QuestionQUESTION: Hi I have not had time to get a fuel pressure gauge but now the car is getting worse. It is a 1992 Cadillac Deville. When I take a turn turning the wheel to the right the car acts like it is not getting any gas. When I finish the turn the car will not accelerate. I have to put my foot all the way down to the floor and after 3-5 seconds it kicks in and takes off. The car does not die it just acts like it does. It only happens with 5 or less gallons in the car. Today I changed the filter it was working a little better the reason I changed it was because I was going 60 on the highway and when I floor it it acts like it was hesitating it would not take off. So now after I changed it it did all right. Now when I come to a stop light it dies I have to put it in park and restart it. It takes a few seconds before it starts. I am not sure what is going on. Any ideas. I was wondering if it could be the fuel pump because it has never been changed but I need to buy a fuel pressure gauge and I guess start their. Any suggestions. Thanks. Off it has a full tank of gas all the way to 6 gallons it does not act up. It only happens when I hit 5 gallons.
ANSWER: Hello,
I do not understand as to why you are asking me this question with it being predicated that you have to buy a fuel pressure gauge.
You also sate that if more than 5 gallons are in the tank, you don't have the problem. The question I have then to asks why do you let the tank get below 5 gallons? Look I am not being a smart guy here. It is almost impossible to diagnose drivability issue without being physically at the vehicle, but in this case from your description, I know what most likely is going on.
You stated the problem was partially relieved by changing the filter. With this being the case, the most likely cause is the fuel pump or the sock. The sock is another filter (very fine screen) attached to the fuel pump inside the fuel tank. It sounds like the pump is cavitating (sucking air) or the sock is plugged. This also explains the problem as to the problem appearing on a turn because the fuel is going to the other side of the pump.
You don't need a fuel pressure gauge to diagnose this problem. It is rather obvious in this case from your description. I would recommend dropping the fuel tank, replacing the fuel pump and sock, because although the problem occurs at 5 gallons or less now, the problem will get worse and eventually may leave you stranded. It is not that big of a deal to drop a few tank with less than 5 gallons ( the less the better because gasoline weighs about 8 pounds a gallon. The only other potential issue you may run into is where the vehicle is located in the damn rust belt and the tank hold down bolts are rusted. You obviously cannot use a torch if that is the case, especially with a plastic fuel tank. Then all you can do is load the bolts with penetrating oil and let them sit for days.
I am now in Texas, but am from Wisconsin where those idiots just have to use road salt and calcium chloride (which they say they mix into a brine). In many cases, much easier to do because the goofs they had working for at least the state continued to break the plows on the trucks. I know this first hand because my dad working as a mechanic showed me deliberate breakage over the years!
I hated doing any kind of repair involving rusted and corroded components. A 1 hour brake job would turn into 8 hours because the wheels had to be taken off with a press against the frame. Calipers and drums had to be removed with a gas ax (torch). 30 years of having to deal with this and hopefully you are located in the south or the west coast.
My answer to you for a diagnoses without being at the vehicle has a 95% chance of being dead on.
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
For anyone that has had the opportunity to be a victim of auto theft and turned in a claim to the insurance carrier, you have a better than excellent chance of being accused of fraud by your carrier. The reason is on my facebook group everyone is welcome to join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/autotheftclaims/
This is a travesty of justice in which the courts are given not the most honest conclusions by the "Forensic Locksmiths" they hire to infer the insured's key was the last used in the ignition. Deliberately sounding like a very technical field, when technical services are rarely employed. These reports are the "smoking gun" to force investigation and to build an apparent financial motive on the insured to get rid of the vehicle. although this scenario is a real life problem, however because of what appears to be fraudulent activity on the carrier's expert, very rarely proven. On the group, this is illustrated by the reports from the experts and my intention is to post hundreds of reports, in which there is no physical evidence, which does not seem to matter to the courts.
The forensic locksmith is believed because of ignorance by everyone in the court about auto theft and forensics. The conclusions are the same from report to report from all the firms across the nation, no matter what steps they skip in the examination. They are treated as the knowers of all because of the "forensic" title they tout. Jim Cadigan who was head of the fire arms and tool mark division at the FBI said it best when being interviewed by Fox News referring the forensic locksmiths conclusions should be part of the "Physic friends Network."
You will see reports stating the vehicle was last driven with a key of the proper type. The problem: The ignition or anti theft system could not be examined because the stolen vehicle was never recovered! Yet, the insured was accused of misrepresentation and the claim was denied!
All one needs to do is send me an email to robo4@aol.com and I will send an invitation to join the group. This has been going on for over a decade! It can and will happen to anyone. Police officers and licensees can lose their jobs because of a moral turpitude clause.
Worse yet, insureds are charged criminally and convicted in the case of a recovered burned stolen vehicle without physical evidence, or purposely wrongful information by the expert!
Again-https://www.facebook.com/groups/autotheftclaims/
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: No I live in Virginia so I know what you mean dealing with rust it is terrible I had to beat a caliper off for 10 minutes with a rubber mall because you could not pull it off same thing with brake bleeder screws I had to use an accetylene torch to heat it up to break the screw loose while trying not to catch anything on fire. I used propane first wouldn't even budge. The worse parts were the caliper bolts holding it on I had heated it I finally took a grinder and cut the bolts off and just bought new. So back to the fuel problem yes I had a feeling the feeling the fuel pump or the screen was clogged up. I had asked around at dealers and side shops they all told me I could just be shooting for a problem without the gauge. Luckily I had one sitting around and did some tests it lead me back to the pump or something in the tank. So I am going to drop the tank and just start changing the parts. I am just worried if I drop the tank and the baffle is broken I am going to be replacing everything which I really don't want to do but at the same time I don't want to be stranded so I guess I might as well do it right the first time and get over it. Thanks for all of your advice and help.
AnswerHello,
Ahhh.... A man that has experienced this crap from road salt and calcium chloride! Friggen lazy jerks. Should all be outlawed. Contaminates the ground and water anyway! If the roads are too bad, then no one should be driving on them or know how to drive 4 wheel drive.
Isn't Virginia though where politicians have to get back and forth to DC? Hmm... what f they didn't? Our country would be much better off if they took some snow days.
Spray those hold down bolts real good with WD 40 and spray again in a day or two. Don't worry about something that has not happened. You are not going to break anything. Get the tank near empty and pull it down. We always changed the sock no matter what. Very cheap part. Drain the tank completely trying to get out whatever sediment you may have in there. Put your new pump in. Install the tank. Put in 5 gallons of gas and start it up. I believe you will see the problem is gone. Let me know how it turns out.
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
