No start / rough idle after fill up

[Broseph]

Need help. My 02 3.9 I just got done filling up with gas and now it won’t start or runs extremely rough before dying.

No known issues, drove to the gas station just fine. I got a long crank initially followed by a rough idle for 5 seconds and then it died.

After a few minutes I got it to start and just limped away from the pump before it died while feathering the gas.

Possible vapor lock or something? Weird that it happened immediately after filling up.

Appreciate any help

 

[Broseph]

Update, now I’m just getting cranks before it fires up (if it does) and dies immediately.

I have and OBd fusion but I’m not getting any codes. Probably because it won’t start or runs extremely rough long enough to throw something.

 

[Broseph]

The silence around here is deafening, however I dodged a bullet and everything is fine today

Left the car overnight went to try it again today before calling a tow. Started right up. So word of the wise for anyone in the future - Do NOT top off your gas.

Found topping off can mess up the purge valve from the gas tank to intake. Was going to disconnect it today to see if I messed up the solenoid / valve but all checked out ok.

 

[clubairth]

I would plan to change the fuel pump. It's old and at the end of it's life.
.
.
.

 

[SteveOwens]

The facts here of owning a twenty plus year old car certain conditions arise such as corrosion in the harness and connectors. The deterioration of the protective slip on plastic cover tend to break apart when moved from the installed position. A project restoring the engine harness branch sections perhaps be attempted to improve the heat & moisture protection from the deteriorated state. A pack of 3M high temp vinyl electrical tape, a trip to Harbor Freight for the 1/4,, 3/8, & 1/2 harnes wire covers. The plastic harness male push wrapped on the harnes to attached in the holes around the engine. About 3/8 wide & flat with a centered 1/4 dia & 3/4 long & ribbed pin found in Ebay or connector galore website for a more complete restoration of wiring & connector. Purchase of a used harness on a low milage examples could be a one & done scenario.
You could address possible moisture or water in the connectors with CRC Electrical Connector cleaner and/or DeOxIt D5 Connector cleaner & corrosion treatment. As a habit when breaking any connection, the CRC spray is used emmediatly before reconnection. The 04 has been trouble free in the random anomaly dept. Recently found silver paste to minimize resistance with connection such as halogen lamp and other high current connectors.

 

[MIKEBEBE]

The silence around here is deafening, however I dodged a bullet and everything is fine today

Left the car overnight went to try it again today before calling a tow. Started right up. So word of the wise for anyone in the future - Do NOT top off your gas.

Found topping off can mess up the purge valve from the gas tank to intake. Was going to disconnect it today to see if I messed up the solenoid / valve but all checked ou

I would plan to change the fuel pump. It's old and at the end of it's life.
.
.
.

SECOND THAT MOTION. CHANGE PUMP

 

[Broseph]

SECOND THAT MOTION. CHANGE PUMP

Apparently the pump was on the way out, or so I suspect. I replaced the pump back in 2013, I only drive 4k per year so a little surprised it went.

Voltage to pump is good, though not sure if it receives power then grounds to run because I had voltage with the key cycled and not cycled. 0 psi at the rail.

My big issue now is I have 3/4 tank. Is it possible to bypass the pump and siphon from the rail with the schrader valve removed, or does the dead fuel pump prevent that?

 

[Broseph]

Apparently the pump was on the way out, or so I suspect. I replaced the pump back in 2013, I only drive 4k per year so a little surprised it went.

Voltage to pump is good, though not sure if it receives power then grounds to run because I had voltage with the key cycled and not cycled. 0 psi at the rail.

My big issue now is I have 3/4 tank. Is it possible to bypass the pump and siphon from the rail with the schrader valve removed, or does the dead fuel pump prevent that?

Ultimately tried siphoning the gas through the Schrader valve on the fuel rail with a cheapy hand fluid pump from Harbor Freight - no luck there. Disassembled the fuel line leading to the rail, thinking the injectors might've been causing some air purging (same results with just a half gallon after 10 minutes of pump.

Finally, I just removed the retention ring on the tank, lifted the cap up and stuck the hose directly into the tank and pumped out 8 gallons in five minutes. Hearing all the warnings from people on static electricity, hot flashlights, etc made me extremely nervous with that much fuel in the tank, but no problems.


Ultimately, the positive lead to the pump inside the tank was burnt up so bad to the point where the insulated covering had melted by the connector. Complete new sending unit with pump, housing, filter sock, hoses, wires etc. went in without a hitch and all is running fine now.