2009 LLT VE SV6 Smoke And Misfire When Low On Fuel?

[Mon-aro]

Hi guys after s#!t load of money and time spent on one of my sv6 car, i came to conclusion that when the car is low on fuel like around 10% to empty starts misfire and smoke? and yes its white smoke and is a fuel smell? and when putting fuel in it the smoke goes after driving for few minutes…. Any clues? injectors has been replaced, coils are good so is the plugs.

 

[krusing]

Sounds a bit like contamination liquid in the tank, especially when you say it gets down towards empty, and disappears after re-fueling it, and driving it for few minutes
possibly water, or some sort of fuel mixture, what ever it is, this would be floating on the top of the petrol,
So as the fuel gets low, it is pumping the crap in the tank to your fuel lines.

Pull the tank out,
Remove the Petrol pump,
Clean the inside of the tank,
And clean, or replace the pump, because the contamination may of damaged the pump.

Hint: Make sure the tank is almost empty, as the tank can be VERY heavy with even a little amount of fuel in it.

 

[gossie]

Suggest keep your fuel above 1/2 way to stop picking up tank trash for starters.
Never let tank get low on fuel.

 

[Mon-aro]

Sounds a bit like contamination liquid in the tank, especially when you say it gets down towards empty, and disappears after re-fueling it, and driving it for few minutes
possibly water, or some sort of fuel mixture, what ever it is, this would be floating on the top of the petrol,
So as the fuel gets low, it is pumping the crap in the tank to your fuel lines.

Pull the tank out,
Remove the Petrol pump,
Clean the inside of the tank,
And clean, or replace the pump, because the contamination may of damaged the pump.

Hint: Make sure the tank is almost empty, as the tank can be VERY heavy with even a little amount of fuel in it.

Any other way? trying to avoid removing the tank if possible

 

[gossie]

What I suggested.

 

[Mon-aro]

What I suggested.

Thanks gossie i read somewhere a bloke drilled a hole and got access to the fuel pump but cant seems to find it

 

[gossie]

Yes; pump is in the tank.
Keep it 1/2 full and should be ok.

 

[Skylarking]

Thanks gossie i read somewhere a bloke drilled a hole and got access to the fuel pump but cant seems to find it

Early VE’s had a fuel pump access hatch under the rear passenger seat which made fuel pump swaps easy… The later VE’s had the same metal floor pressing but without the hole punched out as Holden went cheap… .

Cutting the hole can be done but there are wires and fuel pipes under so one has to be super careful not to fubar it all… Safest is to drop the tank (which is a huge job on the VE/VF to do the mod but it will allow you to do it safely and also allow you to better clean the tank away from the vehicle..

Fuel contamination is a bitch and I’ve suffered it badly twice and once where a bottle of metho thrown into the in tank helped mix the water and fuel so the lot would go through the combustion process without issue. All cases were in another brand of car with easy fuel pump access and a flatter tank design so one could clean thoroughly while the tank was installed in the car… VE/VF have two parts to the tank so you can’t get access through just the fuel filter, you’d need access to the sender as well (hence 07GTS’ prep and two access hatches as shown in the last link )…

I also copied my post from another related thread below:

Monster (sadly now gone from the forum) has a great “how to“ thread on installing what looked to be a solid & strong access hatch on his car. Tried to find the thread but no luck. Unfortunately all those pictures within the thread got canned when the photobucket hosting site tried to extort $$ from many users which makes the thread less useful. ​

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@07GTS has a great build thread which shows his fuel system upgrade and in the following link shows his access hatches… they are also solidly mounted to the body and aren’t just flimsy sheet steel.​

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https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/07gts-build-thread.293820/post-3337530​

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You can see the standard VE access hatch within the thread below:​

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https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/changing-ve-v6-fuel-pump-unit.229557/​

and there is also this post from @07GTS in another thread as well:

https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threads/2nd-fuel-pump-gone-in-a-month-p0231.298512/post-3333035

That should give you enough food for thought (while developing that rage for Holdens fubar fuel system design that ignores maintenance requirements)…

PS: fix the problem fully, once and for all time,. Don’t just mask the problem by always keeping the tank at least 1/2 full as the problem will always be there waiting to bite you

 

[krusing]

Try my thread to cut a access hole in the floor under the back seat,

https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...-contact-dealer-displayed-on-the-dash.284340/

 

[uglyoldfatbastard]

Watch out there will be a LONG TERM member along shortly to call you a clown for cutting a access panel.
All sorts of bad things will happen including Humphrey B Bear having a heart attack.
But it is the quickest easiest way to change the fuel pump over regardless of what some wanker thinks.