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Engine dies when gas tank low

L

luv2offroad

NAXJA Forum User
Location
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I'm thinking the fuel sending unit needs to be replaced, but before I venture in to that fun activity thought I'd check here.

When my gas gauge is down below 1/4 tank, my engine kills when I make a left hand turn. Once the car stops, then I can restart it just fine. This only happens on left turns and only when gas tank is low.

Any suggestions??
 
Your gas gauge sending unit is probably bad, yes. Have you checked how much gas it takes to fill the tank right after it "dies"? If it's 19 gallons or so, the sending unit is definitely at fault, if it is more like 15 then you have an actual fuel pump / pickup issue.

EDIT: it only happens on left turns because the fuel pickup is on the left side of the tank (hangs diagonally down from the center attached to the pump) - so the probably-not-a-quarter-tank of gas you have left sloshes to the right side as you corner.

EDIT2: oh, misread - you have a 98 not an 88, the pickup is mostly centered and vertical. When I do a gas tank I am far, far too lazy to pull the nylock nuts down far enough to get the bolts out, I just cut the J-bolts and replace them. funjeepparts.com has them for like two bucks each, part number is J3240023. 3/8 UNC thread, so you can get the new stainless steel nylock nuts cheap at Home Depot or Lowes.
 
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Hmm, it's usually around 16-17 gallons. I don't think I've ever put 19 gallons worth of gas in my jeep. 18 something is the most I've gotten.
 
interesting... I have a 97/98 model year tank in mine, and if I run it till it's actually empty (running out of gas going straight on the highway, for instance), I can put 19.5 gallons in. I wonder what's different...
 
I usually do because I don't have a working gas gauge... at all. I need to swap my old 96 sending unit into the 97/98 tank, not a task I look forward to. I learned my lesson and carry a jerry can though.

Another thing you can do to figure this out is park on a curb with the lefthand tires to see if simulating the cornering will make it cut out, then check the resistance of the sending unit while filling the tank a gallon at a time.
 
=) my ideas would be fill it up before it gets down to 1/4 tank lol and kastein. couldnt you just do a mileage reading when you fill up, then when ur tank goes empty and just fill up just before you hit that sorta mileage again? save the trouble of always running out of gas...
 
I do that - I can make anywhere from 320 to 380 miles before running out. The thing is, I know I have used exactly 19.5 gallons when I run out on level ground, so I use that to calculate and track my gas mileage reliably every few tanks.

sure... he could fill up at 1/4 tank, but what's the fun in that? Something is still broken and if you're as much of a perfectionist about things as I am, that cannot be allowed to stand any longer than necessary.
 
Repeatedly running your fuel level down very low doesn't do your pump any favors. The tiny electric motor that does the pumping depends on the gasoline in which it's submerged to cool it. There are always going to be minute differences in gauge readings, even among very similar vehicles, such as our XJs. Does your tank possibly have a dent in it, displacing a volume of fluid? Your vehicle is pushing eleven years old, and it could be just a cranky sender. Am I correct in assuming that you have a plastic tank? If so, especially on ZJs, the pump and sending unit would get dirty, coated with a slime of dissolved plastic and gasoline detergents. Do the easy tests (left side elevated), then go deeper. Or, just keep it full.....
 
I know, I could just always keep it above 1/4 full. What's the fun in that? And usually it's not a problem, except when I forget about it. Most of the time when I pay attention and it's less than 1/4 full, then I only make right hand turns or turn real slow going left. :D

Just wondering what kind of a problem this would be if I'm out off-roading and the jeep is off kilter and I can't get it started.
 
I had this same issue with my 1998 XJ with something like 110k miles on it. It was the fuel filter that caused the problem - the engine would cut out with slightly over 1/8th of a tank left when making turns. The filters are in the tank so you gotta pull the tank to get to them. You cannot buy the filters alone, you must buy it with the fuel pump. There was a guy on ebay who was selling kits for $100. I used it an the problem went away.
 
I have the same issue, so I call the dealer to see if there was some sort of recall on the sending unit. They told me that my jeep had the recall done. They told me that the baffels in the tank probly broke sloshing fuel away from the pick up when turning left.
 
luv2offroad said:
I know, I could just always keep it above 1/4 full. What's the fun in that? And usually it's not a problem, except when I forget about it. Most of the time when I pay attention and it's less than 1/4 full, then I only make right hand turns or turn real slow going left. :D

Just wondering what kind of a problem this would be if I'm out off-roading and the jeep is off kilter and I can't get it started.
Click to expand...

Don't worry, pretty soon you'll burn out your fuel pump and you can replace it all. Or nurse it along by keeping tank over 1/3 full.
 
Reasons to keep your gas tank above 1/4 full:

Saves on fuel pumps--they are lubricated by the fuel, running them dry shortens their lives considerably.

Just in case OJ needs a slow speed chase and there are no white Broncos available.

When the SH_T hits the fan you can get out of town without having to fight for gas.
 
There are no baffles in the plastic tanks - they're just a big hollow tank with the fill/vent tubes inside. The tanks I've been inside had no slime or anything in them, just gas... HDPE is (as far as I know) insoluble in gasoline.

as for the pump using the gas to cool itself... yeah I keep forgetting about that :/ I really should be nicer to it I guess.
 
joe_peters said:
Reasons to keep your gas tank above 1/4 full:

Saves on fuel pumps--they are lubricated by the fuel, running them dry shortens their lives considerably.

Just in case OJ needs a slow speed chase and there are no white Broncos available.

When the SH_T hits the fan you can get out of town without having to fight for gas.
Click to expand...

See, that's when I have the problem -- when I'm in a cranky mood and need to make a quick turn and speed on down the street (usually because the car in front of me had to wait until there was a 3 mile space before turning) and as I'm attempting to turn and speed off, the jeep kills. Just adds to my frustration.

Note to self -- keep the jeep tank fuller than 1/4 at all times. :D
 
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