Fuel leaks with DPS IP and ULSD!

[hesutton]

I must have terrible luck with IP's. The truck has a nasty fuel/air leak. The injectors and caps are dry. The valley pan is covered in diesel............yep, looks like the weep hole on the IP. This is a new IP.....It's a DPS Turbo cal IP installed before the rally this year (6/06).

I've been double dosing with Power Service ever since the ULSD has arrived in Toledo. I don't know if it is the new fuel or I'm just unlucky. Once I get a chance to look at everything in the daylight (likely this weekend) and know for sure that it is the weep hole, I guess I'll have to give Ken a call see what he thinks.

Anyone else with this issue after using ULSD with or without a DPS IP?

By the way, I installed the new Detroit TrueTrac in the rear axle and it works great..........gave it a little test on the way home tonight in the snow.

Heath

 

[93turbo_animal]

Hey Heath was about to look up your number and give you a call make sure you all were still doing good hadn't seen you around for a long while. Sorry to hear about your pump though don't have any help though my pumps old and it has been leaking for a while so I'm no help good to see ya around though

 

[Exekiel69]

Man long time no see, but good to see You are back. I've been burning some ulsd for a few months and no leaks from the pump, but I do add some PS every tank. Will take a good look tomorrow and see if I'm still right.

 

[Agnem]

Well that's not a pleasant turn of events. How many miles are on the pump? Could just be bad luck. Keep us posted on how Ken responds.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

The additives won't do anything to prevent leaks. The leaks are caused by the reduced aromatics level compared to the old diesel fuel. The aromatics cause the rubber to swell, reduced aromatics cause the seals to swell less, i.e. shrink.

Now if a NEW IP is leaking, it probably had a bad seal or bad sealing surface.

All the additives do is help compensate for the reduced lubricity.

 

[highest_vision]

The additives won't do anything to prevent leaks. The leaks are caused by the reduced aromatics level compared to the old diesel fuel. The aromatics cause the rubber to swell, reduced aromatics cause the seals to swell less, i.e. shrink.

Now if a NEW IP is leaking, it probably had a bad seal or bad sealing surface.

All the additives do is help compensate for the reduced lubricity.

From chevron's website:
Will low sulfur diesel or low aromatics diesel cause fuel system leaks?
The introduction of low sulfur diesel for on-road use in the U.S. was accompanied by fuel system leaks in a very small percentage of vehicles. Investigations into the cause of these leaks suggest that the problem was linked to the change in the aromatics content of the fuel and to seal material and age.

Diesel fuel systems contain "O-rings" and other parts made of elastomeric materials. These elastomers swell slightly when they contact diesel fuel, because they absorb aromatic compounds from the fuel. Exposure to a fuel with a lower aromatics content will result in some of the absorbed aromatics being leached out, causing the elastomer to shrink towards its original size. If the elastomer is still pliable, this shrinkage will not cause a leak. However, if age or service at higher-than-normal temperatures has caused the elastomer to loose its elasticity, a leak could occur. Vehicle owners should be aware that elastomeric parts have finite lives and should be replaced as necessary.

By itself, low sulfur or low aromatics diesel fuel does not cause fuel system leaks. They are caused by the combination of a change from higher to lower aromatics fuel and aged O-rings and elastomeric parts that have lost their elasticity
I guess technically seals won't shrink if they are still in good shape. If they are not in good shape, they will cease to be soft and seal.
Could dump a little brake fluid in your tank
James

 

[hesutton]

Sorry I havn't been around lately. I've been really busy at work........taking call every other night. Plus, I've been job searching, traveling all over the place during my time off. On a side note, I'm taking a job in Greenville, Ky next summer when I finish my residency.

The injectors, caps, o-rings, return lines, and IP where replaced 6/06. We only had LSD in toledo up until 2-3 months ago. Once I started with the ULSD, I had a cap leak at the #1 injector which resolved spontaneously. The IP leak is a real bummer. I only have about 6000 miles on the sucker. Again, I've only been able to look under the hood with a flashlight. But, I'm pretty sure that IP is the source of the leak. If I have time, I'll try and call Ken tomorrow.

Heath

 

[hesutton]

UPDATE

Well I had a day off to get a good look at the truck. I found the fuel leak after a bit of searching. Thank God it isn't the IP! It was a hole in the return line that links the right and left injector banks. It was a simple repair. It was leaking near the IP and covering the valley pan with fuel, making me think it was the IP.

I also changed the oil and tryed the PSD oil filter. It was a bit of a wrestling match to get it started on the threads, but it is a much larger filter.

Just wanted to update you all.

Heath

 

[Diesel JD]

Thankfully is right. Those pumps are expensive. Glad it was an easy repair. Those return lines esp. the crossover ones can dump a bunch of diesel on the ground,
J.D.

 

[Exekiel69]

Well I had a day off to get a good look at the truck. I found the fuel leak after a bit of searching. Thank God it isn't the IP! It was a hole in the return line that links the right and left injector banks. It was a simple repair. It was leaking near the IP and covering the valley pan with fuel, making me think it was the IP.

I also changed the oil and tryed the PSD oil filter. It was a bit of a wrestling match to get it started on the threads, but it is a much larger filter.

Just wanted to update you all.

Heath

It is good to know it was the return line and not the IP.

 

[Agnem]

Merry Christmas!