Fuel guage question

[tevz32]

Just returned from the Nova Scotia Caravan - good time, good people -my vintage 1991 BF performed very well, even better sometimes than a certain Hickory something. The only issue is: I have a 40gal fuel tank but when the gauge shows empty I can add only about 25-27 gal. I know someone will suggest driving until it quits and then see how much fuel it takes but I am hoping for a more intelligent solution. Ideas anyone?

[bcope01]

40 gallons may be on the high side for a 1991 Ford E350 cutaway. Maybe someone that owns one can confirm the tank size.

Bill

[Mel Wilbur]

Per the information listed in the Factory Owners Manuals for Older Born Free Motorcoaches section the fuel tank capacity is 40 gallons.

[Ray]

Hey Tom

Thats a tough one.

I thought my 97 had a smaller tank than that, but I could be wrong.

Call Kim and verify the size of the tank - maybe there was a change over or something - You should also be able to find the specs by VIN nimber. Maybe talk to your local dealer - mine is great about looking up the build specs by VIN.

Other than that I think that it is a old enough that it has the older sensor and gauge and the problem was usually with the sensor in the tank (grounding was always a problem) - this may be very easy to replace on that year - not sure - I have sure replaced allot on boat tanks.

If it is like that older setups like I am familiar with there are some ohm readings and checks that you can do to verify the problem before digging into it - when I get home I can look them up - other wise look on the net.

Thats right - when I get home - I am in Hershey right now and I have done a complete analysis of the situation and the computer codes/faults ------ I have determined the main problem is that my engine dont run no more. Getting towed in to a Ford truck place Monday.

Nova Scotia rocked - Sometimes at the camp site - Sometimes on the road

Kudos to Brandon and Julie - Good people carrying on the Dodgen tradition.

I wish you well my friends - Ray

[Fortyniner]

: Hey Tom
This from the other Tom on the caravan, owner of the Hickory something. Our steps don't rattle.

[tevz32]

To the owners of the Hickory Nut: Touche !

[Dude]

I have a 1989 that I believe has a 40 gallon tank (per the literature). My gas gauge does not work and it will cost $500 to replace because they need to drop the tank. The odometer still works so I just fill up every 200 miles or less. I get 7mpg so at 200 miles that would be 29 gallons. I wouldn't advise driving until you run out of gas, you will suck up 23 years of crap that has built up in the bottom of the gas tank.

[tevz32]

Matt: Good advice about sucking up junk from the bottom of the tank. I didn't want to do that anyway. The thing is, the gauge works it just doesn't correlate with the tank size. I guess I'll just continue to fill up every 200-225 miles. I have driven 240 miles and topped it off at 27gal which is about 8.8 gpm. At that rate I should be able to drive approx. 300 miles on a full tank. I should be ok as long as there is a gas station within sight.

Tom & Elaine

[whemme]

Matt & Tom,

I have always wondered if it is really true that if you run the engine until fuel exhaustion that you will then start 'sucking up junk from the bottom of the tank'. The end of the pickup pipe feeding the fuel pump inside the tank is probably located very close to the bottom of the tank. It will continue to draw fuel from the tank until the remaining fuel level is too low to be able to draw fuel. However, why should the fuel pump then start sucking up junk that is also below the pickup point. If the pickup point is below the top of the junk in the bottom of the tank, then it would suck it up whether the fuel level was above or below that pickup point anyway in my opinion.

Anyone else care to comment?

[Ray]

Bill - Agree totaly

Unless ------ You happen to be driving some roads in Nova Scotia - then that bottom gunk may be in a suspended state - but there is a pick up screen, and a filter.

I really think that at times my tank was 3/4 full until I hit the crest and then it was 1/4 full -

Fantastic trip - I have been bragging that the BF held up perfect in those rough conditions, nothing broke, nothing fell off - I have found I cant say the same thing about the Ford part of the coach -

Loved the trip and everyone on it - still trying to get home

[Dallas Baillio]

And to further add to the discussion. On a car you often drive away from the pump within minutes of filling the tank. Haven't you disturbed the gunk in the tank with the fill up? Has the gunk had time to settle back to the bottom or is it still suspended in the tank? So why isn't it drawn into the engine then. With a less than full tank when traveling on rough roads isn't the gunk stirred up as gas sloshes around in the tank. Poor gunk, I think it gets a bad rap. Innocent until proven guilty. There is fuel filter in the line. Perhaps we should blame the owner for not changing the fuel filter.

[Dude]

Point taken about where the Gunk is and the fuel pick up is. I still don't want to run the tank dry

[Mike Astley]

There are similar thoughts of not getting gas when a fuel truck is present and filling the tanks as this may be stirring up tank bottom gunk.

As a side note, once saw a station attendant taking a stick reading of a tank in the pouring rain. I didn't go back to that station for a while.

[bigdipper]

As a former oil industry guy I can attest to the advice to not pump gas when a tanker is in the station. That was a problem in the old days. My company installed filters in the pumps to catch the debris in the 70's-80's. 25 years later, I know not what industry or individual company practice is in this regard today. Costco, though, does have the filters. Final thought, truck stops are much lower risk for fuel contamination than stations in Podunk.
Ralph