Diesel troubles

[farrier]

It seems that I run out of fuel when the tank gets around the halfway mark.
The fuel gauge may not be that accurate, but when I fill it up again all I can put in the tank is around 8 gal.
I always carry a gallon diesel jug. So when it quits, I pour it in, and off to the gas station to top it off.
Could the pickup filter or sending unit be the problem?
This truck sat for a long time, but this has started only lately.
Thanks.

[82vdub]

Not sure what size the Rabbit truck tanks are, but my 82 Rabbit has a 10 gallon tank. You can put about 8 gallons in it without taking another 20 minutes to put the last two in. If the truck tanks are about the 10 gallon mark, then the gauge or the sending unit, or the ground connection may be the issue. There's a procedure in the Bentley for checking the fuel system gauge.

[Fatmobile]

Might be a bad rubber hose inside the tank or the tank vent might be clogged causing the tank to collapse.
Does it look collapsed, like someone jacked the car up with the jack under it?

[farrier]

the tank vent might be clogged causing the tank to collapse.
Does it look collapsed, like someone jacked the car up with the jack under it?

Yes that's it. The tank looks like it has two spots that a jack was used on it.
I guess the tank can't be fixed? I do have a spare along with a vent hose.

[Fatmobile]

Glad to hear you have a spare.
Probably not an easy tank to find.

[Diesel Dean]

My tank also had a dent in the center. I took the tank off and plugged all the openings. I used an air fitting and put air in the tank. The dent came right out. It didn't take much air pressure

[farrier]

I took the tank off and plugged all the openings. I used an air fitting and put air in the tank. The dent came right out. It didn't take much air pressure

Anyway to do this without dropping tank. Since apparently the vent hose is already blocked.
Then replace the vent hose. I haven't really looked that close at it yet.
Thanks

[damac]

I had this happen in a 79 rabbit I saved. Old owners parked it because the injection pump stopped pumping/working. So they didn't know how to troubleshoot that and assumed it was fuel delivery issue.

Cut the exhaust off to get to tank and replaced with a generic non diesel tank. There was no middle sock/filter area.

I think this is a problem I have read about more than once on other forums, people notice in hard turns at half a tank or so. I believe its the breakdown of some internal routed hosing?


I found out soon after I got the car running how bad it could be. I could do what I wanted about half a tank, maybe a little lower and then all sorts of wierd things could happen. I had it die at a downhill stop sign before and the scary one, on a long winding overpass throwing me right onto freeway at 70mph and car falls on its face

I consider it a safety problem, I could not pinpoint when it would happen.

I slapped on my tank from 82 jetta diesel and never had a problem since. On mine I believe once it hits the orange I can make it 50-70 miles. So now I drive around until it hits red and know I can make it to a station on my normal routes. I carried a jug around and kept running the car out in person just to get a feel for it myself.

So I have never had it conk out or hiccup with less than a gallon in the tank. I have found my car will cut out rather quickly. I will usually catch a spudder and I know I am in trouble. I have been able to get a couple restarts and rev ups at this point but it has proved pointless as I won't be able to move the car much under power, and then it may just idle and not offer any input at the pedal, and it just makes it harder to restart since it will be purging some air at this point.

[Fatmobile]

My tank also had a dent in the center. I took the tank off and plugged all the openings. I used an air fitting and put air in the tank. The dent came right out. It didn't take much air pressure

I was going to suggest this but was worried he would use too much pressure. 5psi over 10 square inches will push with the force of 50 lbs. Much more than 10 sq in per tank so very little pressure can cause grief and pain.

Can it be done on the car??? Probably. Safely? I don't know.
I suppose if you got all the dogs put away and had a fire extinguisher handy,.. drained the tank.
You could probably get away with it.
You would have to be prepared to take responsibility for any damage if it exploded and threw shrapnel.

[farrier]

Can it be done on the car??? Probably. Safely? I don't know.
I suppose if you got all the dogs put away and had a fire extinguisher handy,.. drained the tank.
You could probably get away with it.
You would have to be prepared to take responsibility for any damage if it exploded and threw shrapnel.

OK I'll scratch that idea and just take it out.
Thanks Fatmobile.

[TylerDurden]

I wouldn't be too worried about bursting the tank. 5psi is just that, 5lbs on each sq inch... total force is spread evenly. Just watch the dent pop out and stop.

[Fatmobile]

I would probably take the chance too, but it wouldn't be near the house.
Dropping the tank would give you a chance to clean the screen/pickup.
After I dropped it once, I cut a hole in the bed so I wouldn't have to drop the tank again to clean it.