Art Mann
Member
- Joined
- October 3, 2019
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- San Antonio
- City, State
- San Antonio
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2004 Sport Trac
2004 Explorer Sport Trac - Slow Fuel Fill [SOLVED]
I finally found the problem with the slow fill problem after many hours of tracking and backtracking. The issue was in the fuel filler neck. I had earlier scoped the neck and screen with a fiber optic scope, and it looked clean. Because of that I started in on all the air vent lines, based on the info on the forum about how the vent lines and the charcoal canister can get plugged up and prevent venting
After finding all the fittings at the rear, and at the front (by the fuel filter) and disconnecting them and blowing them with compressed air, and finding them all to be clear, I took another look at the filler pipe. Recall from an earlier post, that I had previously blown air, and flowed water from a hose thru the fuel filler, and it all flowed fine.
Stumped I took the fuel filler neck out (again - arrrg
), and went to the gas station and tried to pump gas thru the pipe and into a gas can. No Joy - It spewed back just like it did when trying to fill the tank. 
I then tore the internal screen out of the system with my needle nose vise grips, because I was not going to let this thing be the boss of me. [Yeah right, that is what I said before every different approach over the last 3 days]. Put the gas pump onto it and it flowed just fine!
Anyway, on inspection closely, I found that that screen was clogged - not with rust or easy to see stuff - but clogged by a fine almost transparent sticky film of what looked like thin saran wrap.
[ see images] I surmised this to be some kind of biofilm, and I could not see it until I ripped the screen(s) out. [There is a top screen and then a cone shaped screen in the retainer ring that holds the screen assembly.] It also looks like there is fine hairs clogging the system - almost like fur.
Problem solved - all put back together. Got a new filler pipe on the way and got all the air vent hoses reattached.
I finally found the problem with the slow fill problem after many hours of tracking and backtracking. The issue was in the fuel filler neck. I had earlier scoped the neck and screen with a fiber optic scope, and it looked clean. Because of that I started in on all the air vent lines, based on the info on the forum about how the vent lines and the charcoal canister can get plugged up and prevent venting
After finding all the fittings at the rear, and at the front (by the fuel filter) and disconnecting them and blowing them with compressed air, and finding them all to be clear, I took another look at the filler pipe. Recall from an earlier post, that I had previously blown air, and flowed water from a hose thru the fuel filler, and it all flowed fine.
Stumped I took the fuel filler neck out (again - arrrg
), and went to the gas station and tried to pump gas thru the pipe and into a gas can. No Joy - It spewed back just like it did when trying to fill the tank. I then tore the internal screen out of the system with my needle nose vise grips, because I was not going to let this thing be the boss of me. [Yeah right, that is what I said before every different approach over the last 3 days]. Put the gas pump onto it and it flowed just fine!
Anyway, on inspection closely, I found that that screen was clogged - not with rust or easy to see stuff - but clogged by a fine almost transparent sticky film of what looked like thin saran wrap.
[ see images] I surmised this to be some kind of biofilm, and I could not see it until I ripped the screen(s) out. [There is a top screen and then a cone shaped screen in the retainer ring that holds the screen assembly.] It also looks like there is fine hairs clogging the system - almost like fur.Problem solved - all put back together. Got a new filler pipe on the way and got all the air vent hoses reattached.
