SO here is my dilemna. A while ago, I dumped some crap fuel in my truck out of an old container. To make a long story short, wiped the fuel pump and twice clogged the screen in the tank pickup. New fuel pump, and away I went. However, since then, the truck begins to bang and rattle at 1/3 of a tank left as if it is running out of diesel. I add diesel, presto, the problem is solved. As soon as it started rattling on me the other day, I went to fill it up and it took 80 L. This is a shortbox model with a tank that I have put 100+L into with the truck still running.

This leads me to belive that the fuel pickup is possibly leaking around where we popped the plastic apart to get at the screen in there, as this sits right around the 1/3 level in the tank.

Has anyone ran across this? TO me it sounds like the only possible cause, as this thing has done this to me several times right around 1/4 to 1/3 of a tank of fuel, and I never had this problem before I took the sender out.

Anyone have any thoughts on this before I spring for a new sender/pickup?

 

Sounds like a classic case for a need to do the in-tank mod. The stock pickup assembly incorporates a mixing chamber that has internal filters. It sounds like those filters are clogged up. As a result, there is a "duck bill" orifice that allows fuel to be picked up and bypassing the internal filters in the mixing chamber. However, once fuel drops below 1/3 tank, that duck bill sits above the fuel line, so it just sucks in air. Hence why your engine runs terribly when the fuel tank is low.

Some site sponsors sell kits that replace the in-tank mixing chamber and eliminate the duck bill. That way air does not get sucked in when you drop below 1/3 tank. They also use a separate filter that sits outside the tank to replace the internal mixing chamber filters. That way you can replace the filter if it ever gets clogged again without having to drop the tank.

Sinister Diesel (formally ITP Diesel) is a site sponsor and sells in-tank kits. I'm not sure if Riffraff Diesel sells in-tank kits, but you could call Clay and ask.

 

No need for a new part from FORD, just do the in-tank mod. Guzzle's instructions will walk you through it with no problems. Yours is sucking air, which is pretty common.

Welcome to guzzle's In-tank Hutch Mod Web Page

 

Do it effective and at low cost with metal brake line, compression couplings, flexable hose, a handfull of ss clamps, and an inline filter .