Running out of fuel??????

[spdjnky_42]

I bought a 98 awhile back and it needed a fuel pump. When I got it back it ran out of gas @ 1/8 tank. I took it back to the shop and had them replace the sending unit, to be fair I bought a new one and gave it to them. Drove it today and once again 1/8 tank ran out of gas. Is it something else or a common problem w/ these? Or did they not replace or do I have an 1/8 tank of water?

 

[fixxxer]

It could be the gauge itself. Disconnect the fuel tank sending unit, does the needle drop all the way to Empty or does it stop on 1/8th tank?

 

[spdjnky_42]

Good question! Thanks Illl check that out. Anyone else have this problem, is it a common problem?

 

[JoeMahma]

Good question! Thanks Illl check that out. Anyone else have this problem, is it a common problem?

Are you parked on an incline when this happens?

 

[corkey]

i think it is the guage that is doing that , it doesn't see the right resistance from the sending unit , so it registers the wrong amount, ,

as for the 1/8 of a tank thing,, that is kind of hard on the pump to not have much gas in the tank , if it is done for an extended period of time, like just putting in 10 $ worth of gas and than doing that again when almost empty , is hard on the pump as it uses the overflow from the fuel injection to flow back into the tank and bathe down the pump to cool it, ,

 

[my98nnj]

How many gallons does it take to fill the truck up once your out of gas at 1/8 tank?
If you're pumping ~18 gallons of gas into the tank, then something is wrong with the sending unit or gauge. If your only squeezing 14 or so gallons into the tank, then something is wrong with the fuel pump assy.

 

[spdjnky_42]

Are you parked on an incline when this happens?

Today it registered 1/4 tank, then when I parked it on the hill at home it died like it ran out of gas. Now it wont start till I add gas.

 

[spdjnky_42]

How many gallons does it take to fill the truck up once your out of gas at 1/8 tank?
If you're pumping ~18 gallons of gas into the tank, then something is wrong with the sending unit or gauge. If your only squeezing 14 or so gallons into the tank, then something is wrong with the fuel pump assy.

Good point on the gallons Ill fill it tomorrow, but it has a new sending unit and still doing the same thing. I cant believe no one else has this problem if it was the gauge or anything for that matter.

 

[JoeMahma]

Today it registered 1/4 tank, then when I parked it on the hill at home it died like it ran out of gas. Now it wont start till I add gas.

They all do that. Mine shows a quarter tank and when I park in my driveway with the front facing downhill it won't start. I have to coast it out of the driveway to flat ground and it starts right up. I just try to keep more than a quarter tank in it at all times.

 

[spdjnky_42]

They all do that. Mine shows a quarter tank and when I park in my driveway with the front facing downhill it won't start. I have to coast it out of the driveway to flat ground and it starts right up. I just try to keep more than a quarter tank in it at all times.

So what the problem? The design of the pump in the tank? This thing was made right at the Millenium, Ford cant figure out how to make a gas tank read? They have had plenty of years to figure it out.

 

[Mbrooks420]

They don't all do that. Mine has to be under an 1/8 before a hill will make it starve for gas, and the hill had to be pretty extreme.

 

[Paraphoe]

They don't all do that. Mine has to be under an 1/8 before a hill will make it starve for gas, and the hill had to be pretty extreme.

I don't really have that problem either..

 

[spdjnky_42]

Anybody know why the guage is reading wrong? I filled it today and it held 17.5 gallons and it did it w/ both sending units.

 

[farmtruckman]

Gauge Check Question

If I disconnect the electrical coupling forward of my gas tank that contains the fuel pump/sending unit cluster, will the gauge go to "E"? Asking for my son's 92. Gauge doesn't work and was thinking it is the sending unit. At least, that is what the previous owner said.

I just replaced the fuel pump on my 95 so I think I be an expert now to replace his if it is the sending unit. Might as well replace the pump since it is no fun pulling that tank!!!

FTM

 

[omgyouresexy]

Just to chime in here... I had between 1/8th and 1/4 tank of gas and I parked facing downhill in my driveway (about 15 degree slope) and I couldn't start. I had to dump some gas in the tank to get it to start.

On top of that, a girl in what looked like an older 5.0 Ex at school the other day said she has the same, btw 1/8th and 1/4th of a tank and park it on a similar incline and her car wouldnt start.

I know my old car could be on E and still start when facing downhill, but maybe the Ex's dont have any "spare gas" once you're on E and maybe the design doesn't lend itself well to forward tilting. I don't know.

 

[corkey]

hmmm, i can drive mine till way after the check guages light comes on, but i can put alot of gas in the top portion of the tank, like the top is bigger than the bottom, i would say to take the pump unit back out and bend the rod that holds the float a bit till it is showing the right amount,,

you do know that when the level gets down to a certain amount usually in a fuel injected vehicle with pump in tank there is a sensor that shuts down the fuel pump when the level gets too low to prevent having to reprime the system if it runs out of gas,, and so the pump lives a bit longer , as it is bathed by the return fuel to cool the pump,,


just take the pump out and bend the arm a bit , if it is the wrong way , bend it the other,, you do not have to reinstall the tank to do that , just hookup the wires while it is on the floor,, but be careful of the fuel that comes out, maybe put a piece of hose from the pump out side to the return line side to not lose any ,

 

[spdjnky_42]

Yeah I figured thats what I would have to do was bend the arm up so it would read empty before it was. However shouldnt the anti slosh module keep it from reading differrent when on a hill? I read full then park on a hill and immediately read 3/4 which being I drove 20 miles I should be around 3/4 full.

And for who ever asked the guage will not read empty when unplugged it will read full. Has to be grounded to read empty. The ground wire for the Mustang is w/y probably the same on the Exploder.

 

[spdjnky_42]

Although, now that I think about it is it going to help to bend the arm. Has to be a problem w/ the resistor in the back of the guage. Both sending units read the same. If I bend it up it will read empty when it should but will it still read all the way to full?

 

[corkey]

the anti slosh is for when it is moving , when it is parked on a hill the gas moves in the tank for a longer period, , causing the level to change,,
it will just read more accurately the amount, evn up to full,

 

[JoeMahma]

They don't all do that. Mine has to be under an 1/8 before a hill will make it starve for gas, and the hill had to be pretty extreme.

Yeah, my driveway is pretty extreme.