Tank or Sender

[Focus Owner Something]

2007 Focus mk2 1.8TDCI.

Just asking if anyone has seen this before I drop the fuel tank.

The other day the car broke down, it stuttered like running out of fuel then as I was pulling off to safety it cut out,  recovered back home, suspected fuel filter or sensor fault as it was showing 1/4 of a tank still to go. 

Opened the fuel filter up it was empty.

Primed it started and it ran for a short period then cut out. Filter empty again. 

Primped it again it started again then cut out.

Tried priming again and the primer bulb was pulling air and no fuel this time, just like when you empty the tank. 

I suspected the gauge was faulty, got 10L of diesel, primed it no problems and it started with no problems, left it running for a while, much longer then it lasted last time, it didn't cut out or hesitate.

Went to fill it up and was surprised when it only took ~ 23L to fill, the fuel gauge read full too. So ~33L from seemingly empty (pulling only air with the primer pump) to full

Drove it around abit with a full tank and it was fine no hesitation or stuttering. 

All considering I don't suspect the an air leak as the primer pump would have pulled fuel through with the air. Not do I suspect the level sensor.

Is it likely to be the tank is full of sludge (old filter looked black) the fuel tank is deformed, possibly caused by blocked vent, or has the in tank pickup pipe broken up at about 1/4 tank height. 

 

 

[TomsFocus]

This an odd fault and I don't think you'll solve it without dropping the tank unfortunately. 

For now, I'd go with pick up pipe split on the sender unit.

[RL123]

Do you have any other electrical gremlins with the vehicle? Diagnostic Codes from the OBD could help track down the issues.

is the fuse box/ Gem unit dry and free of corrosion. Focuses of the date are also known to develop dry solder joint issues in the IP (cluster) but usually causes multiple electrical issues.

 

[Focus Owner Something]

Thanks for the reply on this one. 

For those who have a similar issue, in my case it was not an electronic/electrical issue. 

I'm my case this was an issue with the sender, more specifically the swirl pot; some debris and sludge had become lodged in the swirl pot intake orifice, thus blocking it up.

Therefore the only fuel getting into the pot was that which was spilling over the top and through the holes in the side where the sender locates and clips in to it.

 

 

 

 

[Mike-Mike]

Hi, I have what sounds like a similar issue to yours.

Was the remedy just to clean (or change) the swirl pot? (I am not mechanically-minded so have no clue what that actually is).

Would that be a fairly easy fix for a garage to do?