Fuel supply shuts down

SIDDY7112

MEMBER
2003 KIA SORENTO
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
57,000 MILES

2003 Kia Sorento 3.5, auto, 57k miles.
After approximately 20-25 minutes of city driving ( less on the highway ), without any warning sings the fuel supply just shuts down and the car dies. After 1 minute it will start normally again and drive for couple of yards and dies again. After 15 minutes will start normally and drive for 2-3 miles and dies again.
My local garage checked and the fuel pressure was normal ( This when the engine was cold ).
Something else - for over a year the exhaust valve ( or whatever it's called ) on the fuel tank has been clogged and I can not fill gas continuously, otherwise it "spits".
On the bottom of the tank there are couple dozens very very tiny black plastic particles, maybe fro that broken valve/canister. Is it possible that they relay to the above problem, like the fuel pump sucking them up or something? Or maybe the pump is due for a replacement and if so, how come the car keeps running for so long without any hesitation before it shuts down?

6 Replies

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

Is the Chck Engine Lamp indicating and did you try to retrieve for trouble codes?

When engine stalled and could not be started. Did you tst what was missing? Fuel or ignition sparks?

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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 AT 8:57 PM

SIDDY7112

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No Engine Light is present and the codes came ok. Since we just replaced the spark plugs and the cables and the problem still persists, so it can't be them. I know how it feels when SP misfire and how the engine acts without a cylinder. No rough idle and poor acceleration is present in my case.
This is just complete fuel supply shut down. Fells just like the car run out of gas, nothing comes out of the gas pedal.
Can it be the fuel pump, but isn't it suppose to just shut down and never work again?
Maybe a sensor, but why there are no engine warning lights on?
Maybe something to do with the fact that I can not pump gas continuously ( only 30-40 cents at a time and then wait 1-2 seconds) because maybe the air valve is clogged/broken. But it's been like this for over 1.5 years.

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Thursday, November 25th, 2010 AT 5:07 AM

SIDDY7112

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Most likely the Vapor canister filter has come apart and spilled carbon in the fuel tank. These are the couple dozen small black particles I removed from the bottom of the gas tank.
Is it difficult to replace this canister filter?
Maybe these carbon deposits were clogging the fuel pump?

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Thursday, November 25th, 2010 AT 7:27 AM

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

A failng fuel pump can operate and fail intermittently. Have you tested he fuel pressure?
When engine could not be started, was the fuel pressure checked?

If the stalling is immediate, it is most likely to be an electrical fault rether then fuel.

For the difficult filling and EVAP vacuum hoses problems, they would normally trigger trouble codes. It is surprising you have faults with the charcoal canister and yet no troublecodes are found.

Job to replace canister is liste at 1/2 hgour so it should not bt too difficult to replace.

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Thursday, November 25th, 2010 AT 11:55 AM