AirDog failure

[Nic]

to your last few paragraphs about people wanting a sump..Its for the 1/2 tank issues and 1/4 tank issues some of us have with the AD150 and ADII...I dont see a reason for a sump with an AD100 as you do not have to put the 5/8 draw straw in the tank (when technically you dont anyway). I had 1/4 tank issues thus the reason for ordering my sump kit. Like you, I dont let my truck hit empty and never have. Im not too concerned with trash in the tank because of my filtration setup and where I get my diesel from. I know its good and I check my AD filters once every tank an change my stockers every other oil change. I keep up with my truck more than I have to. And now, its nice not having 1/4 tank issues

 

[LReiff]

If you got crap in your fuel tank an airdog will filter it all out within approx 200 miles. If its bad you'll need a case of filters. LOL

 

[TARM]

This is of course an after thought and basically me just bitching. Ford could have actually for the start designed a tank better for hard use. These are work trucks and 4x4. They should work at decent angles even with a 1/4 down to 1/8 tank. The tanks (in my mind all tanks) should have a sump area that the pick up tube drops into. An area of 6" in diameter and maybe 2-4" deep. That is the real fix for any PU issues.



Next idea but I doubt most would do this as they thing sumps are so much better and lets face it they are simple and now you do not have to drop the tank if you do not want to but IMO its a safer choice and takes care negatives a sump has and has its benefits as well. Install a sump that has no ports or plug them. Then install the PU so it goes down into the sump. Obviously this is a bit costly.


When you install the larger PU tube or for that matter any of the PU upgrade kits (hutch mod) you are doing away with the mixing valve. Doesn't this mixe returned fuel with fresh fuel from the tank? So if the Pu was uncovered for a second the PU would still have fuel coming into the PU via the mixing valve would it not? Unless I have this wrong I would say this would be the issue with anyone that does a "hutch" mod or does on the tank kits. Thru the process of rectifying one issue you possibly cause another it seems to me. After all the fuel coming back from a stock dead head system is no heated like that which comes back when you do a full RR. The chamber would likely create a flow issue as well given its port sizes.

Regardless we end up with an issue.

There is a fairly easy solution and could be mounted just like a fuel filter. A sealed container. Nothing big maybe a quart at most is all that would be needed. What it would become is one large mixing chamber. It would also do a decent job of sep vapor and free air as well. You would put in inline with both fuel lines the outlet and return side. It would be a zero pressure surge tank/mixing chamber. Fuel from the tank would enter it as would fuel returning from the engine. Then fuel would return from it to the tank as well as continue on to the fuel filters then pump and onto the engine.

If the pu was uncovered you would have a full quart or what ever size you made it full of fuel there to keep fueling the pump and engine until the pu was covered again. We are talking a second or two here but it could handle longer. As only the fuel the engine actually used or consumed would be missing. The rest would continue back to that container.


Now something I had considered doing before I went with my custom surge tank that allowed my Bosch 044 pump to be installed in it was using a filter base and filter as a surge tank/filter. You could also make it a dedicated surge tank only by using a empty filter body (no media).

Let me explain: Many of the fuel filter bases have 4 ports do them now? 2 inlets and 2 outlets. I would have to check to be sure but I do not see why you could not simple make it do double duty. It would then filter fuel coming and going. Normally would plug the one inlet and one outlet. Instead take your return line and cut it. Put the hose coming from the engine and hook it up to the extra inlet port. Then take the hose length that is going on to the tank and hook that to the outlet port.

Now what you have is a filter/surge tank. You want a filter that has a flow rate 2x what your pump flows as it will have the fuel going both ways.

To take that one step further I could likely modify the filter head so that it would act as a vapor air separator that functions the exact same way a FASS sep does.

If you do some thinking and understand how the surge tank works you can see what a big help it would be to fix many of the fuel issues people are having. It could also be done cheap. Under $50 HELL OF ALOT CHEAPER THAN A SUMP. You also will not be having a big hole cut in your tank. But alas you will have to drop your tank to do the PU so that may stop some LOL

 

[09stroker]

1. What's SO bad about a sump?
2. What is SO great about a 5/8 draw tube?

To me they are nearly the same, one is just internal vs external.
The whole holding tank deal just seems to overcompclicate something that is very simple.

Oh and
3. Why do you keep bringing up dropping the tank? Many drop it to install a sump either way. It's really not that hard to do.

 

[TARM]

I think you totally missed the point. If you looked I wrote that it would not surprise me if some people choose to do the sumps now more then they use to because of the option to not having to drop the tank to do it. The comment was a playful jab.

What is bad about a sump; nothing other than what I wrote.


What is so great about a draw tube 5/8 or otherwise; same deal.


If you actually read what I posted and the other posts in the thread..... Many were speaking of how the sumps were basically far superior to the draw tube. That draw tubes by design were restrictive compared to sumps of same size. I was putting forth the data to show that as you have just repeated that there is next to no difference between a sump and a siphon when it comes to flow rates. But as far as sumps go they cost 3x the cost of a PU. You are cutting a hole into the bottom of your tank. You now have fuel lines and fittings hanging down low where they could be caught on something. Some people do not have mall crawlers. Dumping 40 gals of diesel onto a road can tend to get you in some trouble. While its not illegal to have a sump they sure can charge you for the costs of clean up and that is not cheap.

It was mentioned the benefit of a sump was that it took away the issue of low fuel tank level issues with air being sucked up the PU tube. I was pointing out how that could be dealt with quite easily. Not to mention the fact that we take away the factory device that prevent the issue from happening in the first place by supposedly upgrading the PU as I mentioned above as well.

You think hooking up two hoses that are already run to the other ports on a filter base that is going to already be there is overcomplicated? Cause by doing so as long as your using a filter with enough flow capacity would completely solve any issues people are having with low tank issues if its from fuel slosh uncovering the PU inlet. If you find that to complicated that is your right. I think its seems quite simple. But then I like to have things done the best I can make them not just good enough.

 

[Big Bore]

Ever heard of recalls? When a manufacturer produces something with a KNOWN defect they should atleast replace that part from the affected pieces.
A normal warranty claim I agree with you 100%

Exactly my take on the whole thing. This isn't a hit and miss thing with AD. It is a known issue with their 150-200 pumps burning up prematurely (10K or less), just google it. The warranty card is just a way for them to weasel out of making good. A receipt should be good enough. How many companies have a no bullshyt warranty? I agree with everyone who says use dual stockers and pre-pump/post pump filtration. The AD is just another overpriced, redundant doohickey that can leave you stranded.