I am having engine problems when the vehicle is under load. Car starts fine, idles great, but when I pull away I get some coughing, sputtering and a little surging. Eventually the motor seems to choke itself and die. Also, everytime the filters start to get plugged I can hear the fuel pump screeming, as if its not getting enough fuel to pass through the line.

History:
This problem isn't new to the vehicle and on every previous occasion its been a clogged fuel filter. I run an inline pump and have a Russel fuel filter between the pump and the tank. On all previous occasions everytime the engine had these symptoms it was a dirty screen, which I would clean and re-install with a new primary filter (the filter between the pump and the injectors). I think I changed the filters 4 times over the last 3 weeks.

Problem:
A few days ago the same symptoms began to appear. The vehicle would drive normally, and then on occasion I would feel the studder under load, and the fule pump is screeming like crazy. Within a day the symptoms became so bad that I can't accelerate at all. Instantly I'm thinking its the same problem, so this time I tried to fix the problem for once and for all. I dropped the tank, flushed it and then replaced both rubber lines all the way to the fuel rail, along with a new fuel filter.

While doing this I also decided to check and see if the fuel lines were clear throughout the system, and decided to blow air into the pressure line. While doing so I noted significant resistance in the line. It seemed as though air wouldn't blow through unless the pressure exceeded 30 - 35 psi, and only then would I here air flow pass through the return line. I don't know if this is unusual because I don't quite understand how the fuel pressure regulator works.

Anyway, after the system is re-installed the problem is still there, as if I hadn't done anything at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions?
I'm thinking about pulling the fuel rails and cleaning them, but I don't know if that will fix the problem. I thought the pump could be bad also, but its a new Holley with less than 2500 miles on it. Its gotta be a problem in the fuel system somewhere.

Any suggestions, and ideas of how I can check the system before I start buying more stuff is greatly appreciated.

 

Do you have a leak anywhere? What is your operating fuel pressure at? The regulator relieves the excess pressure out the return. Forcing air in there will not help anything unless you remove the regulator. If your pressure is approx 39-46psi everything is good up to the schrader valve, I would then take a look at your injectors. If your pressure is bad... maybe you just simply need a larger fuel filter.