Rust in diesel filter housing

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:06 pm

I often find reddish rusty deposits in the filter housings (we found some in Vannys one a couple of weeks ago) I think its from the storage tanks rather than the car.
Stewart

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:12 pm

THe very top of the filler neck certainly can rust: I've seen it on more than one BX.

I completely drained a diesel tank on a scrapper BX (circa 1987) to find that the bottom of the tank and what was in it wasn't at all rusty - though a mite dirty right at the very bottom. The pipes (which weren't in brilliant nick) didn't drip anything rusty either, so far as I remember.

I did clean out some pretty nasty organic-looking muck on the last fuel filter change, but that was to be expected considering I'd run the tank almost dry immediately beforehand.

Come to think of it, I have a pair of new pipes which I'll probably fit this week rather than have them hanging around for another 18 months - they were bought for the previous diesel. I'll let you know what , if anything, I find on removing the old ones.

richard · Post by **richard** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 5:43 pm

I had the fuel filler neck problem on my BX 16 a few years past. It allowed water and all sorts of crud into the tank. It killed my carb! due to the car sitting in the garage over winter and the water in the carb.

I cleaned the tank out by removing the suction hose assy and sender assy and pumping all the crud out of the tank and flushing with diesel and parrafin. A fair amount of water/rust flakes were at the bottom of the tank.

Due to this I now keep an eye on what is at the bottom of the tank! I have also taken the precaution of fitting two in line fuel filters.

Cheers,

Richard.

richard · Post by **richard** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:54 pm

Providing the filter has done it's job the rust will not have reached the pump.

My fuel lines rusted through many years ago. They have since been replaced.

I succesfully cleaned the tank without removing it from the car by working through the two holes a the top of the tank. Saves the aggro of removing the tank!

Mr B · Post by **Mr B** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:25 pm

Interesting.

Can the pick up be got at without dropping the tank?

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:13 pm

Is it not under the flap next to the fuel level sensor? Just pick it out and have a look?

Mr B · Post by **Mr B** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:02 pm

Sounds like air getting into the system. It's not the fuel filter housing is it?
I seem to remember you telling me they can give grief, but I can't think if it was air getting in or fuel leaking out.........

M · Post by M » Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:04 pm

Thinking something similar myself Mr. B and wondering if it would be worth risking bypassing it to see if the engine runs ok without it.

Mr B · Post by **Mr B** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:20 pm

I'd give it a shot.

M · Post by M » Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:29 pm

Other than that, oily rag and matches in the post to you....

Or give it some gentle persuasion with that big fook off hammer of yours.