Help Surging/loosing power

[michaelg]

Today on the motorway my van started surging forward than loosing power, alternating between the 2, it actually conked out at one point.
I pulled in to the hard shoulder but could find nothing obvious. it was hard to start her again.
It felt like the engine was being deprived of fuel or air.

I've noticed this problem on my van in the past, it seems related to how much fuel is in the tank as it only happens when the fuel tank is about a quarter (or less) full.

Luckily i got it started and i was close to a petrol station so i filled her up to half with diesel and the problem went away completely.

I wonder if some sort of debris is in the fuel tank maybe ?

2002 straight diesel/no turbo/ DW8 engine

[Johny555]

May be fuel gauge faulty?,

[michaelg]

Maybe unrelated but I've also noticed a hiss sound as the filler cap is released and air is sucked into the tank again.
Should the tank be ventilated ?

[Johny555]

Would of thought so,if it does it again try undoing filler cap see it works ok then,maybe its pressurising when near empty?? And draging the fuel back,?.

[michaelg]

Would of thought so,if it does it again try undoing filler cap see it works ok then,maybe its pressurising when near empty?? And draging the fuel back,?.

Thanks, I'll try that, perhaps someone here knows for sure if it should be ventilated ?

[michaelg]

Digging round old posts, seems the problem could possibly be with the sender unit in the tank.
Apparently they can get cracked/damaged which can cause the symptoms I'm having.

Is it a big/expensive job for a mechanic to remove the tank and replace the sender unit ?

[michaelg]

Problem solved, mechanics found a restriction in the fuel tank.