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bibnflannel · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 64

I noticed today that my fuel gauge hadnt moved for a while so when I got home I took a stick and dipped the tanks, the right one had about 4 inches more fuel than the left one. I could hear fuel dropping into both tanks while the engine was running. Both the fill caps were buried under snow, and the vent tube on the right side had ice and snow froze to it, so Am I safe to assume that possibly the right tank quit venting so therefor it quit sucking fuel from that tank? The guage only works for the right tank. I usually just fill the right tank {its just easier to do it that way where I buy my fuel}, and in a couple hours or at least by morning both tanks have equaled out. Im not even sure how it equals out since theres no hose connected to the bottom of the tanks, just 2 hoses coming out the top of each one, but it seems to equal out even when the truck is shut off. Any thoughts?

Fredog · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 2286 Location: North Georgia

bibnflannel wrote: I noticed today that my fuel gauge hadnt moved for a while so when I got home I took a stick and dipped the tanks, the right one had about 4 inches more fuel than the left one. I could hear fuel dropping into both tanks while the engine was running. Both the fill caps were buried under snow, and the vent tube on the right side had ice and snow froze to it, so Am I safe to assume that possibly the right tank quit venting so therefor it quit sucking fuel from that tank? The guage only works for the right tank. I usually just fill the right tank {its just easier to do it that way where I buy my fuel}, and in a couple hours or at least by morning both tanks have equaled out. Im not even sure how it equals out since theres no hose connected to the bottom of the tanks, just 2 hoses coming out the top of each one, but it seems to equal out even when the truck is shut off. Any thoughts?
I had that happen once, the vent in the fuel cap was plugged, new cap fixed it. so the ice was probably your problem

allan5oh · Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject:

You have to keep both the tube vent and the cap clear of snow/ice. This is very important.

Also, you might have ice buildup in one of the return lines. How cold is it there?

bibnflannel · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 64

its about 5f below zero right now, beautifull day for trucking! I think Ill take the caps off and thaw em out good before I leave. I did hear fuel dropping into both tanks while it was sunning so i dont think the return line is froze

bob h · Joined: 15 Oct 2006 Posts: 668 Location: Nb

bibnflannel wrote: I noticed today that my fuel gauge hadnt moved for a while so when I got home I took a stick and dipped the tanks, the right one had about 4 inches more fuel than the left one. I could hear fuel dropping into both tanks while the engine was running.

quite often return lines are submerged in the fuel to eliminate agitation/foaming of the fuel

Both the fill caps were buried under snow, and the vent tube on the right side had ice and snow froze to it, so Am I safe to assume that possibly the right tank quit venting so therefor it quit sucking fuel from that tank?

when one tank makes more fuel than the other, there is one of two problems ; on the fuller tank the fuel is not being pulled, or on the lower tank the fuel is not returned

i would bet that you will find a vent line that can't breathe

The guage only works for the right tank. I usually just fill the right tank {its just easier to do it that way where I buy my fuel}, and in a couple hours or at least by morning both tanks have equaled out. Im not even sure how it equals out since theres no hose connected to the bottom of the tanks, just 2 hoses coming out the top of each one, but it seems to equal out even when the truck is shut off. Any thoughts?

bibnflannel · Joined: 08 Jan 2006 Posts: 64

Yeppers. cleaned the vent tubes and both tanks equalized. Its sure nice when the fuel is all heated up and things are running smooth in this kind of cold, I bet I saw 15 trucks sitting on the roadsides today and Id bet almost all of em were gelled or one system or another was froze up. Maintenance maintenance maintenance, thats the name of the game in winter, dont spare the fuel additives and keep the air lines clean and dry!

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