Fuel starvation cures?

JKady

Active Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
266
Reaction score
1
Location
Graham, WA
I'm sure I'm not the only one but my car, due to tank design/pump placement etc... has a bad habit of starving for go juice when the tank's 1/4 or less and I have to romp the brakes or I run it into a corner hard. What's my best bet for a cure outside of the uber expensive Aeromotive tank? I figured a sump would do it but then everything I've read says they've still got the same issue.

Has anyone maybe baffled a stock tank to help keep fuel around the pump? Newer cars have basically a sump built into the pump/sender assembly to prevent this kinda thing.

I don't want fuel starvation killing a 150-180 dollar pump, nevermind the danger that comes with the stalling.

And yeah, I know I could just fill up more often but that ain't gonna stop it happening on the way to the gas station.
 

CC'S95GT

Post Whore
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
10,738
Reaction score
178
Location
Hampton ,Ga.
I've never run into that porblem.
Maybe the pump isn't reaching the bottom of the tank
 

mcglsr2

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
3,410
Reaction score
40
Location
Orlando
If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a baffled tank, you have two options I think:

  1. Get a surge tank. This will help alleviate the issues.
  2. Re-think this. Honestly, if you aren't tracking the car and just driving it on the street, and you are at 1/4 or below, how about just don't beat on the car until you fill it up? I sort of feel like you are making an issue out of something that is a non-issue. The car will work fine on a 1/4 tank or less until you fill it up. If you have to slam on the brakes in an emergency or something...the car will still be fine. If you are throwing the car into corners and slamming brakes all the time with 1/4 tank or less...well maybe just don't do that?

Of course, the best option would be to buy a Fuel Safe fuel cell or similar and don't look back. But that's kind of extreme overkill for a street driven car.
 
OP
OP
J

JKady

Active Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
266
Reaction score
1
Location
Graham, WA
If you don't want to spend a lot of money on a baffled tank, you have two options I think:

  1. Get a surge tank. This will help alleviate the issues.
  2. Re-think this. Honestly, if you aren't tracking the car and just driving it on the street, and you are at 1/4 or below, how about just don't beat on the car until you fill it up? I sort of feel like you are making an issue out of something that is a non-issue. The car will work fine on a 1/4 tank or less until you fill it up. If you have to slam on the brakes in an emergency or something...the car will still be fine. If you are throwing the car into corners and slamming brakes all the time with 1/4 tank or less...well maybe just don't do that?

Of course, the best option would be to buy a Fuel Safe fuel cell or similar and don't look back. But that's kind of extreme overkill for a street driven car.
Romping the brakes isn't usually my choice, it's the soccer mom that cut me off or the deer that jumped out in front of me. It's no full time track car but that doesn't mean it'll never see a track or that it never gets abused on back roads. And yeah, I've considered the fuel cell route but to do that the way I'd want to do it turns into a project and leaves me without a factory filler etc...

I plan on upgrading to a 255lph pump soon-ish, maybe the Aeromotive stealth pump to future-proof the car for anything I do to it down the road so the tank's already gonna be on the ground.
 

mcglsr2

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
3,410
Reaction score
40
Location
Orlando
Romping the brakes isn't usually my choice, it's the soccer mom that cut me off or the deer that jumped out in front of me. It's no full time track car but that doesn't mean it'll never see a track or that it never gets abused on back roads. And yeah, I've considered the fuel cell route but to do that the way I'd want to do it turns into a project and leaves me without a factory filler etc...

I plan on upgrading to a 255lph pump soon-ish, maybe the Aeromotive stealth pump to future-proof the car for anything I do to it down the road so the tank's already gonna be on the ground.

I personally haven't noticed fuel starvation issues - but if it's something you are concerned about and aren't prepared to do something like a fuel cell, then I'd recommend just taking it easy with the car when it's below 1/4 of a tank. Stomping on the brakes because you got cut off by a soccer mom won't starve you of fuel - and even if the car does go momentarily lean, no big deal - the engine isn't under load (you are braking after all) so you won't detonate. And your fuel pump can withstand the brief dry spouts. Running your pump constantly dry is when you will risk burning it out. I don't think you should sweat it until you start putting the car on a track. Then start sweating it. But even then, there are *tons* of Mustangs that run with the stock tank. On the track just don't let the fuel get below 1/4 tank. No worries.
 

myk

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
204
Reaction score
6
Location
Sun diego
I've never experienced fuel starvation even up to the point of running out of gas completely. Might there be another issue at hand here?
 
OP
OP
J

JKady

Active Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
266
Reaction score
1
Location
Graham, WA
I personally haven't noticed fuel starvation issues - but if it's something you are concerned about and aren't prepared to do something like a fuel cell, then I'd recommend just taking it easy with the car when it's below 1/4 of a tank. Stomping on the brakes because you got cut off by a soccer mom won't starve you of fuel - and even if the car does go momentarily lean, no big deal - the engine isn't under load (you are braking after all) so you won't detonate. And your fuel pump can withstand the brief dry spouts. Running your pump constantly dry is when you will risk burning it out. I don't think you should sweat it until you start putting the car on a track. Then start sweating it. But even then, there are *tons* of Mustangs that run with the stock tank. On the track just don't let the fuel get below 1/4 tank. No worries.
It doesn't go momentarily lean, it stalls completely, TOTAL loss of fuel pressure. It DOES starve it of fuel, I'm not worrying about a "What if" I'm talking about a problem that actually occurs with my car under those conditions.

It is possible that the factory baffle has broken loose, sounds like that may be the case since it seems I'm the only one having this problem.
 

mcglsr2

Well-Known Member
SN95 Supporter
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
3,410
Reaction score
40
Location
Orlando
It doesn't go momentarily lean, it stalls completely, TOTAL loss of fuel pressure. It DOES starve it of fuel, I'm not worrying about a "What if" I'm talking about a problem that actually occurs with my car under those conditions.

It is possible that the factory baffle has broken loose, sounds like that may be the case since it seems I'm the only one having this problem.

Oh, my mistake - then yes, sounds like you have something specifically wrong, maybe like what CC'S95GT was referring to - perhaps your pump pickup isn't reaching the bottom of the tank or something? I don't think what's happening to you is normal - unless you are *really* tossing the car around.
 
OP
OP
J

JKady

Active Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
266
Reaction score
1
Location
Graham, WA
Oh, my mistake - then yes, sounds like you have something specifically wrong, maybe like what CC'S95GT was referring to - perhaps your pump pickup isn't reaching the bottom of the tank or something? I don't think what's happening to you is normal - unless you are *really* tossing the car around.

To do it at 1/4 tank or more, yeah I've gotta hoon it pretty damn hard or be in a serious panic stop (like elk in the road at 60mph boot the brake pedal through the floor). But under that, it's pretty easy really. I guess I'll have to drop the tank this weekend and check it out.
 

RichV

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
4,230
Reaction score
251
Location
CO
I've never had any issues at 1/4 tank even on the race track. Something is wrong with your car.

Don't rule out electrical, change filter, and also inspect the fuel shut off switch. It could be failing as well as your fuel pump. Or there could a bunch of crap in the bottom of the tank.

Either way, it has nothing to do with design or where the tank/pump is.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
77,438
Messages
1,502,148
Members
14,919
Latest member
Alida81

Members online

Top