Hey Animalistic,
If I just had the fuel pump replaced wouldn't that make the pressure correct or is the regulator seperate from the tank & pump? If so, where do I find it so I can check it, or is this something that requires a mechanic? Any help on this would be truly appreciated.
Thanks again,
Tom

 

There is a shreader valve like on a bike tire on the fuel rail by the injectors that you test the fuel pressure at.

Fuel pressure checking guages are about 40 bucks at Advanced Auto (Parts America).

 

tire guage works..and they're cheap

 

The regulator is along your fuel rail and like netscaner says, there is a tire valve there to check the pressure with. It should be around 40 psi and before I had mine replaced, it was 90 psi. Kept the injectors clean at the cost of fuel.

Ssidney, I like your idea of the tire guage. I would have never thought of that. I am not too sure what fuel will do to the inside of a tire guage but at $1.50 each, who cares!

Tom, when my regulator went out, my check engine light went on and I got some codes from the O2 sensor. If yours is bad, you should have the same. Let us know if your light is on and any codes you have. Also, what is your mileage now? We need to know these to better help with diagnostics.

 

Animalistic & other friends,
I probably won't get a chance to peek at it till the weekend because of the hours I am now working. Yesterday I punched in at 6:30 a.m. and punched out at 11:30 p.m. It's too bad I'm not making top wage or I would be looking at new vehicles instead of fixing up a beater! In any case, on limited funds and trying to play "catch-up" after being amongst the un-employed for the past 18 months, I am just trying to create a "reliable vehicle" so I can get back and forth to work on time. I really don't want to chance losing this job after all it took just to get it. Michigan is really tough on employment at this time.

Take care and thanks to all of you for your input. I did purchase the Sea Foam Engine Tune Up today, and will put it in once I get the money to some gas in the tank along with it!

I will let you know what the results are later this weekend...until then, take care and keep the rubber side down!

Tom

 

Animalistic,
I found out the hard way why my trucks gas mileage seemed to be so bad! I took the truck to one of Re-Nu gas tank repair shops today and found out that not only is the seal bad where the pump locks into the tank, but the bone-heads that I hired to replace the fuel pump, re-plumbed the fuel lines and took the forward tank with a rubber line and teed into the fuel line in such a way that the forward tank pump is not only pumping fuel to the engine, but is also slowly filling up the rear tank which also happens to have a hole in it! I was under the truck this morning putting a Permatex fuel tank patch on the hole, but I will still need to attack the fuel line plumbing ASAP!
I will let you know how that goes later next week. Take care for now,
Tom

 

The tank lines on the tanks are supposed to be "T'd" together.
There are backflo preventors on both tanks fuel pump assemblies.

If you do a search, there are many posts concerning this because it is a common problem.

 

Netscaner is correct. Although I have not had this problem yet, I have read many posts here where one tank will fill another. This was a common problem with our year trucks. I believe it is the shuttle valve that needs replacing. Some of the posts have cartoons of the fuel line layout. Mine was covered under recall before I got my truck.

Tom, check here Recall Information - Ford to see if there are any open recalls on your truck. If not, then you will have to do the work yourself.

 

Guys,
I checked the site for recalls and there weren't any for my vehicle. I plan to yank the rear tank, re-plumb the lines directly to the filter, bypassing the valve that switches between tanks and calling a job complete! The rear tank still has issues (old, tired, needing more patching, a new sending unit that works, etc.) and in my mind, not worth trying to save. As far as the mid positioned tank having a seal problem where the fuel pump goes into the tank, I will just have to run the truck without filling it all the way full and I should be fine for now. Once I can afford to do so, I will more than likely let the gas tank shop correct the problem with the seal. Thanks again to all of you guys for your vast knowledge and helpful insight into the world of Ford truck ownership!
Take care and drive safe,
Tom

 

If I recall correctly, that valve does not do the switching. The switch on the dash just moves power from one pump to another. If you do bypass it, be careful because I believe the return lines go through it as well. I just don't have enough experience in this area to give much more advise. If you do a search for "Fuel tank overflow", you should get enough information to do the job safely. Good luck.

 

Animalistic,
I fixed the fuel tank problem! In only 3 days of running since I plugged off the rear tank leak, the tank filled up with around 7 or 8 gallons of gas from the front tank! Here is how I resolved the problem... I yanked out the rear tank being careful not to damage the quick disconnects from the supply and vapor flex lines going to the rear tank. I then finished draining the rear tank into a couple of 5 gallon cans, filtering the gas through an old bed sheet draped over the buckets to catch all of the dirt and crud both on and in the old tank. All of it went back into the side tank (@ $3.29 a gallon...You do the math!).

After draining the rear tank, I used bolt cutters to snip the fuel tank lines off the rear tank fuel pump as close as I could to the pump. After they were snipped off the pump, I locked each line in my bench vise and hack sawed them straight plus filed off any burrs. I then used fresh 5/16" Rubber Fuel Line, bolts & 4 band clamps for the return line, and the same in 3/8" for the supply line. Once the assemblies were made up, I plugged them back into the supply and vapor line quick disconnect lines that used to go to the rear tank.

With them each plugged off, I don't have any problems with disappearing fuel! What it takes in fuel to get to work and back, is around half the fuel I going through before the repair, hence my mileage is looking pretty good for the time. I still need to get the mid tank seal fixed (around the pump assembly), but I plan to keep the tank at less than a half tank or less, so I won't lose any out the top.

In any case, if I decide to get a new rear tank, sending unit & pump someday, all that will have to be done is to unplug my temporary tank plug assemblies (rubber hoses, clamps, bolts, etc) and re-connect the lines to the new tank. I did enjoy the ride into work not seeing the fuel guage going down so fast! Take care and I will shout at you soon with the actual MPG (once I get the money needed to correct the forward tank issues).
Tom

 

Great job. Glad to hear that you are not dumping fuel down the road anymore. Be sure to point other people to this post if they have the same problem. This is a great write up for someone else to follow. Thanks for the knowledge.

 

Animalistic,
Great news! I am now getting 16 MPG (city) with my speed varying between 25 and 55 MPH going to and from work. It's around a 20 mile treck each way, and I work 6 days a week. I'm not ready to take the truck out on the highway quite yet, since my confidence level in it isn't there yet. I am dumping a fresh can of "Sea Foam" cleaner in the gas tank tomorrow, and am slowly adding a second can via the vacuum line that goes to the brake booster tomorrow, as well. I just added a can to the crankcase, and will be giving the truck an oil change soon. Sea Foam in the crankcase is cleaning out the engine, rings, lifters, oil pan, etc.

Hopefully, the engine will start purring for me soon and possibly get even better mileage...although I am pretty happy getting what I am for now.

Who was it that replied to my earlier post saying that these trucks only get around 12-MPG at best?

Take care,
Tom
1996 F150 2WD 4.9Liter straight-6 automatic longbed (133" wheelbase)

 

16 is a lot better then the 10 I get in the city. Glad to hear it. Keep up the good work.

 

I had a minor catastrophy last night with the truck. The tensioner pulley bearings started to go and the serpentine belt got chewed up pretty bad. Luckily it got me to work, where I was able to use a company van to run out and buy the parts and a few tools to replace the parts. I couldn't get all of the old belt out from between the clutch fan with the limited tools I had, but that is a job I am getting ready to do before going to work tonight. I have a scratch awl that has a hooked end (home made) and some needle-nosed pliers to hopefully free up the pieces. Hopefully the truck problems will go away or atleast lighten up enough that I will have some free time and funds to work on my Harley chopper (in process).
Take care,
Tom