Mike Murphy

It was about 65-70 degrees out when the car was sputtering. It only did it 3 times in 2 months and 1700 miles of driving. All 3 times, it was cool out, not hot.

rbuswell

If you're handy, you may try getting/renting/borrowing the testing instrument to check fuel flow. FI needs fuel flow to be just right. If you want to limit your cost to the minimum, it's my understanding that you work the problem from the filter to the accumulator to the pump ... replacing one at a time. If you do mail order, that may take a while but could save you some money.

The jobs are quite doable but the pump is more difficult than described in Dempsey's 101 Projects Book (as everything I've done out of that crappy book has been). You will want to run the fuel way down and clamp the hose carefully. You can also pull the fuel level sensor assembly from the top of the tank (also very carefully due to the vapors igniting) to check for gunk in the bottom of the tank. Mine was very clean but you'd want to be sure before you put a new pump in.

Mike Murphy

I may try that if it comes back, but so far, it hasn't. I have a full tank and a bottle of techron in it now, for the first time. The car runs stongs, idles well, and part throttle is excellent. Whatever the problem, it is clearly gone now. Maybe it will never return?

Scott5

My father had an issue once with really stale gasoline. He decided to fill the tank with fresh gas - and did this a couple times. Acording to my father, the fresh gas was consumed first every time and at a certian point he appeared to be picking up the bad gas. I really would have thought the old fuel and new would mix and the old gas would be eventually gone at some point, but apparently there was a specific gravity difference or something that kept the bad gas seperate and caused a problem like you are describing.

Eventually he drained the tank and intending to use it in a lawn tractor, but even that engine didn't like the fuel.

ron mcatee

Once gas is that old, the best thing to do is get rid of it. New gas will never comingle with the old stuff. it's like water and oil.

Edgy01

Sadly, these cars are extremely fuel sensitive. Without routine purging and maintenance of the tank it will accumulate a fair amount of crap in the bottom. Once you do a tank purge don't forget to deal with the fuel filter as well. When you state that it only happens below a 1/4 tank,--DON'T GO BELOW A QUARTER TANK!