05+ Gas Tank Fill Problem Fix

[ixtlan]

The S-197 Mustang has a known problem with the fuel tank filling.​

Ford has redesigned the tank system with little results.​

I think I may have the problem pinpointed as this procedure cured mine for the time being.​

I was pointed toward this fix by a fellow I-Net'r named WhtMule.​

Thanks for the direction.​

Here is what was done.​

Step 1:​

Under the rear of the car you will see this cover. It has two bolts at the rear and two nuts on the front.​

The harness is taped to a small clip on the cover. You need to remove the tape and disconnect the plug.​

Step 2:​

There is also an extension from the cover that has a clamp holing two lines in place. A metal and a plastic line.​

You will need to undo the clamp and fold it back. It is shown folded open. Then pull the lines free from the clamp.​

Step 3:​

There is a second clamp that lines will also need to be pulled from. This clamp is just a clinch clamp so there is nothing to open.​

Step 4:​

Remove the two bolts and two nuts and slide cover forward and gently set the edge on ground.​

Step 5:​

Here we disconnected the line on a canister to check for obstructions and found none.​

We also blew through the lines and found nothing. Be careful if you remove this clip. All you need to do is spread the ends enough to allow​

the fitting to release from the canister.​

Step 6:​

The line shown is the actual tank vent line that come from the top of the tank on the right side and down to a filter.​

The filter shown next is the believed culprit.​

Inside this box is a filter to protect the small valve on the opposite side. ​

In it is a foam filter element.I initially blew though this and it seemed restricted.​

Then I blew compressed air through it and plenty of dust blew out and it was much more free flowing.​

I believe this is the problem causing item.​

Step 7:​

Reassemble the whole thing and try it out.​

I had no problem filling the tank to full at max pump speed.​

Good luck and let me know if this fixed yours too.​

Ford needs to redesign this filter.​

I am sure it will return in time.​

 

[94tbird]

interesting idea. i havent had the tank filling issue maybe 3 times since i got the tank replaced. that was 2 years ago. it seemed to solve my problem for me but this is pretty interesting info. thanks

 

[Josh@PMP]

I might look into doing this, I have been doing the 90* fill up for the past 2 months....

 

[ixtlan]

I might look into doing this, I have been doing the 90* fill up for the past 2 months....

Let us know if it fixes yours.
Mine so far is fine but I haven't hit the 2nd 10k mark yet.

 

[ford4v429]

my first two fill ups burped gas all over the car a couple seconds after the pump clicked off... someone suggested pulling the nozzle back out an inch or so before filling and it hasnt done it again. As the car was brand new I doubt the filter was the culprit-if you look at the fill tube though, theres almost a 'trap' in it where it goes around behind the coilspring- I think the small diameter with fast fill of saddletanks, it simply cant get vapor out of the tank...the tube from the vent line goes back to the fill pipe dont it? never really looked...I know if you look under there it looks awful small- but feel it, and the tubes only about 2/3 what you see- its got a plastic cover over the tube...not much bigger than a garden hose. very odd design. I still cannot understand how the pump can suck both sides of the tank down without sucking air too- there appears no connection for gravity transfer of fuel from one side to the other, and if pump sucks from split line(?) wonder how its balanced so one side dont suck dry first...definitely different.

 

[ixtlan]

my first two fill ups burped gas all over the car a couple seconds after the pump clicked off... someone suggested pulling the nozzle back out an inch or so before filling and it hasnt done it again. As the car was brand new I doubt the filter was the culprit-if you look at the fill tube though, theres almost a 'trap' in it where it goes around behind the coilspring- I think the small diameter with fast fill of saddletanks, it simply cant get vapor out of the tank...the tube from the vent line goes back to the fill pipe dont it? never really looked...I know if you look under there it looks awful small- but feel it, and the tubes only about 2/3 what you see- its got a plastic cover over the tube...not much bigger than a garden hose. very odd design. I still cannot understand how the pump can suck both sides of the tank down without sucking air too- there appears no connection for gravity transfer of fuel from one side to the other, and if pump sucks from split line(?) wonder how its balanced so one side dont suck dry first...definitely different.

The vent goes to the filter on an 05 anyway. Ford redesigned it so I don't know if they changed that on later models. I do know when I blew it out there was a ton of crap in it. I am approaching my 20k mark so I will see if it starts up again. The pull it back trick never worked for me.

 

[Mustangfreak]

I only get this problem when I fill up at this one station abck home. The other station I use on base hasnt given me any problems.

 

[scramblr]

Great detective work and hope it works for most. Unfortunately mine did it 100 yards from where I picked up the car brand new. It'd always been hit and miss depending on what pump I use. Some pumps do it and some don't. The ones that do, I turn the nozzle to 11 o'lock and all is well. In my case, if it was the filter, it should happen all the time and definitely not the first time I filled up. Maybe one of these days a fix for all will be figured out.

