I purchased this '06 F250 with 36k miles on it. I have put over 20k more miles on it.
The fuel filters have been changed several times since I got it and no major debris found.

Well last spring I started having poor performance which turned out to be a fuel pressure problem.
So I pulled the fuel tank to check the pickup and do the torpedo mod. I found about a shot glass full
of organic fibrous brown material around the pickup and on the screen. While I was in there I changed
over to a 5/8" pickup.

That didn't solve the problem so I swapped the frame mounted fuel pump. When I took it apart the
water separation chamber was packed with the same stuff.

I showed the crud to my neighbor that hauls exotic cars (Steel Toys Carriers). He started laughing and said
that someone had spit their chew in my tank ! He said he knew a guy that would spit his into the big truck diesel nozzle if he was pissed off !!!!

Here's a picture showing some of the crud in the upper left. I have no idea if this caused the
pumps problems but it couldn't help.

 

thats so effed up. i kinda want to check mine out now

 

It's alage that can grow in diesel, you need an alagicide additive, chew

 

Yea, I figure it happened at least 1 fuel filter change before I got the truck.

But as a buddy just reminded me, the truck is out of S. Texas so the organic substance
in the tank might not be tobacco

 

It's likely algae. I doubt any of us could pull our pump and not see something like that. Yours actually doesn't even look that bad.

Does your pump have the electric heater plugged in on the fuel pump? I think they stopped it mid 06 or so, so some of them have it and some don't. All of the newer pumps eliminate this feature. If you have it, you can simply unplug it. Should be three plugs going to the pump area if you have it and only two if you don't. My original one did (build date 11/05) but I had it replaced under warranty and the new one does not have it. Being in your location I'd just leave it unplugged all the time.

 

Since I just ordered a new HFCM, where exactly would this heater be located so that I will know what I am looking for? More importantly, how big of an issue would it create not being there? It can get pretty cold here in northern Nev-odda.

 

Karl, Ford did away with it on purpose, you shouldn't need it. If you ordered an entire HFCM (not just the pump portion) you'll see, there will now only be two places to accept plugs. You'll see what looks like a blank spot on the HFCM where a connector used to be. If you do still have it, I would unplug it for the summer months for sure. It just helps produce that algae at a significantly increased rate.

Here's a pic actually: