Fuel Gage - 2005 Explorer
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 99
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From: Newmwnstown, PA
Fuel Gage - 2005 Explorer
Coasted into the local gas station yesterday to fill 'er up! Have never driven on empty this long. After topping it off, noticed the gage still read EMPTY and got a low fuel warning. Since I had just put 20 gallons in the tank, I knew that information was incorrect!!
As I drove on the freeway, I noticed that every time I hit a bumpy spot in the road the needle would creep up slightly. After about 50 miles, the needle have gotten all the way to FULL.
I spend most of my "shade tree" mechanic time on the front end. Don't know much about the back end. What's the science on fuel level detection? Is it like the toilet bowl float concept? I am sure there's probably a sending unit or something that's also in there somewhere. Please tell me to check a connection...it's too damned hot here in Virginia to do anything more.
Thanks,
Michael
2005 Explorer XLT 4X4 4L 73K
2004 Explorer Limited 4X4 4L 165K
2004 Explorer XLT 4X2 4L 185K
As I drove on the freeway, I noticed that every time I hit a bumpy spot in the road the needle would creep up slightly. After about 50 miles, the needle have gotten all the way to FULL.
I spend most of my "shade tree" mechanic time on the front end. Don't know much about the back end. What's the science on fuel level detection? Is it like the toilet bowl float concept? I am sure there's probably a sending unit or something that's also in there somewhere. Please tell me to check a connection...it's too damned hot here in Virginia to do anything more.
Thanks,
Michael
2005 Explorer XLT 4X4 4L 73K
2004 Explorer Limited 4X4 4L 165K
2004 Explorer XLT 4X2 4L 185K
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
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i think its a fluke and will go away.. i did the same thing with my F150 last year.. ran out in the driveway. I put a 3 gallon can in it, started and it still read empty. drove 20 miles to town, half way there i hit a bump and it bounced to 1/8 tank... that was 12 months ago, no problem since.. something with the float and computer i guessed. not just a simple toilet bowl float like it was 20 years ago.
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
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From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Fuel gauge
I've had that happen a couple of times in my 02 XLT. After a fill up at a couple of different times the fuel gauge would only register about a 1/4. Then after a while, 1/2.; then later full. This hasn't happened for over a year now. Only thing I can figure is that there are gas tank gremlins that like to occasionally mess with the the tank sending unit.
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 288
Likes: 1
From: SW Florida
See post #2 in this thread:
http://fordforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6891
I think you're just seeing the anti-slosh mode from the instrument cluster. I remember seeing a TSB somewhere that said the anti-slosh mode time was reduced from 55 minutes to about 15 minutes on newer Fords.
edit: The TSB I was thinking of is 06-2-12. It can be seen here: http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ep...fuel_gauge.pdf
http://fordforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6891
I think you're just seeing the anti-slosh mode from the instrument cluster. I remember seeing a TSB somewhere that said the anti-slosh mode time was reduced from 55 minutes to about 15 minutes on newer Fords.
edit: The TSB I was thinking of is 06-2-12. It can be seen here: http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/ep...fuel_gauge.pdf
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 99
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From: Newmwnstown, PA
Thanks for the technical responses. Ford has made detecting fuel level is far too complicated. It's time to go back to the toilet bowl float version...
When I think about it, my start-n-stop trips after the fill-up were just over 55 minutes of run time before it read FULL. SLOSH MODE it is!!!
Michael
When I think about it, my start-n-stop trips after the fill-up were just over 55 minutes of run time before it read FULL. SLOSH MODE it is!!!
Michael
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
fuel gauge
Thanks for the references. Sometimes what engineers think is a good idea, ain't. Way too complicated a system for such a simple function. It's no wonder why Toyota had so many accelerator/brake problems recently. They fail to apply the KISS principle
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 83
From: Cedar Rapids, IA
Pretty much every decision by engineers has some form of a trade study. It's rarely possible to make everyone happy. Think about engineering a Lincoln or Cadillac where there are two drastically different end users that need to be considered, young executives (who may become long-term customers) and elderly (who have been long-term customers). The KISS principle would apply well to the elderly crowd but will not attract the young exec crowd. And to muddy the waters even more, within these two groups are several subcategories that don't fit either of the stereotypes. Throw in fuel economy mandates, ease of manufacturing, and cost savings and it becomes EXTREMELY difficult to KIS. As an engineer who has spent time trying to please a variety of end users, I feel I can speak to the difficulty in KIS.
-Rod
-Rod
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