Gas/diesel problem?

[cjlinnville]

So i just bought my truck right? bought it, had 1/2 a tank in it. So figured ide drive it, then when gas light comes on i fill the tank....little did i know that after it got about 1/2 way inbetween 'E" and a 1/4 of a tank the truck died and would not start. No gas light, no warning...just stopped in the middle of traffic. I tried starting her and no.... i checked the tool box in the bed just for the grins and there was a gas can with about 1/2 a gallon of diesel. put it in truck started right up. But WTF did my truck die without any warning, or the gas light comming on??

[e99f2506sp]

Sounds like a fuel guage issue to me. The light is switched by the guage and if the fuel guage is reading wrong, it won't come on.

Could be another issue too though.

[cjlinnville]

the guy who had it befor me said he didnt kno how many miles to a tank it would go because he always kept it above 1/4 of a tank. But if you always filled up at 1/4 of a tank whats the point? and wouldnt that be bad?? mixing old fuel and new fuel for the life of the truck? IDK like i said the truck STOPED working inbetween "E" and 1/4 of tank, put gas in and ran fine. But no light.....uhg... i did not know having a diesel would be this much touble

[e99f2506sp]

You can't take whats most likely a bad sender, or something along those lines as "having a diesel would be this much trouble." If you're having second thoughts this early in, you might want to get out of it cause diesels aren't cheap, and have there share of issues. This issues just happens to be something that, assuming it is a bad guage reading, could happen to any vehicle.

As far as mixing old fuel with new fuel, the fuel is being sloshed around in the tank, and constantly circulated so thats not an issue. Like I said, the reason the light didn't come on is its based off of the guage reading. Only when the guage gets so low, will it come on. If the sender is sending a wrong amount of fuel, the guage will stay up, and therefor the light won't come on as it thinks it has sufficient fuel.

I often times fill up my truck when it gets down to 1/4 tank. My guage works fine, but when diesel gets up there in price, it keeps me from having to restart the pump at $75 as most stations stop there around here. Also, I fill up whenever is convenient. If I happen to be passing a station at at or just below 1/4 tank, and I have time to stop, I fill up.

Ford guages aren't really all that great in my opinion. I'd have it checked out and see what comes of it. Maybe get yourself a gasser if you're thinking this is a big issue...

Good luck

[bob harris]

never let my gauge below 1/4 before filling

[bob harris]

never let my gauge below 1/4 before filling, lets any water or dirt in tank get into the motor

[cjlinnville]

dang lots of info, thanks. I guess ill just start filling up around 1/4 of a tank. but kinda defeats the purpose of having big tank if you can only use 3/4s of it. lol. Nah im just bull****ting around, i know they cost a lil more but i think its worth it for the power and the respect you get just for driving a diesel. thanks again see ya around the forum