Club 80-90 Forums

Van broke down this afternoon, sounded like there was no fuel but gauge was registering 1/3 full.

AA came out and said there was no diesel in fuel line, put a gallon in and it started first time. Thought that the fuel gauge might not be reading correctly but then drove to the nearest petrol station and filled up, it only took £34 to fill the tank up so there was definetly about £20 of diesel in the tank when it wouldn't start.

AA man said that the fuel intake may have come adrift in the tank and to get it checked/fixed. Is this a big job?

Thanks

Binka, your man may have been talking out of his 'arris' I think he may have meant your tank unit (the bit in the fuel tank that tells your gauge how much fuel you have) could be at fault......

It may be a good idea to find a local garage you can trust to check this out before it causes you any more problems.....

Fuel tank will have to be removed and drained and then the tank unit checked and replaced if required.


Regards


Fritz,,,,,,,,,,

Thanks, I think the fuel gauge sensor thingy is ok as the gauge was reading a third full and the tank was a third full. But when the tank was only a third full it wouldn't come out the tank. I've rung up the local garage and he says to take the van in tomorrow, just dreading how much it might cost.

Thanks

If you think fuel gauge sensor is ok then you might just have a blockage in your fuel line, could be as simple as an air lock, so don't be letting them drop your fuel tank unnecessarily.
Oh and if you don't mind me asking, when did you last change your fuel filter?

I have just replied to a post, my van cut out today the online filter had collapsed causing a blockage so it's worth checking your filters and/or crimped pipes because the "pick up" is free flowing out the bottom of the tank.

May also be a breather? This could be blocked so when you are using fuel there is insufficient air to take it's place?

Just a few more ideas for you

Thanks for the suggestions. I've just had an oil and filter change done about a month ago so don't think its the filter. Will see what garage blokey reckons though.

binka, oil and filter change usually refers to oil and oil filter, did you change your diesel filter?

It is possible that the pipe inside the tank has come off.
I rarely look in fuel tanks, but i do seem to remember being surprised when being nosey that there was a flexible blue pipe in there, it must join the fuel feed to something else, so, yeah I think it would be possible that something has come adrift.
But, there is no way you can get in to put it back on.
I don't think it is gauge or sender related as for the amount of fuel you put in it can't be.
I would check the fuel filler neck, just behind the filler cap, they often perish, crack and open up leaving spray from the front wheel to have a clear run into the fuel filler neck, then it water and dirt direct into the tank, no good.
Tanks aren't a fortune, less that £100 and should take a couple of hours to swap.
If it does end up being a tank change then make sure they paint it or underseal it as they only come in transit primer, and they rust for fun.
Avoid black fuel tanks branded "Klokkerholm" or something like that, they are a really bad fit, we had a bin full of them recently, all reasonably new but leaking because the filler neck hole is in the wrong place and the neck goes in skew whiff.
They are also a bit too big for the hole that they are designed to fit, so a bit of a pain to fit.
After fuel tank change, maybe an idea to change the fuel filter.

The swear filer on this website beggars beliefe, it changes swear words into words that have no relevance or connection to the word you initially said, then it changes inocent words into swear words
Weird.

Thanks for all the advice. I just asked for an oil and filter change so maybe it is the diesel filter that's causing problems. If that doesn't look likely then I'll get the mechanic to look at the fuel filler neck. Thanks again.

Mine had perished changed it the weekend it's a five minute job! My filter was blacked due to crud build up

I've been to the garage today. He says it won't be the diesel filter as its been driving fine since (with a full tank) and if it was the filter it would keep breaking down. The filler neck looks fine, can't see any corrosion.

So only idea now is that it is the inlet thingy in the tank. Mechanic had a look at the tank and said it was going to be a big job to take it off. He's suggested I go see a mate of his who specialises in diesels as he says his mate will have a better idea if it may be something else other than the inlet.

I'm tempted just to leave it and see if it happens again next time I get to a third full, could carry a jerry can of fuel with me incase. I'm (probably vainly) hoping that maybe it was a one off.

your mechanics having a laugh. the tank is a real easy swap even a mechanical novice can do it

Think I need a new mechanic.

binka wrote:I've been to the garage today. He says it won't be the diesel filter as its been driving fine since (with a full tank) and if it was the filter it would keep breaking down. The filler neck looks fine, can't see any corrosion.

So only idea now is that it is the inlet thingy in the tank. Mechanic had a look at the tank and said it was going to be a big job to take it off. He's suggested I go see a mate of his who specialises in diesels as he says his mate will have a better idea if it may be something else other than the inlet.

I'm tempted just to leave it and see if it happens again next time I get to a third full, could carry a jerry can of fuel with me incase. I'm (probably vainly) hoping that maybe it was a one off.

If you do go down the route of carrying a jerry can until you run out of diesel. You will have to bleed the air out of the system before it will restart, so unless you know how to do that you could end up calling the breakdown service out again...
IAN