Acts like it is out of gas

Tiny
CANOE169
  • MEMBER
  • 1989 FORD MUSTANG
  • 2.3L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 30,000 MILES
After I start the car which starts okay while driving it starts to starve for gas. I push in the clutch and after fifteen or twenty seconds it runs fine. I have change the fuel pump fuel filter, throttle air bypass valve and still have the same problem. I sprayed throttle cleaner around the opening for the throttle air bypass valve. I also installed a new throttle air bypass valve and now car runs very bad. Thinking about putting old throttle air bypass back on and see what happens. Thank you.
Saturday, May 5th, 2018 AT 7:33 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,763 POSTS
Put a fuel pressure gauge on it and clip it under a wiper arm so you can watch it while driving. If you see the pressure dropping when the stalling occurs, the best suspect is the pick-up screen inside the gas tank. When they become plugged or are collapsing, they commonly cause stalling when the highest volume of gas must be pumped, which is during coasting, especially from highway speed.
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Saturday, May 5th, 2018 AT 8:53 PM
Tiny
CANOE169
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I have installed a new fuel pump as well as a new fuel filter. I have also installed a new throttle air bypass valve as well and the car ran very good for about one hour and then the next day problem had gotten worse. I might try and put the old throttle air bypass valve back on and see what happens then.
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Sunday, May 6th, 2018 AT 7:20 AM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,763 POSTS
You said that all already. The throttle bypass valve you are referring to is for idle speed. It has nothing to do with engine performance. The engine computer opens that valve, and at the same time, it keeps the injectors pulsed open longer for more fuel, to increase idle speed as necessary. Once you push even a little on the accelerator pedal, that valve is out of the picture. It is only for idle speed.

What you described originally is often caused by a plugged pick-up screen inside the gas tank. This is a very elusive problem and has stumped a real lot of experienced professionals over the years. The best way to find it is with the fuel pressure gauge I mentioned.

When you replaced the fuel pump, there are two ways to do that. If you bought the entire assembly which includes the pump, sending unit, and wiring inside a plastic housing, it should have come with the new strainer already attached to the bottom of that housing. To save money, most people buy just the pump and motor that has to be installed into their old housing. This is where they overlook that strainer and put the housing back in with the old, plugged strainer.

In theory, this problem should able to be caused by a plugged fuel filter too, but that seems to be not the case. Fuel is being pushed under pressure through the filter, and you only need enough fuel to get through to supply the needs of the engine. That can be as little as a gallon every fifteen minutes.

Fuel going through the strainer is being pulled by the pump and that puts that strainer under a slight vacuum. When the strainer starts to collapse, it closes off the fuel passage, and that allows more vacuum to build up, and that closes the ports even harder, until no fuel can get through. The clue to this is once the engine stalls and you are sitting in a pile of tears on the side of the road, the strainer will gradually stretch back out in about five to ten minutes, then it will let gas pass again. The engine will fire right up and run fine for another few miles.

A plugged filter will not allow fuel to flow after sitting for a few minutes. Once flow is blocked, that is not going to change except by replacing the filter. Here again, you can get a clue by watching the fuel pressure gauge. Once you see pressure has dropped off and perhaps the engine has stalled, you must turn the ignition switch off, then when you turn it back on later, the fuel pump is going to run for one second, then turn off unless you start cranking the engine. If you see pressure pop up instantly to normal, the filter cannot be plugged. Suspect the strainer, and at this moment it is stretched out and allowing fuel to pass. If you see pressure rise very little, and you have to cycle the ignition switch between "run" and "off" multiple times for the pressure to come up slowly each time, suspect the filter.
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Monday, May 7th, 2018 AT 3:12 PM

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