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| Topic: Gas tank q. | |
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I have a Ford 150, 6 cy, 1998 Ed Bauer PU. When you look at the gas gauge and it hits the red part, about how much gas/mileage do you actually have left to drive? It's a 20 (?) gal. tank.
The other question is, there are 2 tanks on the truck. The back one got filled also but when I've switched to use the tank, gas is not getting through to the engine. Any ideas why? And suggestions I might do to fix it before trying to get a mechanic to look at it? <$$$ is always a prob> |
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Question 1. When the gas gage shows at the beginning of the red, go fill it up. If the owner's manual says it has a twenty gallon tank and you just put 18 gallons in it, you know it has two gallons in the red (it is probably more like four or five.)
Some tank valves are electric and some are manual. If yours is electric and you have a switch on the dash, go check the fuse. If the valve solenoid gets a little "sticky" it can blow the fuse. If so, replace the fuse and hit the valve with a squirt of WD40. |
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First of all is it manual or electric tank switching? If it is electric chances are that the switchover valve is bad. Use a multitester to make sure it isn't the switch has gone bad first. Now if it is a manually actuated valve check to make sure the linkage is hooked up and working. If the vale actuates but you get no fuel you got a plugged fuel line more than likely. Look for a crimped fuel line too. My money is a plugged strainer in the tank or possibly dirt and or corrosion in the line. If you are getting "red" in your fuel filter you need to check your tank and lines for water borne corrosion. Dual tanks can have a problem occur in that fuel can stay in the tank a long time before being used. Condensate can take over when the tank is left empty for long periods of time too. Water will bead on the inside when it gets cold enough and gets trapped under any gasoline left in the tank. It only takes a little water at a time to initiate corrosion in the fuel lines. One way to prevent this is to every once in a while toss a quart or two of Alcohol in the fuel to a full tank. Water and Alcohol mix, so does gasoline and alcohol. Drive the tank dry almost and hit with a full tank and a repeat treatment and you have dealt with the problem.
I have seen this before in dual tank trucks and have had to replace fuel lines clogged with rust before. I have also had to replace a couple of secondary fuel tanks in my time for corrosion problems. Now this is an outside chance too. For a period of time Ford had the brilliant idea of using dual fuel filters off of each tank in some of their trucks. If you have one of these go for the secondary fuel filter first to see if it is clogged. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU PULL THE GAS CAP OFF OF BOTH FUEL TANKS BEFORE SERVICING! They can actually pressurize themselves and you get the never ending flow of fuel from the tank becasue of that. Info offered on the Just in case thing. If you got a compressor you can also blow backwards on the fuel line to possibly remove the obstruction but make sure you do it at a point where you cannot jack up a mechanical fuel pump. |
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Question 1. When the gas gage shows at the beginning of the red, go fill it up. If the owner's manual says it has a twenty gallon tank and you just put 18 gallons in it, you know it has two gallons in the red (it is probably more like four or five.) Some tank valves are electric and some are manual. If yours is electric and you have a switch on the dash, go check the fuse. If the valve solenoid gets a little "sticky" it can blow the fuse. If so, replace the fuse and hit the valve with a squirt of WD40. I know that I need to fill up  , but am short about 300. this month so it's been something wondering about. Thanks. And I always forget about checking those fuses. Will do tomarrow. Thanks so much! |
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First of all is it manual or electric tank switching? If it is electric chances are that the switchover valve is bad. Use a multitester to make sure it isn't the switch has gone bad first. Now if it is a manually actuated valve check to make sure the linkage is hooked up and working. If the vale actuates but you get no fuel you got a plugged fuel line more than likely. Look for a crimped fuel line too. My money is a plugged strainer in the tank or possibly dirt and or corrosion in the line. If you are getting "red" in your fuel filter you need to check your tank and lines for water borne corrosion. Dual tanks can have a problem occur in that fuel can stay in the tank a long time before being used. Condensate can take over when the tank is left empty for long periods of time too. Water will bead on the inside when it gets cold enough and gets trapped under any gasoline left in the tank. It only takes a little water at a time to initiate corrosion in the fuel lines. One way to prevent this is to every once in a while toss a quart or two of Alcohol in the fuel to a full tank. Water and Alcohol mix, so does gasoline and alcohol. Drive the tank dry almost and hit with a full tank and a repeat treatment and you have dealt with the problem. I have seen this before in dual tank trucks and have had to replace fuel lines clogged with rust before. I have also had to replace a couple of secondary fuel tanks in my time for corrosion problems. Now this is an outside chance too. For a period of time Ford had the brilliant idea of using dual fuel filters off of each tank in some of their trucks. If you have one of these go for the secondary fuel filter first to see if it is clogged. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU PULL THE GAS CAP OFF OF BOTH FUEL TANKS BEFORE SERVICING! They can actually pressurize themselves and you get the never ending flow of fuel from the tank becasue of that. Info offered on the Just in case thing. If you got a compressor you can also blow backwards on the fuel line to possibly remove the obstruction but make sure you do it at a point where you cannot jack up a mechanical fuel pump. Whoa, you really went into stuff that I can't work with, but I'll tell you what I know. It is a manual switch, and the tank has been full a long time. I didn't know it because my ex had filled it a couple of years ago when he borrowed it. I don't have a multi tester. Possibly a plugged fuel line but I wanted to see what I can do before I hit the mechanic. The "red" was on the gas gauge, , just wanted a idea of how much gas is left being so broke. I keep thinking of that Seinfield episode where Kramer goes out driving a new car with the sales guy and they keep driving to see how far they can get when the needle goes past the red. Anyway, it doesn't get that cold here and it's very dry (desert)- would the tank still get condensation in it? And where would the secondary fuel filter be located? It has 2 caty. converters so expecting it has 2 filters. I don't have a condenser to blow the lines, but do like to know what someone is telling me if I can't fix it myself. I appreciate it Andy.
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If the gas in the tank is a couple of years old it probably isn't any good anymore. It will last about two years with an additive but it sounds like that is unlikely. Really old gas can cause knock and screw up your engine. It can also leave varnish deposits everywhere.
People commonly use up old gas by mixing a little at a time with a lot of fresh gas till it is gone, but even that may not stop it from hurting your engine. ( I empty my year old gas out of my pressure washer and generator and run a little at a time in my Jeep but the gas has had preservative (StaBil) added to it.) If you switch to two year old gas your truck may not even start. |
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Sounds like a blocked fuel line. Take off the inlet side of the fuel line to the fuel pump if it is a mechanical one on the side of the engine. use a pair of band clamps and a piece of fuel line and attach an air compressor with a blower fitting to the fuel line and secure it. Take off BOTH fuel tank caps and blow about 40 to 60 psi through the fuel line. If you hear bubbling in the second fuel tank you are golden. If not you got a take it to the mechanic proposition. Toss a container of fuel cleaner and at least five gallons of fresh gas unless you would rather drain the tank. If you are using a electric fuel pump you need to disconnect the inlet and connect to the inlet line to the fuel pump and blast it with pressurized air. That should clear any obstruction. The best fuel cleaner to get rid of varnish is Berryman B-12 Chemtool. Use two cans of it for a particularly dirty fuel system followed by a second treatment of one can.
Good luck. Oh if you do not remove the gas caps from both tanks you could rupture them! MAKE SURE TO REMOVE THE CAPS! it is a good thing you have a manually actuated valve! |
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