as bad.
Not sure how much fuel is supposed to be in the filter but less than a gallon drained out.
Finally the bleeder valve between the fuel line and filter housing is moist but not dripping indicating a possible vacuum leak?
Check out the attached photos and 50 second video of what she sounds like on start up and stall out and tell me what you think filter, vacuum leak, temperature related?

Filter or Leak?


Filter.jpgFilter crud.jpgGasoil.jpgLowFuel.jpgValve.jpg
 
Last edited:

Wreckclues

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
164
454
63
Location
Jefferson, Massachusetts
Think I figured out my problem. The bleeder valve between the fuel line and filter housing was wet with fuel. Took it apart and found debris on the petcock mating surface. Also the hard fuel line mis-fit the valve and the O-ring between the filter housing and bleeder valve was too large.
Cleaned out the filter, scrubbed the mating surfaces, installed a flexible fuel line and a smaller diameter O-ring. Pulled fuel through the filter with a fuel transfer pump until I had clear fuel free of bubbles. Now the truck starts on the first pull and doesn't stall out after 8 minutes.

1 LeakCause.jpg2BleederValve.jpg
 
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