here's the story:

Last night I was driving up a fairly steep hill and the car started missing, almost as if it were starved for fuel. This lasted for about 5 seconds then went away. It really bothered me but i didn't have time to investigate the problem. However, on my way home after about 2 miles of driving the same thing happened. It sounded as if it were starving for fuel, yet i had plenty of fuel in the gas tank. It was barely running, it couldn't not hold a steady idle one bit, absolutely no power under full throttle, and it would not rev above 2200 RPM even at WOT. i was able to park the car on a side street and get a ride from someone else for the rest of the evening and towed my car back to my house this morning.

I tried starting the car but it wouldn't stay running for more than 5 seconds and got progressively harder to start until it wouldn't start at all.

My original thoughts were that I have a clogged fuel filter, kinked fuel line, a problem with my fuel pump or maybe something wrong with my injectors. This afternoon i managed to replace my fuel filter in the blistering 40* weather but that doesn't appear to be the problem anymore and inspected my fuel lines and they were all fine.

Does anyone else have any other suggestions or possible solutions? I'm really hoping it's not the fuel pump because i really don't want to have to drop the tank. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

Unplug the maf sensor and see if it runs any better, if it does, the maf or the maf control module may be bad. Also check the fuel injector fuses, and check your fuel pressure as well.

 

Yep I'd check all that for sure, then I'd look at the Ignition module

 

Today i finally got around to disconnecting the MAF sensor and tried starting it but it didnt seem to help for my engine still won't start. Does anyone have a diagram for the fuses? My fuse box is missing the cover and doesn't have any labels so I'm kind of SOL on determining which fuse is which for now.

 

Sorry I dont know of the top of my head. I would pull each one out and check them all.

 

i would change the fuel filter first... and check the fuel pump.

now, for the fuse box, just read your chiltons or haynes manual... it has fuse boxes in it with pictures.

 

Wow. I totally spaced on refering to my haynes manual. Actually I already tried pulling each fuse to find out what they were but I could only determine the funtion of a couple. I did however find a broken fuse. The metal connectors snapped in half so it wont stay all the way in or make good contact.

ScottieB: I changed my fuel filter and it didnt help any. oh well, needed replacing anyway. But i was able to change it without pulling the fuel pump fuse which i though was quite odd and there was no pressure in the system. Maybe my broken fuse is for the fuel pump? I'll check tomorrow.

 

Reviving a somewhat old thread here but I eventually fixed the problem and got my car running again.

I found out that the broken fuse was for my gauges so I replaced it. When I would turn the ignition to on I noticed that my fuel pump was not priming and since i knew it wasn't just the fuse being out, I was almost certain that the fuel pump had croaked. So I towed the car to my shop and got it all jacked up and ready to start pulling the axle, exhaust, etc to get the tank out. Well my dad at the last second just asks, "why don't you see if you have some sort of access panel." I had told him time and time again that 3rd gens never came with an access panel but now I was getting annoyed so I opened the trunk and pulled back the carpeting just to prove it to him.

To my amazement, there it was, right there. An access panel had been cut on three sides allowing it to fold back for easy access to the pump and fuel lines. Saved me a load of work and I just replaced the pump right then and there. Afterwards the car started right on up. Sure is a good feeling when you know that you've fixed something on your own.

Now i have another problem though. I have a huge lack of power. I'm not sure if it is the new fuel pump for I hadn't driven the car for a month since replacing it. The car is noticeably slower and I've had a time where I couldn't even break the tires loose for a burnout. I know the car is running rich, I can smell it, it backfires after revving it up, and I'm getting poor fuel economy. The engine also sounds like it is cutting out. I have no clue what causes that though. I know I have a bad O2 sensor and I am replacing that soon. would that cause me to lose power?