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Socks or no socks lets chat about it

NVW

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You could just ditch the sock and put a Racor filter before the LP


TD edit I wanted to explore this a little so I copied the suggestion, not saying right or wrong to remove a sock but thought it would be a good discussion to have/explore
 
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You could just ditch the sock and put a Racor filter before the LP

I'm not quite sure this is best course of action, bear with me for a moment; the Diesel sock is 70 micron so lets some rather large stuff pass but blocks really big stuff, but it also has a check valve in the end of it in case it becomes fully blocked.

I've often wondered why the check valve, gasser tank socks don't have it, is this to allow "thick" gelled/partially gelled fuel to flow in winter around a 70 mic
filter,

If no sock then a Racor or other filter mfr in cold climate without a heater element in it is a plugged 30 mic or less gel plugged filter, does the sock keep some the gelling more manageable? Lets continue in another thread.
 
The sock in my 95 sure didn't have a check ball in it when I removed it. It came apart in pieces when I pulled it off and it was nothing more than a screen. So that is all I put back on it. Although the DMAX trucks came stock with nothing more than an open pick-up into the bottom of the tank, and the spin on filter at the engine before the CP3.
 
Good info Ferm, here are some pics of the 6.5 tank sock it is a flapper check vs. a ball http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/showpost.php?p=81576&postcount=2 possibly not needed since DMax is "sock-less",

next thought does the sock help to settle out bubbles in the pickup tray in the tank, Ferm does the DMax tank have that anti slosh baffle in it like the 6.5 tank does, interesting how one generation of GM engineering put a sock on the pick up and a later generation did without it.

Cost saving or engineering necessity/data driven decisions to remove or run without ???
 
I'm not sure if teh DMAX tank is baffled or not. As for my BURB tank, it is not baffled one bit, just as open inside as can be. And my sock didn't have that gismo in the end of it either, maybe it came along after 95?
 
I bought a replacement fuel tank setup from NAPA and I don't recall seeing a check ball or other anti flowback device. It's been running this way for at least 10,000 miles.

I wouldn't mind a SS setup with big pipes and fittings, and diesel appropriate filtration, either sock or some other skimmer. I also wondered why GM didn't locate the lift pump on the pickup assembly. Perhaps the pump gets too hot.
 
I'm running with no sock on my Burb(6.2 but relavent cause it uses the same sock the 6.5s do.). I had to make a custom Pickup tube assby and could not get a sock on it. I put a Holley Glass fuel filter inline pre LP to catch any big crap that may have been in the tank from the work and then discarded it months later. The aftermarket PU tube assblys that Fass and Airdog run do not have pre LP socks or filters. Time will tell. Worst that can hapen is something big wreck the LP.
 
I just took my sock off a couple of weeks ago when I put it may racor 10 micron pre filter. My first tank fuel economy went from 14 mpg's to 18.6 mpg's. My 2nd tank doesn't look that good. I did a little off roading and that cost me some fuel economy in my 2nd tank. I also think my baffle came dislodged while off road because my fuel gauge is reading lower than it should. I did notice a difference before and after the sock.
 
I ran sockless into my racor for a year, but now I run sockless into a walbro (which has its own 200 micron?? ) screen. That now pumps into the Racor.
 
With the old 5.7's and 4.3's, and 6.2's, I eliminated the tank socks with no ill effects. Used a short piece of fuel line hose to make sure I was at bottom of tank. Do not use a gas engine tank sock; it is much finer and will plug in a short time. Fuel storage tanks are much cleaner now than the old days. Government required companies to replace all of the old in ground tanks with new with double wall to be able to check for leakage. One advantage the fuel sock has is to pick up fuel and leave water in tank. Also to suck up last bit of fuel. I removed them because they were costly (at the time) and a pita to replace. Slime in tanks is much less of a problem now.
 
With the old 5.7's and 4.3's, and 6.2's, I eliminated the tank socks with no ill effects. Used a short piece of fuel line hose to make sure I was at bottom of tank. Do not use a gas engine tank sock; it is much finer and will plug in a short time. Fuel storage tanks are much cleaner now than the old days. Government required companies to replace all of the old in ground tanks with new with double wall to be able to check for leakage. One advantage the fuel sock has is to pick up fuel and leave water in tank. Also to suck up last bit of fuel. I removed them because they were costly (at the time) and a pita to replace. Slime in tanks is much less of a problem now.


Especially in cold climate areas. The Gas sock has no 'flap' that will allow thick / partially gelled fuel to pass.

A 1 month old FSU of mine caused havoc for me one December as either the fuel was gelling and clogging the sock, or moisture was freezing and clogging the sock.

Upon removal of the sock, it was a GAS sock, on my replacement FSU. I eliminated this sock when I installed my Racor Prefilter.

A non easily serviceable sock/filter is silly. In fact, these fuel tanks should have a drain bung at the bottom for easy draining of water/crud. The beauty of the whole water/fuel system is the water sits to the bottom, making a drain bung perfect.
 
I more worry about rust and the fuel isn't as clean as you think...trust me, I sell fuel for a living. If anything due to increased demand the quality has suffered. I truck in my own and refilter it before putting it in the truck.
 
... In fact, these fuel tanks should have a drain bung at the bottom for easy draining of water/crud ...

I've often thought the same thing myself. We have water drains on all our aircraft fuel tanks and drain them daily.

I was thinking about TIG-ing one in some time in the future. Would have to add a small "sump" for it though...
 
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