maniak

Over the last couple years we have received a couple DTE FLI low messages and the gauge would show empty.. No big deal.. we do have a Pie adapter.. it normally clears itself up so I didn't think it was the pie adapter.

Over the last month or so we started getting a p0463 and it looks it is complaining about sending unit A reading high (it says A in the error on my scanner and it says its reading high). Each time we get it I clear the code (use a code scanner, not disconnecting the battery).. We have 86,xxx miles on the car and she is only about 32 months old. The only fuel we use is Chevron unless there isn't one around on a trip but over the years there have been maybe 20 tanks of non chevron fuel so I don't think its the sulpher build up.

Assuming it really is circuit A (sending unit A) which one is that, drivers or passenger side? I don't mind working on the car as I've already done things like add the sequential lights (cut/splice style), changed the rear end fluid, trans fluid, plugs and lots of oil changes. If I have to drop a tank to replace a sending unit I'll do it but I need to know which one is having the issues.

We do have an extended warnaty (not the ford ESP.. thats another long dealer bait/switch story) but it supposivly covers everything except what it says it doesn't cover.. and I'm going to get the exact list of what isn't covered this week. W/out warranty work this is more expensive than I want to pay.. I know its only 1.5 hours to change the sending unit (TSB time) but the local dealer always charges MSRP or more.. so I never buy locally from them, but I doubt I could bring in my own parts.

~Mark

dustindu4

take the back seat out and pop out the fuel pump, it's not hard

poldrv

I got the same DTE ELI fuel error message the first year I had the 05. The message is the result of using fuel that contains sulphur such as Shell, 7-11, Cheap Charlies etc. I had the gas tank pulled out under warranty when this happened and the Ford Tech's cleaned the fuel sensor in the tank. After doing this a few times, the service department contacted Ford USA directly and were told to have the customer use Esso, Husky or Chevron only and to put a bottle of Chevron Techron in the tank every six months. I use Chevron Techron every six months and have never had a problem with the DTE message since. You have to put a bottle of techron in an empty gas tank then fill it up this allows the techron solution to dissipate throughout the tank. When I go home every year to lower British Columbia I hit every Chevron station I can find. We don't have many Chevron Stations in Alberta. Try it your mustang will love it.

theedge67

Did you read his whole post? He said he uses Chevron almost exclusively. That should be enough to keep the sulphur buildup away.

maniak

Yea, we use chevron almost exclusivly.. very few fill ups were with other company fuel.. and we rarely ever get the DTE error.. the p0463 is the one we recently started to get and we seem to get it within 100 miles after filling the tank (About 1 day after filling the tank.. 2 or 3 starts after filling the tank) but not every time. The car gets a fill up every 3 to 4 days which is somewhere around 250-350 miles.

I just looked at the service manual pages for the fuel pump and the fuel sending unit and its tons easiers to get to than any of our other vehicles since you have access panels under the rear seat. (I hate having to drop the tank)..

So the question now is which one is Sending Unit A and which is B? Next time it happens I'll write down the entire display from the odb-II scanner but I'm 90% sure it said sending unit A.

My SWAG is that sending unit A is the drivers side (which I think also has the fuel pump)..

~Mark

maniak

The code according the scanner is "P0463 Fuel Level Sensor A circuit high input". The car was started and driven twice today and there were two codes stored (both p0463).

I checked the paperwork for the ESP and it specifically says it DOES COVER Fuel sending units. I checked prices and if I had to buy the sensor myself it would be about $220 from a discount online parts dealer.

It looks like we will get to use our ESP at least once before the 100k miles limit. It still may have been cheaper to not get the waranty but with all the computer controlled stuff I didn't want to take a chance.. too much that needs special diagnostic tools to test.

I'd still like to know which sening unit is sending unit A.. If the place that does the ESP work will tell me I'll pass it along (unless someone else chimes in with the info).

~Mark