I need to change the fuel pressure sensor on my 1998 Lincoln Town Car Cartier and am wondering if my pudgy hands can reach it on the fuel tank without lowering the tank. If not, I’ll take it somewhere 'cause I don’t like playing with fuel (aka fire).
Thanks,
Terry
Modern day fuel is very dangerous stuff. If it catches on fire, it is hard to extinguish. The fuel pressure sensor should be on the engine, probably at the fuel rails. A Haynes manual shows these things.
Are you referring to the evap sensor on top of the tank?
Yes. From what I’ve been able to find on the Web, it apparently is located on the top of the tank near the fill pipe. I’m getting a P0453 (EVAP Emission Control System Pressure Sensor High) and have been told by two mechanic friends it’s probably this sensor. I have a new one in a box ready to go.
Also from reading, you can just lower the tank a little to gain access but like I said before, I’d rather not fiddle with loosening the straps and dropping the tank. If I can’t reach the sensor, I’ll play it safe and have a professional do it.
Have you tried a new gas cap? Before going to all that trouble get a new gas cap and have the code cleared. It’s cheap easy and worth a shot.
Hate to say it, but I think you answered your own question. Tank must be dropped, even if only a few inches. There are no access panels behind the rear seat or in the trunk to get to the top of the tank.
Xebadaih, that might solve a leak code problem, but how would it ever solve a high pressure problem?
That’s been something I thought of doing. I’ve seen this in various forums. The main reason I haven’t done it is that looking at the technical operation of the ECM, it seems that the voltage from the sensor should be within a certain range (.1v to 4.9v), depending on the pressure/vacuum in the tank. Only if there’s an open or short, would it read outside this range. And if I understand it right, the P0453 is stating that the voltage is outside this range on the high side (between 4.9 and 5v), and regardless of the pressure/vacuum, the only way it could be outside the range, is a malfunction of the sensor (or a wiring issue). BUT I may wrong! I also figure it’s an 11 or 12-year old sensor so it might be old and decrepit, like me.
I may just try a new cap anyway. I’m not in a super-hurry to resolve this issue, other than the fact that it sets the MIL, which makes it easy to get used to ignoring the light (i.e. cover it with electrical tape). If I ignore it and something potentially damaging comes up (EGR, etc), I wouldn’t know it.
Thanks for the input!