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Help!! Fuel system problems?


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kkaiser80
User

Apr 11, 2014, 1:17 PM

Post #1 of 8 (2149 views)
Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

1996 Pontiac grand am SE, 3.1l v6, when started cold and close to out of gas (not out! Like in between 1/4 tank and empty) the last two times the car would start to sputter and die, then the rpms would raise higher up (2000rps), then die and start to sputter, back and forth for thirty seconds to a minute. Then runs perfect. Fuel filter? Pump? Throttle body sticking, faulty gas gauge? What else?

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(This post was edited by kkaiser80 on Apr 11, 2014, 1:30 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 11, 2014, 1:28 PM

Post #2 of 8 (2146 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

 In tank fuel pumps are cooled and lubricated by the fuel in the tank. When you run a car out of gas or very low, it pumps a lot of air through the pump which overheats it and causes some severe wear and many times, failure when they cool off.
You will need to use a fuel pressure gauge to verify this



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



kkaiser80
User

Apr 11, 2014, 1:33 PM

Post #3 of 8 (2141 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Yeah I'll see tonight after work. It's got gas in it now. Why does it stop after about a minute? Even when low?

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nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

Apr 12, 2014, 1:23 AM

Post #4 of 8 (2109 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Your fuel gauge on a car this old can be trusted about as much as the word of an ex-wife. The suction tube can have a pinhole that sucks air, the pump can be near shot, or the sending unit giving up the ghost. Also can be an issue with the gauge.

As HT pointed out, your pump is cooled and lubed by the fuel it sits in. So if you are someone who only puts $5 worth of gas in it at a time and drives near empty a lot, you are likely killing an already due for change pump. If you get a cheap pump from Autozone, expect even more issues. If it is from Airtex, do yourself the favor of not putting it in your car.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 12, 2014, 2:40 AM

Post #5 of 8 (2108 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Nick, I use Airtex pumps every day and have never had one fail. They are decent pumps.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
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Apr 12, 2014, 11:25 PM

Post #6 of 8 (2088 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Maybe they have upped their game lately, but I have seen many early dead especially in vortec applications. If they have proof they turned over a new leaf, I am open to it. Until then I can only go by their abysmal failure record. I go Delphi for all GM because of it.


kkaiser80
User

Apr 13, 2014, 12:09 PM

Post #7 of 8 (2080 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Yeah I've only had the car for a few months, and never let it get below half tank until now, in guessing previous owners did the 5$ in gas at a time. I put fuel in it and it hasn't happened since. I'm going to replace filter and pump as now I know how they were treated? What brand pump do you prefer then?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 13, 2014, 12:20 PM

Post #8 of 8 (2079 views)
Re: Help!! Fuel system problems? Sign In

Delco is preferred but Airtex will do just fine.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







 
 
 






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