TheMysticWizard

iTrader: (1)

Okay. I was driving my car today, went to work this morning as usual, 20 miles, then went to my Girl's house after work, 12 miles, Car ran as usual all that time.

Came home, drove about 8 miles, get off the freeway, make the right turn, coming up on a stop light, start slowing down and it feels like my car died. I get to the light, and it's idling normally... wonder to myself what that was about.

Light turns green, I hit the gas (not heavy, not light, just normal) and it revs up a little (1200 rpms or so) then feels dead again. I notice the RPMs climb, then drop, majorly surging... so I get worried, and people are behind me, so I push the gas harder, still doesn't go, I'm slowly getting up some speed, but it's like rolling at idle basically. I was only about a mile from home, so I nursed it home. In that mile, the SES light finally turned on, I checked the codes, code 44, lean exhaust.

It was backfiring and sputtering badly, I thought to myself, it's like i'm running out of gas. It idles fairly well, not completely normal, If I mash the gas it won't rev up, it backfires and sputters, if I push the gas down slowly, i mean very slowly, it revs up slowly a little, barely, then at about 2500 RPMs it stops reving, just sputtering and backfiring.

A little more background...
It has done something like this before, but usually snapped out of it in a few seconds, all those times it smelled very bad, a lean kind of smell, very strong. But it always snapped out of it quickly.

It has constantly run slightly lean according to data logs, with the original 19 lb/hr injectors, then now I have 22 lb/hr injectors in it, and it still runs a bit lean. I have an almost constant ping when I get on it hard, basically for the first few fractions of a second when I get on it. Timing is at 7*, stock is 6*. Coil is pretty new (less than 8k on it) Plugs look like it's running a bit lean, wires are new.

I don't have a fuel pressure gauge, so I can't check it (I will be getting one in the next day or 2, cause I need to figure this out) but I am seriously thinking the pump is going out on me.

I just fired it up and it seems to be running better now that it cooled off a bit, but still doesn't seem right, and seems like it wants to cut out when I hit the gas hard.

I don't know what's going on really, any suggestions?

..Edit...
I read the pump should run if you put 12v to PIN G on the ALDL, so I did... I heard a click (the relay) a little whine/hum, then click click click (in the rear of the car, tank probably) then nothing. I took the voltage away, and I heard the relay click again. I then put power to it again, and heard the relay click, and nothing else.

robsgta

Sounds like a fuel pump gone bad problem. You can press the schrader valve at the motor on the fuel rail as soon as you turn the key and hear the fuel pump prime. if it barely trickles out then your fuel pump is out. If it shoots in a very strong high pressure mist then maybe not.

Oh and hey Try using a higher octane gas to prevent any type of knock or ping, If that doesnt help then back your timing a few degrees. When you start making bigger power usually in the 400 or more power range ping will rattle a motor apart in places.

TheMysticWizard

iTrader: (1)

Well I replaced the pump, and let me tell you, this car has never had power like this since I got it. I surprised myself when I went for the test drive after finishing. I think my pump has been going out for a while.

The pinging is also gone, which makes me happy.

When I got the pump out, I looked at the fuel strainer, it was ripped up where it attaches to the pump, so I'm thinking that maybe part of it went inside the pump and clogged it up or jamed it.

Either way I'm on the road again and it's running better than it has since I bought it. Interesting thing, I can now spin the tires from a dead stop by just mashing the pedal down.

Jim

aren't you the lucky one, replaced my fuel pump this morning and still have the same problem. seems like when i drive about a mile or two the car stalls out and won't restart for about fifteen minutes then it is fine again. I only hear the fuel pump prime about every three tries. could this be the relay???

TheMysticWizard

iTrader: (1)

Check for spark, sounds like it could be the ignition module. I had one go out on me, mine went dead completely... but I have heard of other people having trouble once their car warms up. It would stall out then run fine once it cooled off a bit... Another thought, Pickup coil in the distributor, same kind of thing, may cut out when warm.

So the next time it dies on you, check for spark right then... also when trying to restart it, does the Tach jump up around 250 RPMS and bounce around or stay at 0. If it stays at 0, I would have to say the module is the problem.

It could be the relay, but I kinda thing you would have a constant problem. Mine also doesn't prime every time, more like every 3rd or 4th time. You could try putting 12v to Pin G on the ALDL connector under the dash, it's the pin on the bottom left on my connector, should be the same on yours. This will cause the pump to run, check your pressure with it running with the engine off if you want... run it for a little bit and see if it stops after a few minutes.

Check that stuff out, then let us know the results. That's all I can think of right now.

Jim

I will do that, I have opened a new post for this under "Fuel pump connection or relay or ???"