Fuel sock problem: cheap fix?

[meanjoe75fan]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone knew of a "redneck" method of repairing a fuel sock without having to splurge for a new one.

My Contour will have the fuel supply cut-out during hard right turns and/or acceleration whenever it has less than 1/4 tank. The obvious solution is to never get below 1/4 tank, but this gets annoying, and tankering around 5gal/30# of unusable fuel isn't optimal for FE purposes.

Short of buying a new fuel sock, is there a way to make the existing one function better? My pump/sock assembly is easy to get at...just remove the rear seat...but I'm not inclined to spring for a new sock. If I can find a way to patch the old one, I'd give it a try.

[Frank Lee]

I don't understand the nature of your problem. "Patch"- is there a hole in it? Is it not working because it's not positioned at the bottom of the tank? Can the line to it be bent downward to reposition? Is it plugged? Why would a new one fix it?

[meanjoe75fan]

Sorry...I just had been told that the fuel pickup (sock) was the cause of my fuel cutting out at low levels. I was wondering if the existing one could be removed and repaired vs. buying a new one.

I just priced them, though, and am embarrassed at how little they cost ($17). Looks like I'll be buying one

[wagonman76]

They are pretty cheap. But I agree with Frank, it doesn't sound like that is the problem. I would more suspect a broken baffle in the tank. That is supposed to keep a supply of fuel around the pump so it does not slosh around easily and cut out.

If all else is ok, and your gauge is accurate, I would keep the extra fuel in the tank instead of running it down and shortening the life of the fuel pump. I'd find it unlikely that the fuel savings from dropping less than 30# of fuel would be greater than the cost of a new fuel pump.

[moorecomp]

There is a TSB for these cars that deals with the fuel gauge not reading below a 1/4 tank. Has to do with welds in the tank interfering with the float. Maybe you are actually low on fuel? Rename the attached file to have a .pdf extension instead of .xls extension. For some reason the forum has an extremely small limit to the file size for .pdf documents.

[dwtaylorpdx]

Funny Jeeps have the same issue... The in-tank sock and pickup tube get crimped by the tank aging and suposedly from alcohol. The plastic the tank is made of shrinks slightly when it contacts alcohol and O2, as well as the pickup tube and the "Sock". I'm taking mine apart this week to see if its true... I have a fuel delivery gremlin that is very temperature and angle dependent...

It will be interesting...

Dave