Okay, so I put this in General because it covers a couple areas.

I wanted to share an experience with a problem on my truck that someone else out there may someday deal with. I don't expect most of you to read this but I wanted to post so that future searchers may find a solution here.

A few weeks ago, I had been riding around with an old battery from my Bronco in the back of my Screw. One day I noticed it laying on its side so i finally got it out, and proceeded to clean up the spilled acid with soap and water, and I'm still going to have find something else to nuetralize it.

Last weekend, I noticed a buzzing or a whining noise coming from under the front of my truck at speeds between 20 and 45 or 50. It would start out quietly and increase with speed. The noise would suddenly stop at random speeds. It was not consistent at all. Sometimes i would not hear the noise. Yesterday, it continued all the way up to 70 mph and stopped.

Also, since the battery thing, I found a warning on my dash to check fuel cap. So immediately, i stopped made sure the cap was tight, looked it over, and determined that I had a problem somewhere because the cap was fine. I came here and found some people were dealing with cracked evap canisters and other things. Since there was such a variety of causes, i decided to go talk to our dealer's shop foreman. He wanted to charge me 60 bux to put it on the "active" test/code reader. I'm a pretty handy guy with a BS in math, so i know how to logically solve problems. Told him I'd think about it, went to fill up with gas, and found what i believe to be all of my problems.

The tank was about full when i heard a sound I wasn't sure of. Turned out to be gasoline pouring out from under my truck. I let it evaporate for about 20 minutes so that I wouldn't blow the gas station up when I cranked the truck, and went home. Pulled up in the shop and began to feel around on top of the gas tank for holes or leaks. Found two hose connections broke off of the top of the fuel pump assembly. DID YOU KNOW THE FUEL PUMP BRACKETS ARE PLASTIC????? A new one cost 500 from Ford, 300 from all the auto parts stores, but lucky for me, I found one on ebay for 75 bux. You have to be sure it will match your truck because there are several different tanks and pumps and combinations. Bought the pump from ebay on wednesday, should be here monday (today is Friday.)

So back to the noise in the front end, after much listening and driving and locking into four wheel drive hi and lo, A/C and radio on and off, and all the combinations, I have diagnosed the noise to be the right front hub trying to engage or lock in. I believe this to be caused by low vaccuum maybe caused by fuel pump issues. Hopefully the new pump will cure all of my issues and I can return to normal life without problems from a truck that has not been abused at all up to its 65000 miles.

Will return to report after the new pump is installed. For now, I have to burn a full tank of fuel so that monday I can pull an empty tank out of my truck rather than a full 30 gallons.

wish me luck. Any feedback or suggestions are very welcome.

EDIT (7-7-10):

Found that the whine and the fuel pump really had nothing to do with each other (I had really had a hard time believing this anyway.) Here's a link to how someone fixed their whine problem. https://www.f150online.com/forums/20...replacing.html

 

your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend??? lol

 

Instead of dropping the tank, why not just lift the bed?

 

no, have not run over her...yet. so that's not it.

The shop foreman said taking the bed off was definitely not the easiest way, but he did not say what it was. I'm left to assume that dropping the (plastic) tank is the only other option. I actually did try to pull the bed off, but the equipment I had would not get it high enough. Plus it's only two strap bolts and three filler neck screws and the thing falls out.

has anyone else had to replace the fuel pump in a screw? how did you do it?

 

ok, so today, i got the replacement pump. Had to lift the bed a little, couldn't get it off without pulling the bumper. Had to take the rear of the drive shaft off to get up on top of the tank. (pulled the straps holding the tank) Found a double T fitting on top of the tank was broke, so I'll have to see if I can get something to replace it tomorrow along with a piece of the tubing they are using for fuel/vent line on these trucks. Don't know if it's just naturally brittle, or if the battery acid spilled on it may have caused the break. The line connections are not easy to work with either... what ever happened to putting a simple hose clamp on and going with it???? Had to search through the forum to find someone else who had figured out the blue, green and yellow clips that connect the lines. Also had trouble with the electrical plug on the pump. Turns out there is a double lock type system. Wound up breaking the clips that lock it in, but once i put it in, it'll be there... till it falls out...

So, I think I may be done with it unless I get the gumpsion to run to the store looking like a homeless hobo who just climbed out of a culvert filled with oil and dirt....

more later.

 

any evaps leak will cause vacuum issues. so sounds like you are on the right track.

You can run a zip tie around the connector (end to end) for cheap insurance, so it wont want to come undone on its own

 

so i wound up getting a whole new set of fuel lines from Ford that cost a lot more than I had to pay for the fuel pump off of ebay. After getting the parts to the house, it took me about 30 minutes to get the pump in the hole, lines attached and clipped into place and tank back under the truck...

After pulling the battery cables, the code has been gone for about a week now.

HOWEVER!!! The right front hub is still whining at random, with variable volume, and various places. I haven't thought enough about it to get the truck to the dealer for the brake vacuum line recall, so could that part that needs to be replaced be leaking vacuum enough to cause the hub no to lock OUT??

 

So with a little more research, I found that someone else has already fixed the source of the whine in the front end. Here's the link.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/20...replacing.html