Out of gas or what??

[Donald]

I tried to start my Jeep today after it had sat for about a week. Would not start. Fuel gauge was below empty. I am pretty sure it was not that way last Sat when I drove it.
1) Car has fuel leak, but that would be a few gallons in a week, I would smell or see something.
2) While I live in the sticks, maybe someone is siphoning?
3) My remote start is doing fantom starts and using up the gas. I know it has done this once or twice. Runs for 20 minutes and shuts down.

So going to put a piece of masking tape at 12:00 on the top belt or pulley. That will tell me about phantom starts. I was thinking a penny on top of gas cap inside flap. (Siphon, would a thief put it back??). I will back car out and take a look for gas on the ground (dirt drive/parking area). But it canot be in the lines and leak when not running so it would have to be the tank?

 

[Hallmark]

It seems you have all your bases covered.

Phantom starts by your remote...never heard of such a thing!

 

[RiceCake]

Or just put a piece of thin tape, like scotch tape, over the top of the gas filler flap. If someone opens and closes it the tape will clearly be under it. Kinda obvious but anyone stealing gas probably wouldn't be that saavy.

 

[BobsArmory]

Do you have a teen age son?

 

[wrcsixeight]

I thought the 'rollover' ball/ check valve in the filler tube made siphoning pretty difficult. I guess thieves have their ways though. Scumbags.

I drive an '89, and siphoning any meaningful amount out is nearly futile. I pull a line from my fuel filter and jumper my ASD relay when I need fuel from my tank.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
I thought the 'rollover' ball/ check valve in the filler tube made siphoning pretty difficult. I guess thieves have their ways though. Scumbags.

I drive an '89, and siphoning any meaningful amount out is nearly futile. I pull a line from my fuel filter and jumper my ASD relay when I need fuel from my tank.


Apparently the anti-siphon filler necks have led to thieves puncturing gas tanks instead.


Unlikely, but you never know.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Hallmark
It seems you have all your bases covered.

Phantom starts by your remote...never heard of such a thing!


I know it happened twice and my remote has to be pushed twice quickly:
1) remote was in pants pocket, and pants were on a chair, I heard it try and start from my window
2) remote was in my back pocket and I was getting up and sitting back down a lot. The engine started and ran its 20 minutes, went almost into overheat as the electric fan did not work (I knew that was broken). I got in the vehicle to drive (not knowing what had happened) it was in overheat almost immediately, I got out to look under the hood, the door auto locked and I had to break back window to shut it down and protect my newly installed reman engine.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
Do you have a teen age son?


Nope. Girls and they are out and married.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: RiceCake
Or just put a piece of thin tape, like scotch tape, over the top of the gas filler flap. If someone opens and closes it the tape will clearly be under it. Kinda obvious but anyone stealing gas probably wouldn't be that saavy.


I like this idea better than the penny on top of the gas cap. I I was trying to think of something not noticeable.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Donald
I am pretty sure it was not that way last Sat when I drove it.



"Pretty sure" or "Positive"? If you're positive it wasn't really low, then how much fuel was in it? Half a tank? Quarter full?


Originally Posted By: Donald
1) Car has fuel leak, but that would be a few gallons in a week, I would smell or see something.



If it has a fuel leak, get it fixed. If, as is quoted above, you're not positive how much fuel was in it the last time you drove it, and if it was less that you realized, even a minor leak can drop the level enough to be considered empty, especially over the course of a week. Also consider that in an 11 year old vehicle, the gauge may not always be perfectly accurate. I've seen vehicles that were parked with just under 1/4 tank showing on the gauge, and the next morning showed just above empty. No, there was no theft. No, they didn't have a leak nor did they have remote starters. They simple weren't terribly accurate. It's one reason why mine rarely drop below half a tank.


Originally Posted By: Donald
2) While I live in the sticks, maybe someone is siphoning?


Possible, but the least likely of all the scenarios given that you have fuel leaks and can't remember how much fuel was in it the last time it was driven.


Originally Posted By: Donald
3) My remote start is doing fantom starts and using up the gas. I know it has done this once or twice. Runs for 20 minutes and shuts down.



Disable it or fix it property. Why would you even consider letting an unattended vehicle start by itself?


Originally Posted By: Donald
So going to put a piece of masking tape at 12:00 on the top belt or pulley. That will tell me about phantom starts. I was thinking a penny on top of gas cap inside flap. (Siphon, would a thief put it back??). I will back car out and take a look for gas on the ground (dirt drive/parking area). But it canot be in the lines and leak when not running so it would have to be the tank?


You're a bit hung up on it being a thief while you still admit you have fuel leaking. Get the leak fixed, and then if it continues to experience mysterious fuel loss explore other possibilities. I strongly suspect that when you fix the fuel leak and are certain there are no unattented starts, you'll end the mysterious fuel loss.

 

[GMBoy]

Gasoline can evaporate too...especially if you have a leak point.

 

[Donald]

I also doubt its being siphoned. I also doubt I have a gas leak. Yes I have seen gas gauge at night show differently the next morning. But that would mean I drove home on fumes and there was not enough when I tried to start the vehicle. I got some gas and started it and moved it. I do not see any marks on the ground where gas may have leaked.

I do not have any real proof a phantom start has happened.

 

[hsd]

When you drove it home and parked it the alternator was putting out 14-15 volts. When you tried to start it in the morning the battery was only supplying 12 volts, so that will make the gage read about 25% less. I know there is supposed to be a gage regulator to minimize that effect, but it still results in different reading.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: hsd
When you drove it home and parked it the alternator was putting out 14-15 volts. When you tried to start it in the morning the battery was only supplying 12 volts, so that will make the gage read about 25% less. I know there is supposed to be a gage regulator to minimize that effect, but it still results in different reading.


That's the craziest think I've heard in years. The gauge only require 12 volts to work any more won't make it more acurate. Even a battery that is below 65%charged will give you 12.3 volts or so..

 

[mechtech2]

An engine often stops at exactly the same spot.
Marking may not show if it has run.

 

[eljefino]

I'm the only one here thinking the wiring is screwed to your sending unit and in tank fuel pump. Do you hear the pump noise when you turn the key on but don't crank it?

Also is that jeep parked at an angle? XJ cherokees are great for starving for fuel when they only have a couple gallons left if they're pointed funny.

The gas gauge has dampening so it doesn't flutter over every little bump. This has caught up over the time it was parked.