Truck shuts off 2 minutes while driving on driver side tank

[86burban]

I have a 1984 Chevy C30 crew cab dually with a carbureted 454 and when I switch from passenger side tank that has 1/8 of fuel left to driver side tank which has 5/8 left as I put $25 worth of gas in it, 2 minutes later the engine shuts off until I switch to passenger tank. Then I was forced to put $20 in the passenger tank but the driver side tank is more than half full and engine stalls on the freeway until I put the switch back on RH and engine comes back on while it's driving without cranking it. Anyone have this problem?

 

[86burban]

I also forgot to mention both tanks and sender is from LMC truck brand new and the selector valve is an AC Delco from AutoZone in January 2023 all new hoses from tank to fuel pump on the side of the engine including selector valve was installed by me except tanks and sender is by a mechanic. Using Gates fuel line from O'Reilly Auto Parts. Fuel tank selector switch is a 2021 replacement and works as I see the needle on the gas gauge swing back and forth for 5 seconds then points at 5/8 tank the switch was replaced because the silk screen writing was 80% wiped off.

 

[Ricko1966]

Run with the cap off see if there's a vent problem keeping you from being able to pull fuel. Another possibility is a pinhole or crack in one of the feed lines from that tank allowing that line to lose prime.

 

[Broken85]

Sounds like a vent proble

 

[86burban]

Sounds like a vent proble

The cap is loosely installed since there is no charcoal canister. The fuel tank did work for over 20 miles and I filled it 3/4 full and now its slightly more than a half tank and shuts off. I can smell gasoline still in the tank.

 

[Ricko1966]

The cap is loosely installed since there is no charcoal canister. The fuel tank did work for over 20 miles and I filled it 3/4 full and now its slightly more than a half tank and shuts off. I can smell gasoline still in the tank.

Fill the drivers side tank note how many gallons it takes. Let's eliminate wrong gauge reading as a possibility. How did you get from running 2 minutes on DS tank to running 20 miles on the DS side tank? What changed, loosened cap?added fuel?

 

[86burban]

Fill the drivers side tank note how many gallons it takes. Let's eliminate wrong gauge reading as a possibility. How did you get from running 2 minutes on DS tank to running 20 miles on the DS side tank? What changed, loosened cap?added fuel?

2 weeks ago it shut off and I removed the cap and smelled gas. The other day after 2 minutes the engine shut off and this is the 4th time it shut off on the driver side tank after 2 minutes for a total of 5 shut off times. I added a gallon and a half to the driver side tank and it didn't make a difference so I don't know what's going on and I'm on a speed limit 40 road when it ahut off after 2 minutes. The 1st time it shut off it was in September 2025 and before that I added about 6 gallons of gasoline before heading to the next town. I was 20 miles from home in New Kirk, OK and I love in Blackwell. I switched to the passenger side tank and added about 8 gallons and it made it home on PS tank.

 

[Ricko1966]

Okay you've got me totally confused it runs 2 minutes,but post 5 you made it 20 miles. 20 miles in 2 minutes is about 600 miles an hour. Still sounds like a vent problem,ir incorrect gauge reading,more so now that it's 20 miles.

 

[86burban]

Okay you've got me totally confused it runs 2 minutes,but post 5 you made it 20 miles. 20 miles in 2 minutes is about 600 miles an hour. Still sounds like a vent problem,ir incorrect gauge reading,more so now that it's 20 miles.

Yes now it got worse. I ran with the cap off yesterday and it seems to shut off after running on the freeway for 1 minute on driver tank but listening to the engine I hit the switch and put it back on right side tank and the engine comes back on after 10 seconds. This selector valve is about 6 inches above the passenger side exhaust pipe. It also has true dual exhaust. I did get a $5.84 siphon pump and transferred 4 1/2 gallons of gasoline in a 5 gallon gas can to the right side tank and drove around for a few miles on right side tank without problems. I drive to Newkirk, OK 20 miles from Blackwell and that's 19 miles but a mile out of New Kirk at 35 MPH the whole way it ahut off the 1st time on Friday September 26th and then I tried on Monday September 29th and it went off after 2 minutes on the freeway going 70 but now it's did 1 minute after I switched over. Then I transferred almost 5 gallons thinking the selector valve **** the bed and it ran with no problem for around 3 miles after I put about 4 ½ gallons in the passenger tank. Wierd.

Anybody have this problem?

 

[Ricko1966]

Your stories are way to confusing. Which tank made it 19 miles which tank made it 20 miles which tank runs out in 2 minutes.

 

[Grit dog]

I think less info about the roads and towns as that’s not pertinent, and more actual diagnosis vs “transferred 1.5 gallons and _____ at 40 mph.”
We can’t follow the miles driven and number of gallons.
If you think it’s sucking air at a half tank, from something you wrote, then diagnose that. Fill em both up and runner on the problem tank until it dies and you have another tank to get home. Best part of this is most cars don’t have a spare tank. So use to your advantage.
Based on your replies it’s obvious you’re ballin on a serious budget. That’s cool. But $ can’t be that tight or you should not have a 7mpg dually.

 

[86burban]

Your stories are way to confusing. Which tank made it 19 miles which tank made it 20 miles which tank runs out in 2 minutes.

The driver side tank I'm having issues with it. I added 20 miles because Google maps said my destination is 19 miles away. Drive there on a half tank of gas on the driver tank on Sept 26, then I drove about 1 mile on that same tank for a mile before the truck shut off. Truck restarted on passenger side tank. The driver tank is the one that shut off in 2 minutes now it got worse to be after 1 minute. Passenger tank had no problems the whole time. My driver tank had almost 5 gallons before it kept shutting off. There's probably more gas in the driver side tank and but the hand pump only got 4 1/2 gallons out, the siphon didn't require pumping and the gas was running like a garden hose until it stopped. The gas is less than 3 weeks old too.

 

[Ricko1966]

FILL THE DRIVER TANK!!!! take notes,how many gallons to fill it? Does it still die in one minute.

 

[86burban]

FILL THE DRIVER TANK!!!! take notes,how many gallons to fill it? Does it still die in one minute.

It takes 20 gallons to fill it and I will fill it in a few days and get back to you. I drained it yesterday evening with a siphon pump after it started stalling in 1 minute. I should put 10 gallons? Or fill up to 20 gallons?

 

[Grit dog]

It’s hard to answer that because you’re still giving us Okie math and stories.
Fill it up and see how long it runs. How hard is that to understand? Best I/we can offer until you do more than add and remove gas from the tank…..