I have been told by several reasonably knowledgeable people that my Tioga suffers from "hot fuel" syndrome when traveling on a hot day. Apparently, the under body temperatures get so high that the return fuel heats the fuel in the tank to the point where the engine vapor locks (for want of a better term, I thought fuel injected vehicles didn't have that problem, but...) and quits. After it sits for 30 minutes to an hour, it starts and runs fine for 100 or 200 miles, no problem. If the fuel tank is at 1/2 or lower, filling it with cold fuel from underground tanks also solves the problem.
I have become doubtful of the reliability of this thing, and hesitate to go anywhere.
Is there a REAL fix for this real or imagined problem, other than filling the fuel tank every hundred miles? Buying fuel every 2 hours gets annoying!
CM1, USN (RET)
2002 Fleetwood Southwind 32V, Ford V10
Toad: 2006 Jeep Rubicon LJ
Other toad: '06 PT Cruiser, Kar Kaddy dolly
Toy: 1977 Dodge W100 CC SWB, 3/4 ton axles & springs
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"
How about ducting some air from the outside of the MH towards the fuel tank. Like they do with brakes on race cars.
In the past I have taken some heat resistant material and wrapped the fuel lines to keep them from getting too hot.
On one truck I used heater hose and cut it down the length and slipped it over the fuel line and wire tied it in place. Also be sure to put something between the hold down clamps for the fuel line and the frame to isolate the heat.
I just thought of another solution that might work. Place a spray nozzle forward of the fuel tank and spray water on the tank to help keep the temperature down through evaporation. It works to lower the temp on radiators by 20+ degrees. I used a junk windshield washer tank and pump hooked up to three misting nozzles I bought at a hardware store. Hooked up a switch in the cab and would turn on the misting spray as I started up a hill towing a large trailer.
"I just thought of another solution that might work. Place a spray nozzle forward of the fuel tank and spray water on the tank to help keep the temperature down through evaporation."
Now, THAT I like! I could go one better and wrap the tank in several layers of burlap and wet it down! The evaporation of the water from the burlap would keep the tank cool!
Good thinking, I may try that!
Now, where can I mount that 5 gallon water tank...
pnichols wrote: Does a 1995 (or maybe even a 1994 chassis in your 1995 Tioga) Ford 460 even have individual cylinder fuel injectors?
(Sounds a bit too early to have this to me, but I know very little about the Ford 460 V8.)
I have never looked to see if it is TBI or port injection.
I don't know...
Checked the Chilton's manual, the '94 and '95 460 (7.5) engines had multi-Port fuel injection.
'93 and earlier were EFI.
What is nagging in the back of my mind is "why didn't this happen right from the git-go when your Tioga was new" ... if it was hot fuel related?
Seems like SOMETHING has changed over time! I wonder if a new fuel pump wouldn't fix the issue? For improved reliability, I'm a fan of changing fuel pumps after too many miles anyway - just on general principles so you aren't left stranded by the side of the road from a suddenly failing one. A 1994/1995 460 is probably due for a new one.
* This post was
edited 04/25/12 11:32pm by pnichols *
I had the fuel pressure tested, it is within acceptable parameters.
Yes, I have thought about getting one of the external fuel pumps that mounts on the frame rail (they came from the factory in some E350/450 rigs).
Maybe the problem DID exist when it was new, I wouldn't know. I have only had it a couple years.
mowermech wrote: I have been told by several reasonably knowledgeable people that my Tioga suffers from "hot fuel" syndrome when traveling on a hot day. Apparently, the under body temperatures get so high that the return fuel heats the fuel in the tank to the point where the engine vapor locks (for want of a better term, I thought fuel injected vehicles didn't have that problem, but...) and quits. After it sits for 30 minutes to an hour, it starts and runs fine for 100 or 200 miles, no problem. If the fuel tank is at 1/2 or lower, filling it with cold fuel from underground tanks also solves the problem.
I have become doubtful of the reliability of this thing, and hesitate to go anywhere.
Is there a REAL fix for this real or imagined problem, other than filling the fuel tank every hundred miles? Buying fuel every 2 hours gets annoying!
Personally I don't buy that story. I am betting your fuel pump is dying....maybe the pressure regulator on the fuel rail. I can't for the life of me see how you could get that much fuel hot enough to promote vapor lock especially at the pressures the fuel rail runs.
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