Weird fuel problem
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Weird fuel problem
Here's a problem that's got me scratching my head:
’99 V10 F350 DRW, 5 sp manual tranny 4WD
The other day I was pulling out of a restaurant parking lot downtown. Traffic was heavy. In order to get on the main drag you had to really get into the throttle. Just as I gassed it a Mustang came around the bend wide open and I knew there was no chance for them to stop so I crushed the foot pedal in 2nd gear, squealing the duals. The problem was that the traffic light was right there on me and it was red. So, with RPM’s at around 4500 I just moved over a little to get out of the Stangs way and let off the gas. With pipes rumbling and tires screeching to a halt I finally came to a stop – the Mustang ran the light and disappeared. As I sat at the light I could smell gasoline. I looked at the fuel gauge, which showed ¾ tank (I just filled the tank). With the traffic heavy and no time to get out to check under the hood, I drove down the road looking for a safe place to pull over. But, before I got there the fuel gauge went back to full and the fuel smell went away.
Any ideas?
No, this is not drug or alcohol related…
’99 V10 F350 DRW, 5 sp manual tranny 4WD
The other day I was pulling out of a restaurant parking lot downtown. Traffic was heavy. In order to get on the main drag you had to really get into the throttle. Just as I gassed it a Mustang came around the bend wide open and I knew there was no chance for them to stop so I crushed the foot pedal in 2nd gear, squealing the duals. The problem was that the traffic light was right there on me and it was red. So, with RPM’s at around 4500 I just moved over a little to get out of the Stangs way and let off the gas. With pipes rumbling and tires screeching to a halt I finally came to a stop – the Mustang ran the light and disappeared. As I sat at the light I could smell gasoline. I looked at the fuel gauge, which showed ¾ tank (I just filled the tank). With the traffic heavy and no time to get out to check under the hood, I drove down the road looking for a safe place to pull over. But, before I got there the fuel gauge went back to full and the fuel smell went away.
Any ideas?
No, this is not drug or alcohol related…
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by michaelmueller
were you next to a gas station at the light? 
The main thing that caught my eye was the fuel gauge, going from full to ¾ tank, then back up again.
Weird stuff...
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 127
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From: bay city mi
At one time I smelled gas every time I got in my truck, I must have crawled under that truck a dozen times to try and find a leak to no avail, then I figured out it was my floor matt smellin from when I unknowingly steped in gas. 
The only thing I can tell ya is to crawl under it and lookin for leaks if you ever smell gas again.
The only thing I can tell ya is to crawl under it and lookin for leaks if you ever smell gas again.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
I have checked, prodded, pulled, ran my finger in and around the unseen places, no leaks. The only thing I can come up with is that the pressure increased, via some anomaly, and it heaved back up through the throttle body. But, that was a thought after all else made no sense at all.
Maybe the PCM told the fuel pump to increase the fuel, due to the quick surge and high RPM’s, then when I abruptly released my foot, it still kept pumping the fuel.
Don’t know. Never happened before.
Maybe the PCM told the fuel pump to increase the fuel, due to the quick surge and high RPM’s, then when I abruptly released my foot, it still kept pumping the fuel.
Don’t know. Never happened before.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,769
Likes: 7
From: Gretna ,LA.
If it sloshed up the filler tube to the over flow hose it then goes to a charcoal canister under the hood i believe,and could be the smell.It overloaded the cannister and hence the smell?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: NE Texas
I thought of that, and I did romp on it pretty hard (spun both sets of duals, which are 255/85 mud grips - give that "yowl howl" 
), but didn't think it would make the fuel gauge read funny.
All is fine - just puzzling. I had never really floored it to that extreme and then just let off the gas - it jumped up and down like a one-eyed shortstop.
), but didn't think it would make the fuel gauge read funny.All is fine - just puzzling. I had never really floored it to that extreme and then just let off the gas - it jumped up and down like a one-eyed shortstop.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Vancouver Wash USA
Originally Posted by Big Orn
I thought of that, and I did romp on it pretty hard (spun both sets of duals, which are 255/85 mud grips - give that "yowl howl" ), but didn't think it would make the fuel gauge read funny.
All is fine - just puzzling. I had never really floored it to that extreme and then just let off the gas - it jumped up and down like a one-eyed shortstop.
), but didn't think it would make the fuel gauge read funny.All is fine - just puzzling. I had never really floored it to that extreme and then just let off the gas - it jumped up and down like a one-eyed shortstop.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by ken04
I'm assuming that even though your gauge read full, actually it wasn't. Fords have always been very slow to come off the full mark. With 50-75 miles on a fill-up if I can go up or down a very steep hill, my fuel gauge will change, heck it changes whenever I go up or down a steep grade, especially if I'm going down and heavy on the brakes for quite a while. Which mimics you grabbing the binders hard to make the red light. The gas smell, who knows ? Maybe it was the Stang ? But I'm pretty sure your fuel gauge did what all Ford fuel gauges do. Ken
I heard a slapping noise and a high-pitched moan, but was too involved with defense tactics to know what it was until it was over. I looked over at my wife, who had that deer-in-the-headlights look and asked if she was alright. She said that she thought she was slapping my arm but was slapping her own...
Made me to promise not to do that again when she was in there. She was serious, but soon calmed down and began laughing at her own little self-whooping...
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
My gas gauge takes a loooong time to respond to sudden changes. I can leave it running while filling up - when it's full, it will register less than 1/2 tank. It takes around 5 minutes before it finally goes up to the full mark. Of course, if I turn it off and back on, it'll jump right up there.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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From: Shreveport, La.
Originally Posted by Big Orn
The only thing I can come up with is that the pressure increased, via some anomaly, and it heaved back up through the throttle body.
Orn, the law of physics and Ford fuel sending units were at play.
You/truck were suddenly moving faster than the liquid fuel, then just as suddenly motion was halted, sending liquid forward at warp North East Texas speed.
The fuel rushing forward looked for every possible outlet it could find to rush into, filling all possible forward cavities.
The design boys didn't plan for such. Electronics and mechanicals being what they are, the sending unit had no idea what to do, so it just threw a dart.
BTW- Fuel cap on tight?
These storms effected you any the past few nights?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
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From: NE Texas
Originally Posted by KenB
BTW- Fuel cap on tight?
These storms effected you any the past few nights?
These storms effected you any the past few nights?
I live in the country where a jake brake can bring to power down.
Thanks for asking. I hope the storms take a long rest now...
