Who has an accurate gas gauge? On my 76 and on Colleen's 78, they don't appear to be accurate. Mine never registers full, when it gets near empty I fill it with only 7-9 gallons. It is a 17 gallon tank. The 78 does get nearer to full, but when near empty it only takes 11-15 gallons. It has a larger 25 gallon tank. This makes empty a very long time to be really empty.

|UPDATED|8/31/2004 7:11:28 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Sounds like you're experiencing the same problem I had. My gauge would read 3/4 full, then I would run out of gas. When I went to fill it up, it would only take 3 gallons, then read full.

When it got back down to 3/4 tank, dead again.

There is a neoprene bladder in your tank, designed to contain the fuel in a crash, if the tank ruptures. The bladder is collapsing upon itself, most likely due to a blocked vent tube.

I'll repeat that. The bladder is collapsing upon itself.

The bladder in my tank was causing the gauge metering rod to stop at 3/4, becaust there was a "fold" there, stopping the rod.

I removed my tank, and had to reshape the bladder by hand. I have a 16 gallon tank in my 77 L-82, and now it holds 16 gallons.

I don't know if there is an easier way to do this, maybe someone else will, but if there is, you'll hear about it.

Sorry the problem isn't something easier.

Good luck, and please let us know how you are doing with the problem.

Alan

Alan, sound right. I have some limited luck pushing the bladder back in place with a dowel rod or thin broom handle. Might get lucky. But either way check the fuel tank vent, which is the cannister purge system.

Thanks for the replies, I'll have to check out the vent tubes. And maybe try your method carefully , Ken.any suggestions on how you actually did it? Ive looked at the AIM for the 78 and it looks like the cannister is attached to the frame just behind the front left rear wheel. It looks easier to get to in the AIM than for real. What is in the cannister, a filter? I'm in the process of painting my house and school starts next week so I may not tackle it till next spring since I just want to enjoy driving my new acquisition while the weather permits up here.




|UPDATED|9/4/2004 5:55:20 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Ken,

Just a wild suggestion, but if you place a good amount of vacuum on the canister purge vent tube, and then try to poke the bladder with a dowel, or broomstick, do you think the bladder will go back to the original shape easier?

I know from experience that the bladder is quite thick, I even had a fun time shaping it by hand, with my arm jammed in the tank.

Alan

Actually, vacuum on the purge tube would collaspe it more. The cannister purge vent does not connect betweent he bladder and the tank, but in side the bladder where the fuel is.

Applying pressure would push it out into shape. I have done this once when the broom handle didn't work. The reason I don't usually metion it is simple. An air compressor is usually used to supply pressure. And it can supply WAY TOO MUCH. If you over pressure the tank, you deform it or blow it apart. You can also force a lot of fuel up through the fuel pump and flood the engine severly. Pressure can be used, but gentle pressure, and it's a good idea to restrict the fuel line to the pump. Easy does it. Although it can work, I don't recommend this method for most folks. Risky.

|UPDATED|9/4/2004 9:11:43 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Gotcha,

Like I said, it was a wild suggestion. I just had it backasswards.

Kinda sounds like some of the local sewer guys here. One guy uses high pressure to unblock lines. His motto is,

"Just hope it blows in yer back yard."



Alan