QuestionQUESTION: I've had an intermittant problem with my car. It's been stalling occasionally, but finally it had stalled too many times on one day. It's really been a hit or miss, and I've taken it to the dealer and to another mechanic who still haven't been able to solve the problem. The mechanic is weary that it's the fuel pump, but the dealership is guessing it's the pump. They suggest I'd replace both pumps and the relay. Obviously the cost of the repair is more than the car is worth at this point. Any suggestions. It stalls when I'm slowing down. It starts to get jerky and that's how I know it's going to stall. I've replaced the ignition coil and distributer already because the private mechanic said he didn't see any "sparks." Ocassionally I can get the car to restart after a few minutes of letting it sit. Please help. I'm at a lost. It only has 76k miles on it.
ANSWER: Linda,
Drive or have a shop drive it with a fuel pressure gauge on it and see if when it stalls it is due to low or no fuel pressure. Then see if the pump is running or has it turned off or locked up. Test the in tank pumpp to make sure that it is suppling the main pump with fuel. Maybe no supply of fuel from the tank pump. If it stalls and the pump will not run because of no power to the pump, replace the relay. If it has power and the in tank pump is working the main pump is faulty.
Make sure that the fuel filter is not blocked/clogged.
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QUESTION: Thank you. I do have some more info. The dealer told me that the relay had been replaced in 2005, and that they wanted to hook up the fuel pressure gauge to monitor the pressure, but couldn't because the line is frozen onto the connectors. He told me that he was afraid that he line would break. I've also had the fuel filter replaced last year. Could there be anything else I could do?
AnswerLinda,
If you do not monitor the fuel pressure, you will not have the knowlege if the fuel stop flowing and is the cause of your stalling. You will not know what the pressure is and if the pressure regulator is good. The shops you had it to also feel that is the case, meaning the cause of the stalling That is why they want to install fuel pumps.
With out the fuel pressure knowlege try to determine if the feed pump is working, if not replace that pump and try the car.
You can also try to buy a used fuel rail to be ready in case the line breaks as someone takes it apart.
You can monitor power to the fuel pump to see if there is a loss of power.
