Author Topic: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas  (Read 4307 times)

May 24, 2009, 11:29:46 am

shari

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mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« on: May 24, 2009, 11:29:46 am »
hey. been reading this board for a few years since i got my truck and it has helped me out tremendously. have been able to figure out most things after reading, but i am stumped. in between three quarters and one half a tank of gas the truck will shut down like its out of gas. won't start until i top it off. when i do top it off the gauge will never read full. it will move but not all the way to full. and yup there is definitely gas. i can see it when filling. here's the background/info on the truck: new lines to pump,to fuel filter, to injectors, to feed and return on tank, to return off pump. no leaks, as i have had them smoke blown or whatever you call it. new injectors, new plugs. the pump was resealed about 4,000 miles ago and shows no signs of leaking or weeping. my compression is something like: 390,425,395,450. the fuel solenoid switch is relatively new, battery and alternator functioning,fuel filter has been changed recently. i just got a voltage stabilizer but haven't put it in yet, cause i can't quite put together the gauge reading wrong and the shutting off/ running out of gas thing. seems like they have to be related as the happened at the same time. i "ran out of gas" cause i thought i had plenty. i just dropped the tank last night to just have a look. like a busted feed tube or major clog.nope looks normal and when i emptied the fuel it was super clean. i'm sure i'm forgetting something. any ideas? pump seal? but how would that relate to the gauge? compression? should be enough. thank you in advance.
shari

Reply #1May 24, 2009, 11:40:11 am

jtanguay

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2009, 11:40:11 am »
could be a faulty gas cap, or a clogged water separator if your vehicle is so equipped.  do you hear a suction when you remove the cap?


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Reply #2May 24, 2009, 11:45:34 am

shari

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2009, 11:45:34 am »
yeah, i was wondering about some sort of pressure thing. not really any suction when i remove the cap. truck came without a separator.
shari

Reply #3May 24, 2009, 12:45:24 pm

diesel smoke

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2009, 12:45:24 pm »
Don't fill it with gas.  ;) Check the fuel pickup in the tank.
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Reply #4May 24, 2009, 01:12:25 pm

shari

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2009, 01:12:25 pm »
thanks for replying. yeah the gas tank is out right now and the pickup (same as the feed tube?) looks good.
shari

Reply #5May 24, 2009, 05:46:53 pm

toywagen

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2009, 05:46:53 pm »
I see this type of problem often on domestic diesels (work trucks). The tank breather gets plugged off due to mud or ice depending on season, and a vacuum is created in the tank, making it hard to suck fuel and occasionally collapsing the tank like a juicebox. There should be either a breather in the fuel cap or on the tank. An easy check would be to leave the cap off or loose on the neck and see if problem occurs. If this doesn't help anything, install an aux. lift pump. Stop calling it gas and good luck. (back in a week)

Reply #6May 24, 2009, 06:22:34 pm

shari

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Re: mystery diesel pick up question. please help fellas
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2009, 06:22:34 pm »
okay.fuel. i'll check the breather tube. thanks
shari