truck dies after filling tank

[10fords]

I have had this happen to me on an occasional basis. I fill up my front tank (I usually just use the front tank as the rear is tough to fill due to the utility bed) on my 87 f350 and when I start it up to leave it will surge and sometimes die. Normally it will start back up relatively easily, or I can keep it running by feathering the accelerator until the air bleeds out but today it did it to me again and I couldn't get it to start and I killed the batteries. after getting towed home it took quite a while to get it bled while charging the batteries all the while but I finally got it to start and now all seems normal. Anyone else have this happen to them or know what may cause it? It doesn't happen every time or even every other time, but it is a pain none the less. Other than that it starts fine all the time and I cant find any leaks in the fuel system. Thanks- Scott

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

These sight-unseen diagnosises are somewhat tough to pinpoint; but, I am going to make a stab at what I think is going on, given the evidence available.

Everything is fine until you poke the nozzle in there and stir up the dregs in the tank.

Something, maybe even a floating grease-rag, is then getting sucked into or over the draw-straw, thus the "surge" when the engine starts starving for fuel and the subsequent dying as a result of no fuel available to the engine.

It may be a total waste of your time; but, were it me, I would completely drain and remove the tank and poke my head in there for a look-see.

The only other possible I can come up with is ??maybe?? the roll-over valve is stopping up the vent, thus the tank is being pulled into a vacuum.

I would also eliminate any such non-sense and make a direct OPEN vent with it's open end protected from water-intrusion and screened against varmints.

 

[RLDSL]

Question, Had the front tank run out and had you switched to the rear and been running on it before refuling, and then switched back to the front tank after filling up? If so , you would suck up a belly full of air before the fuel from the front tank would make it to the pump causing exactly what you are experiencing

 

[10fords]

That makes sense! I would lean toward the rollover valve being clogged as I live in a dusty environment, or muddy in the winter. I changed out both tanks about 5 years ago as the originals were filled with crud and I had 2 good ones on an 87 parts truck, so I am reasonably sure there are no rags or other debris in there. I need to redo my filler necks for the utility bed so I'll have a look at the pickup and inside the tank when I do that. I will get under the truck today and check out the rollover valve. Thanks! -Scott

These sight-unseen diagnosises are somewhat tough to pinpoint; but, I am going to make a stab at what I think is going on, given the evidence available.

Everything is fine until you poke the nozzle in there and stir up the dregs in the tank.

Something, maybe even a floating grease-rag, is then getting sucked into or over the draw-straw, thus the "surge" when the engine starts starving for fuel and the subsequent dying as a result of no fuel available to the engine.

It may be a total waste of your time; but, were it me, I would completely drain and remove the tank and poke my head in there for a look-see.

The only other possible I can come up with is ??maybe?? the roll-over valve is stopping up the vent, thus the tank is being pulled into a vacuum.

I would also eliminate any such non-sense and make a direct OPEN vent with it's open end protected from water-intrusion and screened against varmints.

 

[10fords]

Question, Had the front tank run out and had you switched to the rear and been running on it before refuling, and then switched back to the front tank after filling up? If so , you would suck up a belly full of air before the fuel from the front tank would make it to the pump causing exactly what you are experiencing

No- I was running on the front tank and put 13 gallons in it when I filled up. It does seem to not want to pickup the last 1/4 tank sometimes so I generally fill up at 150 miles or so.

 

[Mulochico]

If it doesn't p/u the last 1/4 tank your p/u shower heads have probably disintegrated. There are many threads on fixing this, but it involves adding line to the p/u. The pieces can clog the p/u causing what you are experiencing.

Easy fix if you are looking in the tank anyway