Mysterious Engine Cutout.

[Joey GT-R]

So I'm just casually out driving yesterday and it rains cats and dogs, no biggie. Sometimes your car acts weird when it rains heavy, I dunno. But anyway, later that night when it's pretty much dried up my engine starts to sputter as if it wants to die, but bounces right back. It's not at a particular RPM, just during regular driving.

My best guess is the fuel pump. The only reason why is because my fuel light isn't working(still trying to figure that one out) and I nearly ran out of gas the day before. In my entire time of owning the car, I've only ran out of gas twice, but that with multiple years in between. However I have heard that that can foul one up. The injectors should be fine, and the fuel rail is an AEM that I purchased a year ago. I've always wanted a Walbro, so maybe this is my chance. However I want to make sure this isn't anything else.

[mtnbikaah]

Are you out of fuel?

Can you hear the fuel pump prime?

Have you run any "dry-gas" or other water remover recently? (Ethanol attracts water)

[illinois_erik]

if you were low on gas id think it sounds like waters mixed in somehow..heet and see if it clears..when youre about out of gas and you fill up do you hear pressure escaping?

[Stoner51]

Ignitor would be my guess for a random cut out. Mine did that when it died.

It could be the fuel pump. But from what I read they aren't known to fail. But we are getting into the 20+ year range on all the parts

The other thing I had the stumped me was the ignition switch. I would have to turn the key a couple times and then it would work. Then one day it almost shut down while driving. When I got back in to go home, the car wouldn't start.

Steve

[Joey GT-R]

I'm currently riding on a full tank with only about 60 miles of use. So I've got at least 13+ gallons sloshing around. But yea when I'm on E I usually hear pressure escaping except this last time which I did take note of.

I dunno, maybe I'm deaf from shooting too many rifles in the military, but I can never heard the fuel pump prime, although everyone else can pick the sound out just fine. I'd probably have to have someone listen.

I have zero problems starting up, I was earlier, but that was my neutral safety switch, and the local dealer took care of that.

I'm not against ordering a Walbro at this point since it's an upgrade and I'm sure that along with some 450s could add some more ponies next time I'm on the dyno. So I wouldn't necessarily feel like I wasted money if that didn't fix the problem.

[drummersteve7]

fuel pump (sends fuel) and the fuel sending unit (sends the information for the light,,, and where your gauge reads) are separate items.

Does your gauges bounce around when this happens?
Both speedo and rpm?

[Joey GT-R]

Tach dips(due to rpms dropping off) but speed remains constant or slows down since I usually let off the gas.

[Joey GT-R]

UPDATE: My tech friend(and Steve) suggested we try ignition first. We replaced the ignitor. I was at work while he ran it and he didn't encounter any problems, as soon as I got it that night the thing bucked so hard when it cut out I almost hit a pole(I was backing out of a parking space). He was maybe thinking trying an ignition coil since the ignition switch was changed about 2 years ago and I don't have any starting issues(as of yet).


Does anyone think maybe it's the fuel route? Any other tests?


As a side note...I'm idling at 1500rpms for some reason, dunno if this is another symptom or just an extra problem.

[drummersteve7]

oh its actually bucking on you, most likely not coil
wonder if its fuel related...fuel filter?
are you running egr, and when was the last time you cleaned the ports?

did you fill up with a different brand or octane than you normally do?

[almostJDM]

yeah I would rule out the coil as well, and do as drummersteve7 says, clean the egr, and fuel filter, also about the brand of fuel

[Joey GT-R]

I have had a Skunk2 Manifold since 2008 so it can't be EGR. I did goto a gas station I never goto because....well I just don't but this time since I was out of gas I wonder if it's crap gas. Now I gotta run out of gas to be sure. I may go ahead and order the Walbro just for kicks. Like I said it's not like I'm "wasting money". I gotta look into where I can find a fuel sending unit as well.

[almostJDM]

actually that could be the whole problem, I would just pull the plug and refill with known good gas, or at least a few gallons of it

[Joey GT-R]

Pull the plug where?

[almostJDM]

driver side of the fuel tank, if I am remembering correctly

[Joey GT-R]

I was going to try to dump the fuel tank, but then I don't have anywhere to dump it. My apt complex has promised a $500 fine for anybody caught dumping automotive/industial chemicals, and my job says they can't mix gas with used oil or the people won't take it. My service manager did suggest seafoaming the tank. At $10 for a bottle, I said sure why not. I'm going to hit the highway for an errand this afternoon and crack VTEC once or twice if I can, see if that cleans it out. Worse case scenario is I'm at 3/4 of a tank so if I can get it down to half I can go where I normally go and put half a tank of where I normally go and call it a day. Or there's a station that sells race gas I could do 4 gallons or so of that and that should be it. If all this fails I'm thinking fuel pump and sending unit.