lsanch33

I know I shouldn't be running my tank close to empty, but when I get to about a quarter tank . . .. it seems like my 01 bullitt starts a lot harder . . . . . should I start investigating changing my fuel pump? I have a brand new fuel filter, brand new battery . . . .. . full tank TO quarter tank starts quick EVERYTIME . . . . . . . . or is this something all SN95s do? Or should I just keep my tank full to half?

houtex

Crap in the tank. Maybe even a little water in it, although it's probably not that bad. Stop running it empty, or have it taken out and flushed.

lsanch33

Has any had any luck with STP? I probably do have a dirty tank . .. . . the last owner of the car only drove the car 3000 miles in 3 years . . .. . I already drove 1000 in one month . . .. . I did use one bottle of STP super concentrated fuel injector cleaner when I bought the car (1000 miles ago) . . .. . didn't really help . . .. . STP also has a Complete fuel system cleaner, but if their 1st additive didn't work, maybe this one is useless also???

bluethunderhorse

The best fuel system cleaner I've found is Lucas, but I agree with houtex . You've most likely got a gummed up fuel tank. If the previous owner put that few miles on it in that long a time period the gas had probably broken down and turned to sludge. Have the tank drained and flushed then run a fuel system cleaner through it like Lucas or seafoam. Just a warning with seafoam though, the car will smoke like a steam train until it's out of the tank, but it will clear anything out of the fuel lines

Miserable

It's a pain in the *** to check because you have to drop the tank but the fuel pump filter bag might be clogged with crap. I had hesitation issues a while back and I did everything but check that filter since you have to pretty much drop the tank. When I did drop it, the filter on the pump looked like a used tea bag from all of the crap that settled in it.

Scothew

run seafoam through it like Steven said, but its typically not going to smoke alot unless you acctually inject the seafoam into the intake and let it bubble up in there to burn off deposits. running through fuel system ususally doesnt get enough of a concentrated mixture in the a/f mixture to cause the smoking you refer to.

I do agree though, need to get it checked out.

Also you could have a small pinhole somewhere in teh lines coming out of the fuel pump. If the fuel level is getting below those lines, it could be sucking in air which would lead to it not wanting to start due to lack of fuel. Just a thought, regardless, need to drop the tank, have it cleaned, replace sock and all while your there.

cdynaco

Did you recently get ethanol in your fuel and did this start happening shortly thereafter?
Eth is mandated year round now in OR but starting back in the 90's they would only add it during the winter months as an 'oxygenator' to help reduce a smog layer in the Basin. Eth is more of a solvent so it was often reported that people would have trouble starting, accelerating, etc., because the eth stripped all the gunk out of the tank and fuel lines and would then plug the fuel filter. Once that was replaced engines would run fine again.

lsanch33

I am not sure why most people doubt STP . . . .but it seemed to work on my 01 Bullitt (previous owner had it in a garage for 3 years) . . . . . I would get a hard start on a quarter tank or less . . . . . between me putting 2,000 miles on it in 2 months . .. . . .and after the STP complete fuel system cleaner I thru in it last week . . . . . I look good now . . . . . nice quick starts at a quarter tank! . . . . .actually i used 2 STP products (super concentrated fuel injector cleaner - last month, then the complete fuel system cleaner last week) => great starting Bullitt . . . . . . FYI . . . . . I am getting 20 miles/gallon mixed highway/city . . . . . . .I think is pretty good . . .. . just about EXACTLY the same as my 05 GT S197.


ALSO I have been using the same gas station for years . . . .. IN California they don't advertise Ethanol on the pumps . . .. . .in Michigan I always used 10% ethanol gas in my 05 S197 , I never had problems with it (IN RESPONSE TO CDYNACO)