Car Died On The Freeway

[HGFireHazard]

I was going 70 in 5th with my foot on the throttle and car just started slowing down. I was like what the heck and downshifted and stepped on the gas but nothing happened. I managed to get over onto the shouler and by time I slowed to a stop the car died. I tried cranking it over and over and it would start, but sputter out. Before I would get 40 psi fuel pressure priming and 33 at idle, on the side of the road I got 8 primed and 7 trying to run. The fuel filter is brand new, I have the t-rex in line and a walbro 255 hp in tank and I am not out of gas, I have about 1/4 tank (I was actually on my way to the gas station coming home from work), my fuses are now blown (otherwise they would not run at all). Both fuel pumps primed but did jack squat when they did. The only things I can come up with are that the fuel filter managed to get plugged up somehow or the in tank pump sock came off and managed to get plugged somehow. What do you guys think?

 

[99FiveOh]

Just because fuel pumps are new doesn't mean they're any good. I've heard horror stories about Walbro fuel pumps. I think I read a thread on one of these forums where a guy installed 3 of their pumps before getting one to work.

You should bypass the T rex to see if you get good pressure then. If not, then it's more than likely your in tank pump. Also, it's highly unlikely that your filter is that clogged. You said it is new and just think, the originals last years and years until replaced, usually for preventative maintanence. I for one have never seen a car not run because of a filter, maybe bad, but would still run!

 

[HGFireHazard]

Some opinions from some of my locals think it may be more electrical than mechanical. The wrecker guy said that it's rare for a fuel pump to just go out when the car is driving. I don't know much of the depth of how a fuel pump works, but would a lack of voltage not allow the pump to run to capacity? Why are they both priming but having no real effect? Maybe I'm missing something but things aren't adding up in my mind, ya know?

 

[99FiveOh]

Well, you could run strait voltage to your pumps from under the car if you want and see if the pressure changes. However, if you hear them come on, then one of the pumps has to be your problem. It means your pumps are getting all the juice they were before. There's really no way, unless your battery is dead, that their voltage can change. Of coarse, it will change if you have a bad ground somewhere.

And, most pumps that I've had or seen go bad did so while driving the car. The only other thing could be your Fuel pressure regulator.

 

[94-302-vert]

it could be the fuel pressure regulator not restricting the flow to build up any pressure...

Have you tried checking for flow or restricting the return line to see if pressure increases? To me this could jsut fail...

 

[HGFireHazard]

It's a possibility I will go check out today. Nothing else really seems to make any sense. On the stock setup the FPR has a vacuum line that runs from it to the vacuum tree but I tied into it twice for aftermarket vacuum needs with the s/c. With both pumps priming the only things that make sense to me are low voltage to the in-tank (because the car runs without the in-line running, tested that before), something is plugging a line (but highly doubt the fuel filter it is about 2k old), or the FPR. We'll nip this problem and get it back on the road, thanks for your help guys. BTW, my cobra brakes are arriving via UPS today, how mad could I possibly be

 

[HGFireHazard]

Problem Solved:

I got impatient and took a couple friends of mine up to my mechanics shop and started tooling around with a test light. Everything up to the relay tested just fine but when we tested the positive down on the in line fuel pump we couldn't get anything. After some more playing around we discovered that the ground we had originally used for the in line just decided to stop being a good ground. We went and got some wire from the house, hooked some ends up and ran the ground to the inside of the trunk where the relay is grounded to just in case the problem arises again in the future. That's all this whole deal was is a ground, jeeze.

 

[99FiveOh]

Awsome! Those pesky grounds seem to be getting everyone down these days!

 

[94-302-vert]

At least it was a cheap fix too!!!!

Awesome...