'02 F250SD 7.3 Crew 4x2, short bed, 156" wheelbase, 252K miles. New tank and fuel sending unit in 2008 at 110K miles. After the dealer install, it would run out of fuel and be empty, but with 1/4 tank still indicated, and would then take 28 gallons to fill. Now it stalls/dies from fuel starvation with 3/8 tank indicated, but then filling that tank only takes 18-19 gallons.

In the intervening years, I have twice suffered from purchasing algae-contaminated diesel fuel, requiring the tank to be pumped out, removed, and filled with a mixture of diesel fuel, Biobor, and napthene for cleaning, as well as new fuel pump, HPOP, etcetera.

Is it possible that the actual pickup has fallen off the bottom of the sender? A new fuel sending unit is $300 from Rock Auto. (Ouch)

 

Common problem. Do a search for the Hutch mod (it's also probably in the stickies page at the top of this forum). Many, many on here have had to do it, or have done in as a preemptive measure. I believe Guzzie's website (diesel orings) has the full writeup with pics and parts list. I haven't done it yet, but when you start "running out of fuel" while still having a quarter tank, that's the reason.

 

You'll have to get into the tank either way and while it's down or the bed is off you can look at the intake. When I had sending units go bad they quit working altogether and just showed empty.

 

It sounds like your sending unit is fine, except it's out of adjustment (maybe). What is your tank capacity? If it's the 29-gallon tank, your float arm needs to be bent up until the gauge reads empty when the float is on the bottom.

As stated above by you, yes... the foot could have fallen off (Riffraff Diesel carries those). As shared by our other friends, the Hutch mod is commonly needed to eliminate air in fuel and prematurely running out of fuel.

No matter what, you need to go in and put your eyes on it. Don't fill up, you need the tank to be empty to drop it. I've dropped tanks 5 times by myself (with a floor jack) - it's not a big deal... unless you have traction bars on a stock-height truck.