Fuel tank switching valve

[tbrumm]

Hi, all. I recently removed the rear tank on my 1994 crew cab and fixed the broken off pickup. After I had the tank out, I simply covered the ends of the fuel lines and filler hose with plastic bags and duct tape, just to keep the dirt out while I was driving around on the front tank. I have now removed the front tank to replace the the fuel pickup and did the same thing. I covered the ends of the fuel lines and filler hose with plastic bags and duct tape to keep the dirt out while I drive on the rear tank. Anyway, I am driving to work yesterday morning, and the truck starts running noisy, and then starts surging like it is getting air in the fuel. WHen I got to work, the hoses for the front tank are dripping fuel! Not a lot, but it is obvious that the fsv is not completely sealing off the connection to the front tank when set to connect to the rear tank. I replaced the FSV with a new Ford unit only two years ago, as the original FSV was allowing air into the lines from the outside. I can't imagine that the replacement FSV would go bad that fast. I do not have exterior air intrustion issues with this FSV. Does anybody know if these things are just kind of sloppy sealing between the tanks, or is my FSV bad? I really hate to replace the thing becuase the truck runs fine with it wihen both tanks are hooked up. And I can think of better things to spend money on than an expensive FSV! Thanks for your input! Todd

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Toss that electric valve in the garbage and install two WeatherHead manual tank-switching valves.

They are either open or closed and ALWAYS work.

I see countless older twin-tank trucks running around for years and years off of only one tank, often with the un-usable tank sloshing nearly full of fuel, due to the FSV being bad.

Just today, I saw my miserly old neighbor siphoning the gas from his front tank into a jug and pouring it back into the rear tank, on account of the FSV drawing only from the rear and returning to the front.

 

[bike-maker]

I second that suggestion.

 

[icanfixall]

^You can remove the valve and take it apart but your going to need to make up some bolts to put it back together. They have funny bolt rivits that holds the body as one piece. It may have some trash keeping it from closeing completely ...

 

[OLDBULL8]

Read this thread if you don't go for the manual valve , if link don't work it's on page 5 #4
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?57747-1-4-tank-problem-another-solution-write-ups which are best way to go

 

[tbrumm]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions guys, and for the links! For all know, there could be bits of the disintergrated showerheads in there. Much of the showerhead plastic was very small granules. Obviously, Ford Engineers did not spec a plastic that rated for continuous immersion in diesel fuel. At least now, I have gotten it all out of my fuel system and the FSV is last thing to clean!

 

[RLDSL]

Another vote for manual valves, I wasted money on a new FORD DEALER FSV once... got a a couple months at best out of it before it crapped out. Never Again

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

If one is bound and determined to use an electric valve, it is good business to install TWO inline pre-filters just ahead of the valve, one in each tank's draw-line.

Thus, any stray bits of crap, "algae", whatever, will get caught by the filter, instead of lodging inside the valve.

Actually, probably 85% of dead FSVs are directly caused by trash coming through the fuel-lines.

 

[icanfixall]

I completely agree with the above posting... filter out the chit before it ruins an expensive valve..