Symptoms of Failing Fuel Pump?

RedlineGX · Post by **RedlineGX** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:33 am

Hi Everyone
For a long time now I've been having an intermittent problem with my car...1997 FTO GX Manual.

Sometimes I'll be driving and the car will start to surge a few times quickly then pick back up again, sometimes even feeling faster than before the surges. I put it down to an air/fuel problem since it feels like someone is literally blocking the the air or the fuel. The drop isn;t long enough to notice wether the revs drop but you can definitely hear and feel it. Sometimes when its really bad it almost feels like the car is about to cut out. Other times its barely noticeable almost like a slightly fluctuating acceleration curve. It SEEMS like it happens more under load(when i have others in the car) or when going up a slight incline or hill, but it is not confined to those conditions. It also happens more on Half Open Throttle in Mid RPM. On what the car doesnt seem to surge but rahter accelerate poorly.

Anyway in my quest to identify the problem and in just trying to take care of my car the same time, Ive changed the following parts:- Air Filter, Spark Plugs, Plug Wires, Adj. FPR, Fuel Filter, Battery, Cleaned Stepper, tried various engine, injector cleaners/octane boosters.. I;ve also done an ECU error code test and nothing showed up. My car generally feels likes its down on power until the surges happen(maybe a couple times a week) and then it drives great for a couple days then down on power again.

My question is, could this be that my pump is playing the fool and not supplying my engine with enough fuel when it really needs it? Also I know their is a secondary fuel filter. Is this the little sac at the back of the Fuel Pump or is there anotehr one somewhere else?

Any help would be appreciated since everytime I think I've fixed the problem it comes back again! Taking the joy away from driving my FTO

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 9:57 am

i think i had similar symtoms
and my mechanic told me to do an injector flush
now its all good as new

RedlineGX · Post by **RedlineGX** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 11:50 am

Yes I would agree except I've done that like 20 times with almost every available brand including a professional injector flush. Infact as we speak I am about to go pour a new type into my tank.

Wouldnt it be a more regular problem as well if it were the injectors?

Chiangstar · Post by **Chiangstar** » Mon Mar 14, 2005 2:16 pm

does it happen when the car is warm? or just when the car is cold?

have you checked your ignition timing? or cylinder compression?

simon

RedlineGX · Post by **RedlineGX** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:31 am

Seems to happen fairly randomly so I cant say definnitely wether hot or cold.
Changed my timing belt a while back and found out it was out by a couple teeth. Since then spoke to my mechanic and he assures me it was put on ok. I;ve of course reset the ECU many times but that didnt really do anything longterm. Checked the compression on the front bank of cyclinders and its not the highest but it is consisten at about 155 per cyclinder. I didnt check the back because of the hastle. I guess I really should but somehow I dont feel thats the problem...

Anyone know about this second fuel filter? The location that is?

RedlineGX · Post by **RedlineGX** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:54 pm

Ok I'm leaning towards my fuel pump. Problem occured tonight with quarter tank gas with injector cleaner in it. Reset the ECU and it was fine after that.
That seems to be the norm. Initially I put it down to something electrical etc but after thinking about it, I believe that something is causing the car to run lean and then knock and forcing the computer to retard the timing. So ECU resets that, and it works great again until the pump acts up assuming thats the problem. Only other thing could be an almost completely blocked injector beyond the hope of normal additives or something else not reporting the correct mixture. Or TPS sensor but not getting any codes about that.

Having said that does anyone else know about this other Filter???

Anyone know where I can get a new injector from incase one needs replacing?

Thanks again

dannyboyau · Post by **dannyboyau** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:24 pm

i could sell you my old fuel pump ( was nothing wrong with it has only done around 40000 Ks ) from when i put the walbro pump in or i could sell you a new walbro pump, i also got a set of injectors here from a mivec engine.

before you replace your injectors i suggest you take all your injectors out and get them serviced properly, they will sonic clean them and put on new seals and filter baskets into them.

GPXXX · Post by **GPXXX** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:05 pm

hey james, do you find your fuel pump louder than normal on some occassions, like particularly on a hot day?

RedlineGX · Post by **RedlineGX** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:52 pm

Hey Dannyboy, how much would you want for the used pump and those injectors from the mivec. They should be the same as on the GX right?
PM me or send me a mail at info@redlinebarbados.com. Also how much for the new Walbro? Let me know and I'll send you some dinero.

I would get them cleaned but no one here does off-car injector cleaning. I've done a professional on car clean but thats not nearly as effective.