Hello.

Hope this thread has found itself in the correct place.

I have an '09 FXDB.
I am replacing the fuel pump for the second time in as many months.
I was experiencing very poor performance....coughing/sneezing when idling (especially from cold), hesitant acceleration, popping and crackling on overrun, and then finally wouldn't go above 60mph as if i was putting on the brakes at the same time as throttling up along with actual misfiring under throttle.

First time, my local HD dealer found the the fuel pump had failed, and replaced it under warranty. the second one they have found a "white goop" residue in it causing it to put out an extremely low PSI.

My dealership said they found some for of grit/debris in the tank (i'll try and attach a pic to this thread. They said this could be "reacting" with the fuel and forming the residue in the pump. I'm not sure how the grit could change to a white "goop" tho.

Anyways, i had the tank off them and took it to my paint guys to have a look inside it as a matter of course (as they did the custom paint job on it) essentially to find out if there could have been any overspray that could have gone into the tank during the process of having it powder-coated and lacquered. They assured me that none had gone in and showed me exactly where it was all masked and stuff. They are a trustworthy bunch, and i know them very well so i take their word for it no problem.
Together we cleaned and flushed the tank thoroughly for about 4 hours to makes sure all matter that shouldn't be in there was out.
My guys DID say that the black silty/sandy grit that was in there could have been from where the tank was sand-blasted to get the original paint off (tank is now bare metal style) and have said that they are happy to pay for my new pump for any part that may have played in it's failure, but they also said that they can't see how that grit could have caused a white goop/paste to form in and around the pump.

My questions to you folks are:
1. Does anyone know what, under normal running conditions, could have caused this fouling of the pump leading to it's failure?
2. Why did the pump's inlet sock not have caught whatever it is?
3. Could any malicious foul-play have caused this? I don't know of any enemies off hand, but could it have been some jealous idiot on the street putting something in my tank?

Feedback appreciated, and thanks in advance.

Richie.

Oh....Here is the photo my dealer posted of the silt in the bottom of my tank before it was cleaned out.

 

Ive seen ethanol fuel disintegrate the fuel sock but not sure that it was goopy.

 

in your opinion, Soft 02, could this disintegration manifest itself in the pump and cause failure?

Thanks for your reply btw

 

Really the pumps are pretty durable. I imagine if a piece of the sock got up inside the pump it would prevent it from working. Good thing they are relatively cheap. Same pump that's in a late 90's Chevy truck.