Ford 6.4L Powerstroke Fuel Filter Plugged with Residue

The Ford 6.4L Powerstroke is an efficient engine requiring regular servicing to stay in peak condition. One common issue is a fuel filter plugged with black, scummy residue. The team here at Hot Shot’s Secret has created this guide to walk you through solving the problem. 

Fuel Filter Plugged With Black Scummy Residue

Clean fuel is critical for a healthy diesel fuel system because modern fuel injectors have a very low tolerance for contaminants. The system must have heat and a clear flow of fuel to keep your pump and injectors cool. If you don’t regularly change the filter, black scummy residue will begin building. This residue is growing bacteria from a moisture buildup.

As a result, pressure will mount in the fuel line and may send this contaminant into the injection system, causing damage.

Symptoms of a Clogged Fuel Filter

There are several common warning signs of a clogged fuel filter. Your vehicle may idle rough and make sounds like it’ll stall. Another typical symptom is sputtering. If enough dirt has built up in the fuel line, a sufficient amount of fuel may not reach the combustion chamber.

Solutions to a Plugged Fuel Filter

The main solution to a plugged fuel filter is prevention. Although cars powered by regular gas only require a filter change every 60,000 miles, you should change a 6.4 Powerstroke fuel filter at intervals of every 10,000 miles. If you’re already experiencing the issue, you’ll need to use MP8 Biocide to kill the bacteria, then treat it with Diesel Extreme to flush the system and replace the filter. 

Several symptoms let you know when your filter has gone completely bad: 

• Cold start: In frigid temperatures, you may have difficulty getting the engine to warm up and run because fuel is not properly reaching the cold start injectors. 
• Difficulty starting: If the buildup reaches a certain part, the engine may turn over but not start even though there is plenty of fuel in the gas tank. 
• Malfunctioning fuel system parts: A loud or malfunctioning fuel pump can occur when the fuel filter has gone bad. The pump tries to compensate for the filter and places extra pressure on the pump motor. 

Hot Shot’s Secret offers a wide number of solutions backed by the power of science to solve your clogged fuel filter, including everything from MP8 Biocide chemicals to Diesel Extreme concentrated injection cleaner. Reach out to our specialists today with your questions, and we’ll walk you through finding the best selection for optimizing your Powerstroke engine.