Repair 7

Blockages in your fuel system can be exacerbated by old gasoline, but are rarely caused by old fuel alone. If your vehicle has a blockage in its fuel system, you may have to replace or repair several different components, including the fuel pump, fuel lines or the fuel tank to completely remedy the problem. In newer vehicles, your fuel injectors may also be damaged by a combination of bad gas and blockages.

Old Gasoline

Gasoline separates over time, especially gasoline that contains ethanol. The more ethanol the fuel contains, the more likely it is to separate. While separated gas can cause its own unique blend of problems, mostly due to water and ethanol going through the fuel system without the gasoline component of the mixture due to fuel separation, old gasoline in and of itself does not have anything in it that can create a blockage in your fuel system. Old gasoline can, however, contribute to blockages in your fuel system.

Fuel System Blockage

Blockages in your fuel system are caused by particles of dirt, dust and miscellaneous debris mixing with your gasoline and traveling through your fuel system. These particles will eventually come to an area of your fuel system where they can no longer flow through and will either create a blockage on their own or they can build up and collect over time to create a blockage.

Bad Fuel and Blockages

When fuel sits in your gas tank for long periods of time, dirt and debris that are in the fuel itself will mix with existing dirt, rust and debris in the gas tank. The older your vehicle is, the more likely it is to have contaminants built up in the fuel tank. When gas sits in the tank for several weeks or months, these substances will sink to the bottom of the tank. When you attempt to drive the vehicle, this layer of trash will get sucked up into your fuel pump and create blockages in your fuel system. The longer gasoline sits, the more likely your vehicle is to experience a blockage when you attempt to start it.

Preventing Blockages

If you know your vehicle is going to be sitting for any length of time, try to drive it so that there is very, very little gas left in the tank before you park it for the long term. When you go to drive a vehicle that has had gas sitting in the tank, put a bottle of fuel stabilizer in and add as much new gas as possible to minimize the amount of bad, separated gasoline that reaches your engine. If your vehicle has been sitting for several months or longer with a lot of bad gas in the tank, you may want to have your mechanic remove the bad gas from the tank manually by either dropping the tank or siphoning the fuel out.

If your van runs out of gas, this can create more problems than just not being able to move at the moment. Once you ill the tank, you still may have problems restarting the engine. Any fuel system that runs too low on gas can experience problems with the fuel pump and fuel pressure. You might be able to restart the car if you can re-pressurize the system, but its possible that you will need a new pump altogether.

Instructions

Refilling and Re-pressurizing

1

Fill the fuel tank with unleaded gasoline from an approved gas can. Use the largest amount of fuel you can transport to the van.

2

Turn the ignition key to the start position for about two seconds, then tun it back to the off position for five more seconds. Repeat this five to 10 times to re-pressurize the fuel system.

3

Try starting the car again. If it wont start at this point, you will likely need to replace a burned-out fuel pump.

4

Siphon out the fuel with a never-used vacuum pump and store it in the gas can, if you need to change the pump, then disconnect the negative battery cable.

Fuel Pump

5

Raise the van on its rear end and support it with jack stands, blocking the front wheels with heavy blocks. Raise the floor jack or a transmission jack under the tank.

6

Disconnect the electrical connectors on the fuel tank and then unclip the lower shield on the tanks right side to reveal the fuel line fittings. Loosen and disconnect the fittings with a screwdriver, then disconnect the filler neck from the tank.

7

Unbolt and remove the straps for the tank and lower it down with the jack, disconnecting the fuel pump lead.

8

Tap and loosen the locking ring with a brass punch and hammer until the tangs and cut outs line up. Pull the pump assembly out of the tank.

9

Insert the new pump assembly into the tank, making sure it is lined up in the same position as the old one was, then turn/tap the lock ring into place.

10

Reconnect all the lines and electrical connectors to the fuel pump flange, raise the tank into position and bolt the tank into place.

11

Refill the tank and perform the pressurization steps as described in Section 1.

Until cars run efficiently on electricity only or alternative fuels, drivers are mostly stuck using gasoline. It takes three main components to move the fuel from the tank to the engine, typically found on opposite ends of the vehicle. This system has undergone many changes since the invention of the automobile, mostly due to the advancements of automotive electronics.

Fuel Pump

The fuel pump starts the entire process of moving the fuel throughout your vehicle. The fuel pump is inside the fuel tank, within the fuel lines or on the side of the engine. This pump, if electronic, receives its power from the battery and creates the pressure needed to start the engine and keep it running. Mechanical fuel pumps get their power from the turning of the engines crankshaft.

Hoses and Lines

Every car has a series of metal lines and rubber hoses that take the fuel from the fuel pump toward the engine. Within these lines is a small filter that removes the debris from the fuel prior to it reaching the engine.

Fuel Rail or Carburetor

The fuel rail, on fuel-injected vehicles, connects the fuel lines and hoses to the fuel injectors. This rail is made of metal or plastic and is on top of the engine. On older vehicles -- mostly pre-1990s -- it was not uncommon to see a carburetor in place of the fuel rail. This component regulated the fuel flow from the fuel lines to the engine.

Fuel tanks have built-in mechanisms to control the flow of gas and gas vapors into the engine. One such assembly is the fuel module assembly, which helps prevent vapors from escaping into the atmosphere as well as pumping fuel where it belongs.

