I could use a little help on this problem.  I apologize for the length.

 

My engine recently started to show signs of fuel starvation. Cutting out above about 3K rpm.  It would just seem to go from 3K to idle.  I was running on my primary fuel pump, so I turned on the secondary and the engine would start to run normally.  (Not like gangbusters, but NORMALLY.  My max static rpm has been about 52-5300 rpm and I have felt that it was not getting enough fuel to run up to my goal of 6K static)

 

I decided that I had a filter plugged,  and fearing the gasohol that they are now selling all over Florida, I opened up my Gascolator.  It was ok.  I found a couple of wisps of white fibers.  Could be fiberglass dust, could be spider  webs, something like that.  I don't think that I have had any gasohol in the plane, but it is probably possible.  But the Gascolator was fine.

 

I then opened up the JEGS inline filter on the primary pump and the element was covered with a black sludge.  It seemed to be almost completely blocked.  This stuff looked like maybe it could have come from the inside of the SS braided hose. 

 

I checked the secondary pumps filter and it was fine.  I have not used this secondary pump except on rare occasions to check for pressure changes, leaks, etc..

 

But for that matter, I have only run three 5 gal cans of gas in the plane totally.  One 5 gal can in each wing, then another in the right side, and I am now pulling out of the left tank which has the fourth 5 gal in it.

 

So, like I said, I at first thought that it was a rubber residue from when I installed the hose ends on the Aeroquip hoses because it sort of looked like that.  Then as I drove home, I remembered that there was none of this stuff in the Gascolator.  (I think that some should have made it there as there is one -8 hose in front of the Gascolator)  There is only about a foot of -8 hose in front of the fuel pumps after the Gascolator, so now I am thinking that maybe it came from the fuel pump.

 

Is there anything inside the pump that could cause a black sludge if it started to crap out?  What would I look for to check if the pump is out or going out.  Has anyone else had any similar problem?  I recently heard a squealing sound from the area of the pumps, but at the time I thought that it was bubbles going through the pump.  I was close to empty on the right tank and thought that it was sucking air.  I switched tanks and the sound went away.

 

I have not yet checked my injectors.  Two  reasons:  I have no idea of how to do it and would not know what to look for.  Is the 40 micron screen fine enough to keep anything from getting plugged up in the injectors?  If not, what do I look for, and where?

 

I would greatly appreciate some input as to your thoughts on this.  How would you proceed?

 

My fuel system goes: Finger strainer in tank, ½ inch aluminum line to Andair dual valve (switches both supply and return to same tank), Aeroquip -8 SS braided line, boost pump, Aeroquip -8 SS braided line, Andair Gascolator,  Aeroquip -8 SS braided line about one foot to splitter to two fuel pumps, (these are the pumps that Tracy sells), each pump is followed by a JEGS billet in line fuel filter with a stainless 40 micron element.  Then a splitter to bring them back together to Aeroquip -6 SS braided line, primary injector rail, Aeroquip -6 SS braided line, secondary injector rail, Aeroquip -6 SS braided line, Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator, Aeroquip -4 SS braided line to the valve and back to the tank.  The tanks are fiberglass  with ProSeal.  This is a Lancair Legacy, Renesis engine.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Bill B