I'll basically explain what happened first, then explain how I have no clue what is wrong with my car. Any input would be appreciated.

I currently have a JWT Popcharger, 5/16th plenum spacer, Strup headers, 3" single exhaust, and a Walbro 255 fuel pump installed.

Last month, I was coming back to Dallas from Oklahoma which was around 200 miles. Before I left, the tank was completely filled. I put 15 gallons in, and I was a little under 1/4 of a tank on the gas gauge. The pump clicked off, and the gauge was pegging on F. When I left OK, my gas gauge said 3/8 of a tank. That seemed about right, since I didn't do any driving while I was there, and I was generally going between 75 and 80 the entire way up. After driving for approximately 20 miles, I noticed my low fuel light was on. I couldn't get to a gas station in time, and my car puttered to a stop on the side of I-35 about 3 minutes after I saw the light. The gas gauge was pegged on E. So I'm sitting on the side of I-35 waiting for a gas truck, discussing with my buddy how the hell I could have gone through 6-7 gallons of gas in 20 miles. At the time, the only conclusion I could draw was I had to have a fuel leak somewhere. That's the only way my car could have lost that much fuel.

Fast forward 3 hours, gas truck arrives, and I get to the next town. I plan on filling the tank all the way up, but the nozzle clicks off after 12 gallons. How could I have had 8 gallons still left when the gauge says E and my died? I started the car back up, and the gauge pegged on F again.

For the next month, I drive around town, and the problem never seems to come back. The gauge "seems" to always read correctly, and I never notice any sudden drops in gas level.

On Saturday I headed down to Austin, which is again about 200 miles. After being on the road for more than 2 hours, I looked at the gauge and it read about 5/8 of a tank, almost 3/4. A few minutes later, I looked down and the low fuel light was on! WTF? This time I was lucky, and found a gas station in the next mile or so. I pulled over and topped the tank off. Only 6 gallons went in and the nozzle clicked off. Started the car back up, and the gauge was back to Full. The rest of the way there, and the way back the car behaved normally.

Side note. About a month ago, I had a check engine light come on. I pulled the code at Autozone and it came back P1283. I looked it up online and it said Air/Fuel something or other, or lean condition. I thought it might be a bad o2. I jacked the car up, and sure enough there was no resistance between any 2 pins on the driver side o2, but the passenger side read fine. I bought a used o2 off a forum member here, and replaced the bad o2. The CEL turned off, until about a week ago. Autozone pulled the code again and it was P1283, AGAIN. At this point, I don't know what the hell is going on.

The best I can figure is my fuel pump is over powering my breathing mods as far as A/F ratio goes. I'm pretty sure my car is running pig rich since I have a pretty hefty exhaust residue deposit on my rear bumper. I can wash it off, so it's not a burn spot from the exhaust, but it returns fairly quickly. From what I'm guessing, with my car so rich, I could be destroying the o2 sensors, causing them to fail, which it in turn causes the ecu to dump way to much fuel in. Even IF my ecu was over compensating, I still don't understand how the car can think its lost that much gas, and then really not losing it, but dieing on the side of the road.

My only other guess is the driver's side of the gas tank is not draining to the passenger side sometimes. I'm not quite sure how the gas goes from one side to the other, but I'm going to guess it's a pump system since it has to get the gas over the transmission tunnel. Could it be possible that there's something wrong with that system, causing the car to go from 3/8 of a tank, to nothing in literally no time? Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. I have a 100,000 power train warranty, but I'm afraid if I take the car to the dealership, and the problem is due to one of my mods, I'll have to pay for the technician time, etc.

-Acree

 

well your gage is most likely hug up on something in the tank. It happens when you put the fuel pump basket in wrong ive had it happen before the only thing you can really do is remove it check for any bends in the float and reinstall it. As for the P1283 its a B2 lean code so its not running to rich i have the same problem i ordered a ne pre cat o2 from nissan ill let you know how it does. I can read both o2 with my scanner and the one on my b2 is very jaggaed and not smooth the one on b1 is a smooth constant line that increases or decreases as the load changes.

 

Do you know how the gas drains from the driver side of the tank over to the passenger? Could something be clogging the line?

-Acree

 

I searched my resources and just cant see how the fuel is balanced between the two sides, unless it is just blantantly obvious----There does appear to be a sending unit for both sides though. Pass integrated in the Pump assy. and drivers side a stand alone

 

Acree, what it sounds like to me is a fuel pump for sure.

As far as i can see from the service manual, the fuel sending unit and fuel pump are in the same unit.

I have a similar issue in my car, that im starting to think is a clogged fuel filter, but its interesting that my car is throwing the same code.

6 months ago, the car was running fine, but all of a sudden it threw two codes, bad 02 sensor and engine running rich. i replaced the 02 sensor and problem was solved. i know my car runs rich. I have the pop charger, and a custom welded intake that basically amounts to more plenum volume. on the other end i have headers, and test pipes.


now all of a sudden when i go to fill up, i only get to 7/8 of a tank even when its completely topped off, and i get the same exact code you get, and also a random misfire code on all cylinders. I had it scanned at autozone and the guy suggested that it could potentially be a bad coil pack. but i think hes way off. theres definitly something wrong in my fuel tank. it sounds like your issue and mine may be related. i really wish nissan made it easier to change the fuel filter rather then having to crack open the tank.

 

see if this helps you at all.

 

Interesting information. I'm basically to the point where I'm going to say screw it, and take it to the dealership. It's still under warranty, and none of my mods would have messed with the ECU, or fuel delivery.

I'll post an update here when I get the problem resolved or learn more.

-Acree

 

If the pump is higher up than the stock pump... then you could suddenly run out of gas when there is really gas left, get a lean condition when the pump runs out of fuel. Or maybe if there is something wrong internally to the pump that it is not pumping right when it's not fully submerged in fuel, or something else in the tank when it was apart.

 

Sorry, forgot to mention I put the stock pump back in last week.

-Acree

 

I have the same problem! Maybe it's a Texas thing! Taking it in to SGP Sat.