This is an 87 F-250 with a banks turbo kit, I bought it out of state and drove it about 3.5 hours to get home, then it has sat a while while I dealt with getting it registered (driven about 5 times in the last 3 months). Both fuel gauges no longer work, and sometimes it will start right away and other times I have to crank it for 30 seconds or so, then once it does start it idles fine, but if I try driving it it runs normally for a few minutes then loses power and dies. It will restart after about 30 seconds of cranking and run normally for another few minutes and die again. I changed the fuel filter and it did run a little more smoothly but otherwise didn't help anything. It does the same thing whichever fuel tank is selected too.
Help with troubleshooting fuel starvation/air intrusion issues?
- Thread starter Tk83
- Start date
gandalf
Senior Member
How much fuel is in each tank? I understand this may be hard to answer since your fuel gauge doesn't work. Try simply adding 5 gallons of fuel to one tank and see whether that makes a difference.
The front tank was filled up and I drove about 200 miles, the back tank was full and it has probably been driven less than 20 miles on that one. It seems to do the exact same thing whichever tank is selected. The gauge worked for both tanks when I bought the truck, but has failed since.
There's a good chance your fuel selector valve has failed between tanks. That's precisely how mine failed. The valve is what switches the gauges too so that could very well be the issue.
Jesus Freak
Full Access Member
Ultimately, and I say this every time it comes up, but these trucks ARE the fuel system. And what you have is a 40yr old truck that has sat for some amount of time in heat, cold, humid and dry. You can peck at the fuel system, as in doing the fuel selector valve, but if you want to depend on this truck and you don't need it next week go on and drop the tanks make sure there's no pin holes before they show you they have pin holes in your inlaws driveway, replace every weak point all the way to the IP. Olives, orings on the injectors, mechanical fuel pump, fuel selector valve, showerheads, etc it won't cost much for the confidence you'll have in your fuel system. You don't have to do the IP or injectors, after a 350 mile trip, you know they're good but everything else is about to start leaking fuel or sucking air.
gandalf
Senior Member
As stated above, the fuel selector valve is a good possibility. They do fail to switch tanks when you tell them to, and they do ocassionally fail and not allow any fuel to pass. Ultimately you may want to do as Jesus Freak suggested.
However, If it was me, I'd want to run a further test before going to that expense. I'd hook up a temporary fuel supply, a jerry can, to the lift pump, and start the engine on that temporary supply. You'll be eliminating most of the fuel line from the tanks, and also the fuel supply valve. If the engine runs on that temporary supply you've narrowed the problem area.
However, If it was me, I'd want to run a further test before going to that expense. I'd hook up a temporary fuel supply, a jerry can, to the lift pump, and start the engine on that temporary supply. You'll be eliminating most of the fuel line from the tanks, and also the fuel supply valve. If the engine runs on that temporary supply you've narrowed the problem area.
Jesus Freak
Full Access Member
Yeah, if you can't go the distance then you can't. But I did with my tow truck and am happy that I did. The worst is when the tanks start leaking all of a sudden and.... well...... have you seen the price of diesel lately? It cost twice as much soaking into the ground.
I don't know if using a temporary fuel supply would help because it will idle fine but only drive for a few minutes before it dies. Also, what are "olive" in relation to the fuel system? I have seen that a few places in reading about it but no explanation. I am sure it makes sense once explained and I think i understand the rest of the parts but I am confused on that one.
gandalf
Senior Member
An olive is the "gasket", so to speak, on the compression fittings on our fuel lines. The olive in the attached picture is on the hard line between the fuel filter and the Injection pump. You can see the old olive still on the hard line, and the new olive waiting to go on as a replacement.
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Jesus Freak
Full Access Member
I think that's a good starting point.
