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Thread: Fuel System - Surge Tank Running Empty

  1. #1
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    Default Fuel System - Surge Tank Running Empty

    Hi Guys

    I have an issue with my car where the surge tank runs empty which of course makes the engine die.

    Car: MK1 Ford Cortina
    Engine: 4AGE Blacktop with stock ECU
    Fuel System: Goss GE239 lift pump, 2L surge tank, Bosch 044 fuel pump, 10mm feed line, 8mm return line. There is a element filter before the lift pump, an efi filter after the Bosch.

    This issue has been happening for a while, It drives sweet for half an hour or more then will run out of fuel e.g. the surge tank is empty. I was running a carter black lift pump and it had the same issue.

    Does anyone have any theories of what the cause could be?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Hen may possibly be a nut's Avatar
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    How are the fuel lines plumbed?

    Usually the return line from the rail should return to the surge tank. If this goes straight back to the fuel tank then you may empty the surge tank if your EFI pump is larger capacity than your lift pump.

    If the return line is already to the surge tank then my only guess is that the lift pump is not up to the task. Either too small, blocked lines, pickup dodgy/kinked/blocked screen, or maybe that it is sucking air somehow and losing its prime. Funny how it only turns up after half an hour.

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    My guess is that you are loosing fuel pressure as the pump heats up from running. Is it possible to plumb in a pressure gauge verify. Is it possible to improve the cooling of the pump. DaveW7

  4. #4
    Veteran LittleRedSpirit's Avatar
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    I agree with hen, its likely a plumbing issue. If the return doesn't go into the surge tank it will usually run dry. In theory you can have a lift pump that moves half as much fuel as the efi pump as the return will always bring the vast majority of fuel back to the surge tank from the rail. The minute amount that gets burned compared to total flow is not enough to affect the filling of the surge tank if it returns to it. In this instance the lift pump needs only to supply as much fuel as the engine actually consumes.






  5. #5
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    Good writeup of installation of the surge tank.
    Ae86 Drivingclub - Toyota AE86 Car Club where AE86 | KE70 | Toyota 86 / GT86 | Subaru BRZ | Scion FRS owners

  6. #6
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    Thanks for your help guys. I ended up fixing the problem by moving the lift pump closer to the fuel tank.

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