Fuel System

The gas tank module assembly aids in the hard acceleration of vehicles and filters out junk that can clog up the carburetor. In the book "Classroom Manual for Automotive Fuels and Emissions," author Barry Hollembeak writes, "The fuel pump module assembly incorporates the fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel gauge sending unit, and fuel temperature sensor (if used) in a single assembly."

Gas Tank Pickup Tube

The fuel tank pickup tube isnt always a part of the module assembly. When it is, it is attached by a fuel line. Its job is to pick up dirt, grime, rust and water before they clog up the fuel tank filter, causing the car to sputter along.

Liquid Vapor Separator

Inside of the tank are liquid vapor separators that also stop liquid fuel from invading the engine crankcase. It also stops liquid fuel from entering the area in which fuel vapors are stored. Fuel vapors are ignited, causing the combustion that actually powers the car.

As with many other cars, the exhaust gas redirection (EGR) system is part of a Ford vehicles emissions system. It is the same function in a Ford Escort 2.0 as it is for other Ford vehicles. Exhaust is redirected through the fueling system again, as a way to cut down on pollutants.

Location

The EGR system can be found near the intake manifold. The system itself contains exhaust lines, sensors and a valve. Problems often associated with a faulty EGR system include rough idling, stalling while idling and the engine surging at higher speeds.

Emissions

In the 1990s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated a stricter control over vehicle emissions. The EGR system helps refine exhaust and remove toxic chemicals. This keeps dangerous nitrogen oxide out of the atmosphere, where it could harm people.

Diagnostics

All 1999 Ford Escorts use the second generation on-board diagnostics (OBD) system. The EGR system is part of the Escorts powertrain and is regulated by the powertrain control module (PCM). Accessing EGR sensor data requires connecting to the Escorts PCM with an OBD-II code reader.

The popular Harley-Davidson Softail model has a durable gas tank, but exposure to extreme weather conditions can cause leaks or other malfunctions. If you notice your fuel level falling too fast while driving, you need to replace the gas tank. Rather than taking your Softail to the shop to have a new tank installed, you can do the job yourself right at home. You can purchase a new Softail tank at your local Harley dealer or an auto parts store.

Instructions

1

Disconnect your Softails battery by removing the cable from the battery terminal. Locate the fuel valve and switch it to the "Off" position.

2

Locate the carburetor and the fuel line that runs from it to the fuel tank. Disconnect the fuel line from the fuel tank, but leave it attached to the carburetor to prevent any contamination.

3

Remove all the bolts that secure the seat to your Softail. Make sure to remove the main seat bolt that is located under the front of the seat. After you have removed all of the seat-mounting bolts, pull the seat off the motorcycle to give you access to the gas tank.

4

Remove the bolts that secure the gas tank to the body of the bike. These bolts run all along the perimeter of the tank. Carefully lift the tank out to avoid spilling any fuel.

5

Install the new tank in place of the old one and secure it with bolts along its perimeter. Reattach the seat to the Softail and secure it with the mounting bolts.

6

Connect the fuel line to the new tank. Turn the fuel valve back to the "On" position and reconnect the battery cable.

Depending on the amount, pouring a soft drink into a cars gas tank can cause a significant amount of engine damage. Car manufacturers design modern day engines to deal with only gasoline in the fuel tank. The water and sugar are foreign substances, and the engine cannot process a large amount of either.

Significance

A pint or less of soft drink in the engine will not cause substantial damage. There may be strange sounds or small "hiccoughs" while the engine runs. However, a liter or more of soft drink is too much for the engine to process. According to "Car Talk," the car will run poorly and may not start at all.

Types of Damage

Water in the soft drink will do the most damage. Too much water in the engine will get into the fuel pump and fuel line. Water can not power an engine when it evaporates, therefore the valves will not work.

The sugar in the soft drink may cause you to replace your fuel filters, because the sugar will melt onto the filter when the car runs. Your car will still run, but will not work optimally with clogged filters.

Solutions

Ask a mechanic to drain your gas tank and your engine of water if you have too much soft drink in the system. He will also change the fuel filter at this time, especially if you tell him a beverage is running through your engine.

If you have expansive knowledge of car engines, you could detach the fuel line yourself and drain the engine. However, gasoline will also be in the tank. The fumes and high flammability are extremely dangerous to deal with at home as opposed to in an auto garage.

The gas pedal of a car controls the mechanism that releases air into the engine to allow it to increase power and boost the traveling speed. The air running through the intake hose controlled by the pedal contains a lot of dirt and contaminants that can block up your cars system. This can result in a poor performance and sticking when you press down on the pedal. You can easily fix this problem, with only a little bit of mechanical knowledge.

Instructions

1

Park your car and open your hood. Locate the black flex tube connecting the air filter and the engine and release the hose clamp holding the tube to the engine.

2

Push the hose aside so you can access the manifold on the engine where the air enters. Remove the nuts and hoses holding the manifold in place and take the part out of the car.

3

Wipe out the opening of the manifold where the hose was attached using newspaper. This will remove and large pieces of dirt and buildup on the part.

4

Run a paper towel around inside the part to get as much of the dirt as you can. Spray a degreaser around inside the part and wipe it out again. You can leave the degreaser to soak for several minutes if the dirt is very stubborn.

5

Push the disc inside the manifold so it moves inward and clean the area past it in the same way. Return the manifold back to the engine and reconnect the hoses and nuts.

6

Reconnect the flex hose onto the manifold and tighten the hose clamp to secure it in place.