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Gurgling in fuel tank after shutoff

HeepSpeed

HeepSpeed

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
Hi Guys,

My thoughts are a bad fuel pump on a 1997 XJ. When I stop the engine after driving around, I can hear a gurgling sound. From searching the forums, it seems that this could be fuel running back into the tank.

The Jeep takes longer to start than a normal XJ. To me, it seems fuel is draining from the fuel line back in to the tank after shutoff resulting in the hard start.

Thoughts? Which fuel pump should I replace it with? Kragen and JC Whitney all have different ones :(
 
The Jeep takes longer to start than a normal XJ. This is hard to quantify, but the fuel running back sounds like the check valve in the line has failed.

It starts and runs, right? Is it a $180 fuel pump and labor kind of problem, or something you can live with? Is it economically justifiable for you to fix it?

After all, the fuel pump is actually good and working. Considering it's buried in the tank and a bit of a pain to get to, plus the money to swap it out, I would wait it out until it actually fails.
 
Yea, that's partially the plan, but wasn't sure if I'd get stranded somewhere...especially somewhere I don't wanna be without a pump...

Jeep takes longer to start than a normal XJ - my '96 starts within three turnovers. The '97 takes maybe 3 to 4 times as long.

I just don't want to be stressing the engine or something by cranking it over for so long. If it's not hurting it, then I can live with it and move on to other things...tranny mount, engine mounts, then lift.
 
Put an in-line check valve in the line near the tank.

Go cheap, ebay probably less than $20, or go to Summit/Jegs and spend about $80.
 
Sounds like your jeep has gas lol Mine does the same thing when I fill it up after I use acouple gallons of gas it stops gurgling.There was a recall for the gurgling thing.
 
Here is a link: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=992014&highlight=check+valve

There is a link in that thread to another forum and in turn, a link to an ebay source for a check valve. Note that the active ebay link is on page 3. I just installed one of these -- $16.50 shipped. Works fine although I'm not sure that a defective check valve was my problem to start with.

Mine ('93) is back to starting in the normal two or three cranks but the problem may have been something to do with failure to prime or poor contact in the PDC with the fuel pump relay.
 
Mine does the whole gurgling thing, but has a sloshing sound as well? Almost like a broken baffle or something? Think of a pool. the filter inlet at the edge of the coping. There's that little door that kind of flips open and closed with the waves of the pool. It makes a very distinct noise. Well, my fuel tank makes the EXACT same noise. Only when the tank is between full and say 5/8 maybe.
 
DanMan2k06 said:
Mine does the whole gurgling thing, but has a sloshing sound as well? Almost like a broken baffle or something? Think of a pool. the filter inlet at the edge of the coping. There's that little door that kind of flips open and closed with the waves of the pool. It makes a very distinct noise. Well, my fuel tank makes the EXACT same noise. Only when the tank is between full and say 5/8 maybe.
Click to expand...

I don't believe any XJs had baffles in the fuel tank.
 
I can't find a reference to the ball in my FSM, but I have read about it somewhere on here.
As to the extended crank time, have you tried turning the key to the on position for 5 seconds to let the fuel pump build pressure before you engage the starter?
 
I did a little searching on google, and there is a ping pong ball type apparatus in the filler neck. It's a simply ball floating in a cage that lets gas in, but not back out. I guess my solution is don't fill the tank so full!
 
Yes, I've tried letting it sit with the key in the on position to prime and also shutting it on and off a few times to build pressure.

Looks like I'll go the check valve route and see what happens. Thanks guys!
 
HeepSpeed said:
Yes, I've tried letting it sit with the key in the on position to prime and also shutting it on and off a few times to build pressure.

Looks like I'll go the check valve route and see what happens. Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

My 97 XJ does the same thing. I discovered that if I turn the key to run, then turn it off 3 or 4 times before I crank, it starts on the first or second crank. Normally I leave my seat belt unbuckled and turn the key until I hear the chime for a second then turn it off. After 3 or 4 times it starts like a champ.
 
Mine makes this noise, with a brand new factory pump. When my original crapped I replaced it with the carter from napa and I didn't get this noise anymore. I attribute that to the carter reading a quarter lower than it should and I wasn't able to fill the tank all the way. I took the carter back and got a factory bosch one from the dealership, installed that and the guage reads correctly and the gurgling sound is back when I have a full tank.

There are no baffles in the 97+ (plastic) tank.
 
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