Fuel tank problem

[98GTragtop]

So my 98 GT has this problem where the car just shuts off as if it was out of fuel. The first time this happened I thought it was the fuel filter so I had it replaced. It then happened again a few months later. It was normally happening during long highway drives. After a few more times I had the fuel filter replaced again. There was a lot of sediment in the filter. I am thinking this is caused by my gas tank corroding and flaking into the fuel lines to clog the filter. It has gotten so bad that I am actually afraid to drive the car on the highway cause it just shuts off and I have no steering or anything. Not the best situation for highway speeds. Has this happened to anyone before? Where should I go from here. I dont want to put the money into getting the tank swapped out if that is not going to be main issue. The budget is a little tight right now. Any idea?

 

[Night Shifter]

Have you checked the fuel pump?

 

[98GTragtop]

I do not think it is the fuel pump because when this happens it takes about a half hour or more for the car to want to start again and normally I have to push it around a little. When it wont start but i have the key in the on position i can hear the fuel pump kicking on. Orginially all of my suspicions were with the pump but now i dont think so

 

[98GTragtop]

If anyone has any ideas please throw them my way. I am at the point where I cant drive the car and im deciding if I need to sell it or not. This would really save me some cash and a headache

 

[Noobz347]

If your filter is in fact, being clogged up by rust etc, then the pump sock is also probably saturated with it.

 

[98GTragtop]

So i am thinking about swapping out the fuel tank. dropping the tank and getting the fuel line connector tool is not difficult but i was wondering if disconnecting the fuel pump itself is tricky. Has anyone done this recently and have any suggestions for me on how i should go about it?

 

[Noobz347]

What trouble shooting have you done?

What's your fuel pressure?

What does your filter look like?

Is there crud making it's way to your fuel rails and injectors?

Is swapping out the fuel tank one of the solutions on your spinning wheel dart board?

Have you disconnected the pressure line from your fuel rail and pumped fuel into a gas tank? What's it look like? Is the pump strong?

Hearing a pump prime itself when you turn the key is not proof of pump condition.

 

[98GTragtop]

Basically I just replaced the fuel filter twice. Both times it had a good amount of gunk in it. I thought I could elimate the idea that it was the pump when I heard it priming but I guess not. I need to check the pressure that the pump is putting out. I figured the gas tank was the next logical step but if not, what else do you think?

 

[Noobz347]

I think that you should disconnect your pressure line from the fuel rail. Jumper the fuel pump test connector and pump as much fuel as you're able into gas cans. You can check the color of the fuel and see how well it's pumped out.

Drop the tank (now nearly empty) and pull the pump. Look at the sock and replace if necessary. Look inside the tank and see if it's full of rust. If so, get some fuel tank restorer and follow the instructions on the can.

Before doing all of that... you need to get a fuel pressure reading. Get a direct reading gauge. Once the pump stops priming, the fuel pressure should bleed down relatively slow. If the needle drops like a rock then either your regulator is bad or your pump is by-passing internally.

If your filter is clogged, and the fuel is rust in color, then you will also need to have the injectors cleaned or replaced.

If your tank is rusting; there are a couple of things to be mindful of:

Don't allow the car to SIT for extended periods with a partially full tank
Don't run E85 fuel
Avoid gas with ethanol when possible
Don't get gas at stations where a fill truck is delivering
If you live in an area with widely varied climate, fuel dryer every couple of months is a good idea
Use fuel stabilizer in a full tank when letting the car sit for extended periods

 

[98GTragtop]

ok thanks this info helps a lot. I will keep you guys posted