Aluminum shavings in fuel heater

[4g63tmirage]

Trying to help a freind out, he just bought a 1996 12v, runs like crap. Misses and wont pull clean to gov. Replaced the fuel filter, checked the overflow valve (streched the spring a little), replaced the rubber feed & return lines by the back of the head, replaced most of the sealing washers on the banjo bolts. Still runs like crap, checked the fuel heater plug to see if it was wet, and it was. Went to replace the heater element and found major amounts of aluminum shavings in thpre screen at the bottom of the fuel heater assembly.

If I am thinking right, the way the fuel flows, it goes tank to heater, to lift pump to fuel filter, to p-pump, then back to the tank. So my thinking is the p-pump is were the aluminum is comming from. I wonder if the tank is full of the same shavings ? Any ideas ?

 

[SOOTLIFE]

now i don't know a whole lot but i would say that the pump is what i would check first since as you stated that shavings were in the fuel heater which is first in line from the tank. do i know what would be wrong with the pump, no.

but here is a diagram if you need it
P- Pump Diagram - Dodge Cummins Diesel Forum