F350 fuel gauge goofy

DRR Trophy

posted

The fuel gauge in my truck started acting up today, I had driven almost 100 miles on a full tank and the fuel gauge starts going up. After another 100 miles or so, the gauge is still nearly full. I know by this time something aint right, before I run out of fuel, I switched to the other full tank, and the gauge goes to empty. There must be some common link between the two tanks that has failed, any ideas where to start looking.

Posts: 138 | Location: Midlothian, Texas | Registered: October 19, 2000

Lamar Butler

DRR Trophy

posted

Fuel selector valve has probably failed. Lamar

Posts: 2 | Location: Philadelphia, Ms | Registered: February 27, 2011

Ignored post by Lamar Butler posted

Eman

DRR S/Pro

posted

What he said, that's the first place to look. The selector valve switches the fuel ports and the sending unit signal between the tanks. If you pull the wire connector from the valve and turn key on gauge should guy to full. Use a test light with key on and when you touch the gauge wire test light should light and gauge should go empty.

Posts: 1569 | Location: E TN | Registered: February 13, 2009

Ignored post by Eman posted

DRR Trophy

posted

Thanks for the early reply's, I'll do some more research and begin looking. Does anybody know the location of this valve on the truck, 1997 F350 duelly. And one last question, the day this started I had filled both tanks at a station I don't normally use. I always buy from the same station unless I'm on the road somewhere. Could a different fuel load have caused this.

Posts: 138 | Location: Midlothian, Texas | Registered: October 19, 2000

Ignored post by topfuel posted

Bkt6682

DRR Trophy

posted

On my 1992 F350 it's in the chassis rail on the drivers side . As far as the gauge goes .The sending units on those trucks go bad for some reason .Mine just starting acting up and the seclector valve is about a year old .

Posts: 179 | Location: Matthews NC | Registered: September 12, 2004

Ignored post by Bkt6682 posted

DRR Trophy

posted

I understand the sending units go bad, read plenty about that today, but since fuel tanks are independent of each other, and fuel gauge is goofy on both, the likely hood of both senders going bad at the same time is not very likely.

Posts: 138 | Location: Midlothian, Texas | Registered: October 19, 2000

Ignored post by topfuel posted

Lamar Butler

DRR Trophy

posted

If the selector valve fails in a certain way it can allow one tank to transfer fuel into the other tank making the gauges seem to be acting crazy.

Posts: 2 | Location: Philadelphia, Ms | Registered: February 27, 2011

Ignored post by Lamar Butler posted

DRR Trophy

posted

Lamar Butler, I think you are exactly right, I believe this is what I experienced, and explains why the one tank appeared to be going up, when it should have been going down. In fact I filled up both tanks again last night, the tank I thought should be nearly full, when the gauge was showing empty, was in fact nearly empty, took nearly 16 gallons. And the tank I thought should be nearly empty, but gauge was showing 3/4 full, only took about 4 gallons to fill again. So somehow the fuel from the front tank ended up in the rear tank. Now that I know what is going on, I can deal with it until the selector valve can be replaced. Thanks to all that made suggestions.

Posts: 138 | Location: Midlothian, Texas | Registered: October 19, 2000

Ignored post by topfuel posted

Bad News

DRR Sportsman

posted

quote:
Originally posted by topfuel:
Lamar Butler, I think you are exactly right, I believe this is what I experienced, and explains why the one tank appeared to be going up, when it should have been going down. In fact I filled up both tanks again last night, the tank I thought should be nearly full, when the gauge was showing empty, was in fact nearly empty, took nearly 16 gallons. And the tank I thought should be nearly empty, but gauge was showing 3/4 full, only took about 4 gallons to fill again. So somehow the fuel from the front tank ended up in the rear tank. Now that I know what is going on, I can deal with it until the selector valve can be replaced. Thanks to all that made suggestions.

Return is also controlled by the selector, It is returning fuel to the wrong tank, running off of on and returning to the other. Run it long enough it will over fill.

Posts: 868 | Location: ft laud | Registered: September 02, 2004

Ignored post by Bad News posted