Weird Fuel Tank Issue

[rustycrocker]

When I get down to about a 1/4 tank, the needle quickly drops to near empty (within 5 miles) and the low fuel light comes on. When I stop to refuel, and remove the gas cap, there is a lot of pressure coming from the tank. So much so, that you can't put any gas in the tank. It bubbles and spews back out. After 2 or 3 minutes, the pressure subsides, and you can fill the tank. If I look at the gas gauge after the pressure stops, but before I fill the tank, it is back at 1/4 . Evap canister?

 

[HiHoeSilver]

When I get down to about a 1/4 tank, the needle quickly drops to near empty (within 5 miles) and the low fuel light comes on. When I stop to refuel, and remove the gas cap, there is a lot of pressure coming from the tank. So much so, that you can't put any gas in the tank. It bubbles and spews back out. After 2 or 3 minutes, the pressure subsides, and you can fill the tank. If I look at the gas gauge after the pressure stops, but before I fill the tank, it is back at 1/4 . Evap canister?

That's definitely the place to start along with the purge solenoid.

 

[Doubeleive]

I would replace the whole canister purge system, you can get the parts from rock auto for pretty decent, I did mine a couple months ago as a preventative measure, there is 2 solenoids, one in the back near the tank and another on the intake manifold, I went middle of the road on parts cost and I think everything ran me about $200-225 and took maybe about an hour total to do everything., if you do yours here is tip, when you replace the canister it has a vent tube with a filter inside that goes up and attaches inside the body to the fuel filler tube, when doing this if you unbolt the filler tube from the body and pull it down it makes life much easier then trying to reach up inside with a sliver of space.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

I would replace the whole canister purge system, you can get the parts from rock auto for pretty decent, I did mine a couple months ago as a preventative measure, there is 2 solenoids, one in the back near the tank and another on the intake manifold, I went middle of the road on parts cost and I think everything ran me about $200-225 and took maybe about an hour total to do everything., if you do yours here is tip, when you replace the canister it has a vent tube with a filter inside that goes up and attaches inside the body to the fuel filler tube, when doing this if you unbolt the filler tube from the body and pull it down it makes life much easier then trying to reach up inside with a sliver of space.

Did you have any rattling in the charcoal canister? Clean/blow out or replace the lines to the tank?

 

[rustycrocker]

Thanks guys. I will start looking there.

 

[swathdiver]

When I get down to about a 1/4 tank, the needle quickly drops to near empty (within 5 miles) and the low fuel light comes on. When I stop to refuel, and remove the gas cap, there is a lot of pressure coming from the tank. So much so, that you can't put any gas in the tank. It bubbles and spews back out. After 2 or 3 minutes, the pressure subsides, and you can fill the tank. If I look at the gas gauge after the pressure stops, but before I fill the tank, it is back at 1/4 . Evap canister?

How long have you had this truck? With those things happening one would think it would have set off a code from the pressure build up. Someday the vent and purge and charcoal canister will be turned off in the tune and those parts thrown away. With our 1970s and 1980s autos, that was one of the first things we did to get them running better!

 

[Doubeleive]

Did you have any rattling in the charcoal canister? Clean/blow out or replace the lines to the tank?

no, I only had some starter symptoms of the gas filler shutting off when filling the tank at some stations, I shook the old canister pretty good and nothing came out so I just replaced everything and it's been good to go, figured I would just get it all done before it got any worse, its all pretty easy to do hardest part was getting the filter up in the filler tube area till I pulled the filler tube down attached it, couple zip ties and done.

 

[Wolfbraid]

In another car I've owned people complained of similar issues, unable to fill tank. it had to do with the gas tank vent being blocked.. sometimes by a spider or gunk.