Won't start parked on incline

[Flux]

Unfortunately there is no place on the newer V10's to test fuel pressure that I could find. No schrader on the rails at all.

[GrumpyBadger]

Originally Posted by JackTuppVan

That was funny ......Funny Ha Ha .... not the other kind of funny.

GrumpyBadger Remove the fuel filler cap, and listen for the fuel pump to energize as a helper turns the key to run without trying to start the engine. A good pump can be heard buzzing for two seconds at a time between cycling the ignition key.

also try thumping the fuel tank with a rubber mallet while someone tries to start the car, sometimes the vibration will get the pump spinning again.

OK... so this answers my question about a pump in the tank. However... just where is that located? Front? Back? If it's in the front of the tank, then is it possible that that silly big-ass tank that never seems to indicate proper fill height could actually be slightly empty enough (despite the full gauge reading) to not be reaching the pump because the van is slightly inclined?

I did not try putting more gas in because it says full, but that is always a rather relative term with this silly assed after-market tank SMB installed in the thing.

[86Scotty]

Pump is dead center in the tank, mounted in the top but I've never before heard of an Econoline that wouldn't feed gas parked on an incline, so I don't really think that's your problem. The pickup is in the bottom of the tank and should feed fuel at any incline if the pump is working. Actually, I think your fuel pump has died. Why? Because your tank is full of gas and that's when they always fail. At least for me, things like that happen in the least desirable circumstance. That full tank weighs several hundred pounds and is an absolute bitch to get out when it's full.

[carringb]

If you're low on fuel, it can definitely starve if you're pointed downhill. The pump is slightly aft of center, and when you combined the rake of the van, pointed downhill is worse than pointed uphill for getting that last little bit of fuel.

If you have an SMB-installed TF tank, I wouldn't quite trust the gauge without doing some calibration tests. How they modify the pickup and float doesn't seem consistent from van to van

[GrumpyBadger]

Good, yet mildly irritating news...

Apparently my love taps on the gas tank on Saturday were insufficient to persuade the pissy fuel pump. However, today after hearing about the location of the pump (thanks gents! ), I applied a slightly more judicious (malicious?) dose of love to the gas tank with my booted toe after having a coworker come buy to listen to my woes... and the silly thing started.

Sadly, a magnificent autumn weekend in the mountains has now passed and I missed it due to my ignorance and lack of "motor skills". Dammit.

At least I shouldn't have to have it towed - until the next time I want to go somewhere and the pump decides to seize completely.

Thanks again to all the patient and helpful folks on the forum! Hit me up for a beer sometime...

[arctictraveller]

Congratulations, but I don't think that your "love taps" have fixed the pump. The good news is that, now that it runs, you can drive it to a shop to have the pump replaced before it strands you somewhere. The last one I had installed at a shop (cuz I was on the road) cost me around $350 installed.

[carringb]

FWIW - Fuel Pump is covered under the powertrain warranty, so 5 yrs/60k miles.

That does seem premature though.

[daveb]

Could it have just been a vapor lock? Or is that not possible on today's gas vehicles? I miss the days where you just pour a cup if gas down the carb and start it.

[GrumpyBadger]

Arctic.... yeah... I know. Shouldn't have to at 24000 miles... grrr...

Carringb... as far as I can tell, the Transfer Flow tank is only two year warranty. I presume the pump inside it is theirs and not Ford's original supplied with the vehicle. SMB does not appear to vouch for anything other than their 4x4 work. Which... given that the nearest Ford dealer is ~50 miles away and a royal PITA to get to, I'm probably better off just sucking it up and having it done local.

Daveb... my ignorance of such things is monumental.

Heh heh... not sure I ever had anything on a vehicle ever fail within warranty period - I've been overall pretty lucky with vehicles I've owned. This van has been a bit of a curse since day one between nit things like this and me simply not getting to use it as much as I thought I would. It will likely go away come next Spring.

[carringb]

I think they do re-use the pump, but SMB doesn't seem to modify them consistently. It they simply jammed a hose to extend the suction line, it could easily collapse if they used the wrong type of hose. So.... might want to take a look at their mods before buying new hardware. But then again, if it's been collapsing, that could easily overheat the pump and make it fail early, even if it was managing to pull enough fuel to drive.