 

[redfire07]

My 07 has less then 1300 miles(built Mar07) and it has had filling issues on a few occasions. I noticed that if the tank is fairly full it has issues filling (slow fill & pump shuts off frequently) so I wait to fill until the tank is below 1/2 tank. Also it does depend on where I fill it up. So even the newest Mustangs still have some issues. I don't know exactly what it is but that fill tube sure looks really small and I wonder if venting is the issue. I've learned over time how to make that fuel filling issue 'not an issue' for the most part but it has happened to me in the past!!

 

[DoctorQ]

Nothing like reviving an old nemesis thread... I wanted to post my recent experience with Ford in my attempts to get more than 1/2 tank filled and to solve the premature nozzle shutoff problem. The Cliff Notes version is I have been plagued with this issue since day 1. ... please see link below for complete details as to what Ford has done so far in attempting to solve issue. After their 'fix', I ran the tank down to ~ 1-2 gallons and tried to fill per Ford's recommendation (slowest auto-fill speed & less than 1/4 tank)... NO DICE... got to 7 gallons and nozzle shut-off.. D^MN! The 1/2 tank nightmare continues. Even after a new EVAP canister... new canister vent solenoid... new EVAP filter.... successful testing of tank check valve... and other emission system valves, sensors and relays, it's still a one saddle-tank pony. I guess through process of elimination, it appears the Ford Tech and Ford Engineer are correct... it's got to be the filler neck and inlet hose. I've seen a few posts here (and other forums) from folks who said they had their filler-neck assembly "adjusted", which solved the problem. I took a look at the filler neck and can't quite figure out what was "adjusted". Does anyone know what kind of adjustment you can make to the neck? There's a funnel shaped attachment right behind the fuel door inlet, which narrows down and attaches to the inlet hose (inside of the plastic wire-loom tube). How is this adjusted? As I stated earlier, the inlet hose makes a few convoluted turns and at the half-way mark (between inlet door and fuel tank) it actually runs slightly uphill to tank (which I'm sure is not conducive to continuous flow). Appreciate if anyone could provide information to this mysterious filler neck adjustment and exactly how it is adjusted to allow uninterrupted flow and a full tank fill.

Please see post# 1 and post# 19 in thread link below. Any help is greatly appreciated regarding the filler neck/ inlet hose adjustments. Thx.


http://www.mustangforums.com/m_4752557/tm.htm</pre>

 

[ixtlan]

Interesting experiences with the tanks. Some questions I do have of all that have tried my fix and it did not work.
Did you blow out your hoses when you had them apart?
And also back into the tank through the vent hose (Reverse flow back)?
Also when reassembling them did you verify that none got kinked or crushed when you put it together? (I would assume you did)
I am at 22k now with no issues since I did what is documented here.
I am wondering if there are several actual issues with this and in the process I just happened to fix mine...??
I have had several emails from others who have had great luck with this.
I cant say it will fix all, but perhaps it will some.
Got my curiosity peaked.
Feedback Feedback!!!
Thats what we need to narrow down the possible causes (possibly more than one).

 

[markNL]

Tried today to follow this steps. But i came no further as step 1 loosen the front bolds. There is so much rust they keep twisting in the upper nut and i cannot hold the upper nut. Maybe i can drill the bold and make something to replace the bold-nut.

 

[ixtlan]

Should be able to buy the clip on nuts.
In the Nederland I think you should be able to come up with somethin though.

 

[sharky7]

Thanks for the info. I will try this out. My 05 stang has had this problem from day 1. I have to turn the fuel nozzel 90 degrees upward to get my tank to fill. People at the stations look at me funny.

 

[chad05gt]

Thanks for the info. I will try this out. My 05 stang has had this problem from day 1. I have to turn the fuel nozzel 90 degrees upward to get my tank to fill. People at the stations look at me funny.

thats what Ive been doing... guess its time to stop being lazy and fix the damn thing...

 

[ixtlan]

Be sure to let everyone know if it fixes yours and anyone else that tries the fix.

 

[silverstangz]

did it today and before i even went to try it out at the gas station, my tank now reads full ?? did I do something wrong?? or make it worse???

 

[ixtlan]

did it today and before i even went to try it out at the gas station, my tank now reads full ?? did I do something wrong?? or make it worse???

Sounds like you did something like break a wire or pull a connector off.
All the level sending units are in the tank.
Which should have nothing to do with this, or this area.
Coincidence?
Let us know what you find.

 

[explict]

Weird, I have never had problems filling my tank. Are Canadian S197's different?

 

[Charlie Sheen]

Weird, I have never had problems filling my tank. Are Canadian S197's different?

When was your car built? IIRC, this was an issue with S197s built in "04 and the first half of '05.