still running out of gas after 8 gallons!

[mnmfive]

1958 President 2 door hard top. tank is very clean, is venting well, but after using 8 gallons I run out of gas. I blew air from the front of the car back into the tank thinking maybe something could be blocking the line, still run out of gas. could the line have a hole in it at the level where 8 gallons is used? do these lines rust if the car sat for a few years without a full tank? if so is there a way to repair just the line without removing the tank. could I cut a small hole in the line using a hack saw through the float hole to cause the line to draw from a lower spot in the tank? can the line be removed and repaired without taking the tank out? the line is soldered in at the bottom front of the tank. any suggestions??? thanks in advance. Jim R

Jim Rostron

[curt]

I would vote for a hole in the pick up tube at the '8 gallon level.' I suspect you will have to remove the tank. It was not difficult to remove on my '55 president.

[A1956GoldenHawk]

..just some thoughts...

Have you had this problem for as long as you owned this '58? ...or is this just a recent occurrence?

When you blew air from the front of the fuel system, was there any escaping from the vented fuel cap??


The older I get ...the better I was!

[mnmfive]

bought the car about 2 yrs ago, since I've been driving it it's been running out of gas, using only 8 gallons. took gas cap off when I blew air through the lines. couldn't see the the fill area I was in the front of the car. thanks JR

Jim Rostron

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by mnmfive
could the line have a hole in it at the level where 8 gallons is used?

The fuel pick up tube in these tanks is horizontal and on the bottom of the tank. The fuel outlet is on the bottom of the tank. If the pick up is working with a full tank, it should be working with a gallon or so left in the tank.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[sals54]

My 54 Coupe has done this its whole life. Thats after decades of driving. I've just go used to it, I guess. Since I don't use it as a daily driver anymore, it does not bother me as much. I have a GT gas tank which I plan to install, though. Maybe that will cure it???

sals54

[curt]

I don't think my pick up tube on the 1955 comes out of the bottom of the tank. The tube may be horizontal BUT there is a vertical component because the outlet line is not on the bottom of the tank.The '58 my be different and I respect Dicks memo.

[2R5]

I had tank trouble and I found the pickup tube which is soldered to the bottom had come loose and it was a few inches off the bottom . I bet that is your problem .


LANCASTER or BUST
"IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

1960 Champ
1964 Daytona HT

[kamzack]

I believe the pick up tube on this tank is part of the sending unit. That's how my 57 Broadmoor was set up. I was cleaning out some old used parts yesterday and tossed one having the said tube on it. I think that's what we're not seeing in his call for help.
Thanks for letting me share,
Kim

[EchoDelta]

I had a problem similar to this on a 53 DeSoto. Somehow the top of the gas tank had had been sucked in. It was not visible from the outside. The gauge always registered full. Have not heard of this regarding Studebakers though. Just a thought.

Ed

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by kamzack


I believe the pick up tube on this tank is part of the sending unit.

Hmmmmm...I guess I'm hung up on C/K's. Sorry about that. Sedans must be different.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[JDP]

Make sure you are not pulling air somewhere. When the tank is full, it will gravity feed the pump, when low it has to pull.

JDP/Maryland
"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."
Thomas Jefferson