General Maintenance & Repairs Leaks | Squeaks | Clunks | Rattles | Grinds

Faulty fuel sending unit?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-04-2012, 07:07 PM
  #1  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default Faulty fuel sending unit?

Recently Iv been getting crap mpg. Like 150/tank I changed o2 sensors and everything I could think of. When I go from full to empty tank nd fill up it only puts in 12 gallons. A friend with an 02 ss does the same he gets around 230 in a cammed ls1. He fills up and puts in 14 gallons. So could this be a bad sending unit? My only option left is to just run the car til it won't start cuz no gas. Bad idea I know but what else is there to do??
Old 04-04-2012, 07:20 PM
  #2  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
 
DisasterFormula's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West TN
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Check your exhaust for leaks. Air will leak in pre-O2s and the car will get a false lean and add way too much gas. My car had been running pig rich the past few weeks w/ **** performance. Found an exhaust leak on the manifold, even w/ a brand new gasket. Put some Ultra High Temp Red RTV on my finger and smeared it over the leak, let it cure overnight, fired up this morning and ran great.
Old 04-04-2012, 07:26 PM
  #3  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Iv got a small one after the o2
Old 04-04-2012, 07:46 PM
  #4  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

But that doesn't explain why when I fill up it only puts 12 gallons.
Old 04-04-2012, 07:59 PM
  #5  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
 
DisasterFormula's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West TN
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

You may have a bunch of crap filling your tank. Check your fuel filter for debris.

Also, is it after both sensors or just the first? If it's close enough to a pre-cat sensor, it can still potentially leak in to cause a false lean and make you run rich.
Old 04-04-2012, 08:20 PM
  #6  
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
 
Lee12609's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

doesnt sound like the sending unit is the problem. 12 gallons only getting you 150 miles is appr. 12mpg. something is definately wrong.

i am getting over 20 mpg with 50/50 driving (18miles city/18miles highway per day).

if i try to run 87 or 89 i get mid to high teens, it is cheaper for me to run premium.
Old 04-04-2012, 08:58 PM
  #7  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

It's in the slip fit part of the ypipe on the passenger side after the first o2. My rears are deleted.
Old 04-04-2012, 09:08 PM
  #8  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Let me be more specific. It's after the collector to ypipe. It's the ypipe to the part the goes to the merge.
What else could it be?? It doesn't smell like gas except on start up cuz !AIR. no smoke every. New air filter new PCM with a bolt on tune by frost MAF cleaned. Both new o2s I ran some seafoam thru the tank last week just to check it off the list. I'll throw another fuel filter on soon. I'm all city driving.
Old 04-04-2012, 11:14 PM
  #9  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (4)
 
eb110americana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: South Pasadena, CA
Posts: 840
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts

Default

I've been trying to solve a similar problem myself, though my mileage is about 14-15mpg in all city driving for me. I've already replaced the fuel filter, IAC, O2 sensors (the 3 oldest ones, 1 is only a few years old), PCV valve, PCV elbows & connectors, cleaned the MAF, checked the plugs, Seafoamed the gas tank, Amsoil Power Foamed the intake, and my mileage is just as bad from what I can tell so far. (If you follow my posts, you'll find more detail about it all.) I've also been having occasional hard starting for several months, so I'm thinking it's the fuel. It still smells rich on startup, so I'm guessing a clogged injector(s). The old fuel filter was on there way too long, so that may be partially my fault. My plan is to test fuel rail pressure to rule out the fuel pump, and then get a set of rebuilt injectors.

In your case, it could be many things, but the fact that you have a tune makes it even more complicated. The AIR system helps to heat up the cats, so it wouldn't prevent the smell of gas at start up, nor would its absence create one. The car is in open loop then anyway and the cats are cold, so if it smells like gas, it's something else. I won't get to my fuel injectors for about 3 weeks, but I'll let you know if that helps. All it takes is one to be clogged and the whole bank sprays more fuel as the computer tries to overcompensate. Since my car runs smoothly with no other symptoms than the hard start, rich exhaust at startup, and bad MPG, I'm thinking I'm on the right track (fingers crossed).
Old 04-05-2012, 12:13 AM
  #10  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

mine only smells like gas on start up cuz the AIR pump is gone. i dont have hard starts or any other symptoms other than bad mpg.
Old 04-05-2012, 02:42 PM
  #11  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Any other ideas guys?? And I'm putting shell 91 or texaco 91 only.
Old 04-05-2012, 10:05 PM
  #12  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
 
DisasterFormula's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West TN
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

Could be a leaking injector. Pull the rail w/ the injectors on it, turn key to on w/o starting the engine, and see if any squeezes out.
Old 04-06-2012, 12:29 AM
  #13  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Ok. If some comes out?
If none comes out what next? Oh Iv got a wideband that should be here tomorrow granted UPS doesnt drop the ball like FedEx did. What should my afr be at idle cruise and wot?
Old 04-06-2012, 04:05 PM
  #14  
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
 
DisasterFormula's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West TN
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

If one of the injectors is leaking, then that means time to replace it. If several are leaking, check your fuel pressure regulator. It could be allowing too high a psi through the rails. As far as the tune, it's possible that it went screwy sometime. But I don't know much about tuning. You might want to go ask about it in the tuning section.
Old 04-06-2012, 05:20 PM
  #15  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Ill be installing my wideband tomorrow so I'll see if I'm running too rich. I trust frosts tune but you never know.
Old 04-07-2012, 05:50 AM
  #16  
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
 
Lee12609's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

idle and cruise should be 14.7ish in closed loop.

WOT 12.8-13.2
Old 04-07-2012, 09:54 AM
  #17  
14k
TECH Fanatic
Thread Starter
 
14k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Odessa, TX
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Thanks Lee. I looked around a while and only saw built engine people asking what their cammed or boosted afr should be. Didn't think it applied to just a Bolton car.



Quick Reply: Faulty fuel sending unit?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:51 AM.