Started early this last week when driving home from work and the Bronco just started sputtering. I was lucky enough to be a few blocks from home and it was a downhill run into my driveway. No fuel getting to the carb. Yesterday I replaced the fuel pump (cheap insurance and it was over 2 yrs old). Still it wasn't getting enough fuel so I blew out the fuel line going to the tanks. Switched the selector to both tanks and could hear the air bubbling in the tanks. Fuel at last. Drove it around the block and it was working great. This morning son and I got in to take a cruise to make sure everything was working. Filled both tanks and away we went. Was going down Huron heading past 120th and it started acting up. Turned down a side street off Huron and pulled over. No fuel again. Kid tried to blow out the line as best as he could and we got it started and headed back toward home. We we ended up calling the wife to bring the Expo and come tow it back home.

Now I have to get the fuel out of the tanks and clean and check all the lines before Ouray. Guess I'll just get out my Oklahoma credit card and remove the fresh fuel and fill the Expo.

As hot as it's been, I'm quessing vapor lock.

We never really have vapor lock. Even sitting over night it does it.

id crank it with the fuel line off the carb and see what comes out into a bucket of course ,when your problem exists .

Nothing. We've done that. You blow the line into the tank then it works. But only a short bit. Its picking something up in the tank somewhere. So we drained the tanks and gonna pull them to clean them. Replace all the lines. Were thinkin something might be stuck in the selector valve. So we'll pull the too.

Well both tanks were clean for the most part. Main tank you would have thought it was new from how clean the inside was. Aux tank had some dirt in it but nothing major.

Replaced all hoses while tanks were out as well as the filter on the pickup tube. Both of them had tears in them allowing dirt to enter the system.

It took a while to get fuel flowing again. Fired up and ran good for a few minutes then the starvation problem occurred again. Bypassed the regulator and still an issue. I removed the filter (sintered bronze filter in the housing) once before and the filter looked clean and all, but when I bypassed it the problem went away.

Never again will I not have a filter without a clear housing to see fuel flow. Bought a cheap disposable clear filter from Advance and now we have a driver again.

That bronze one looked clean and all but it must have finally gotten enough dirt to restrict flow over time and then plug solid.

Exciting that you guys got it fixed. Too bad you guys have spend a ton of hours and it ends up being just a filter. I guess there is a lesson in there somewhere. I like the idea of a clear filter. I will have to pick one up.

Its a good idea to have a clear filter for sure. I would have said a crack in the line which would be sucking air if the filters were good and no vapor locking issues. Especially with a "puller" fuel pump system a crack in a hose can make that happen. I am going to assume the bronze filter your talking about is the one that is going into the carb instead of inline? Those can plug up fast and it is hard to tell. Glad you found it.