I'm still having fuel system problems

Alright here is some back ground on the problem...

As I mentioned in an earlier post. My '85 244 started having some fuel
problems. it started acting like it was starving for fuel a bit, mostly
a slight loss of power. Last week I was driving over a mountain with a
half tank of gas, and it started cutting out. I was afraid it was going
to stall on me on this mountain road with no place to pull off, so I
turned it around and headed back down the mountain. I thought I would
top off the tank to see if that would help.

At the bottom of the mountain it stalled out completely on me. After
cranking on it a while, I got it cranked back up, made it to the
station, fueled up, and made it back over the mountain without a hitch.
When I got back home I was back down to a 1/2 tank. The next morning I
got up and drove it about 20 miles, and it didn't miss a lick. But when
I went to crank it up it was missing so bad it wouldn't drive.

My first thought was the fuel filter. I pulled the fiter/high pressure
pump assembly off and was able to blow through the filter. I poured 5
gallons of gas in it and brought it up to a little over 3/4's of a
tank.

After putting it back together, I noticed that I had pretty good
pressure at the regulator, as it would let go pretty good when I pulled
the fuel line off. However, when disconnecting the regulator from the
fuel rail and giving it a whirl, nothing. There was nothing passing
through the fuel pressure regulator.

Well, I wasn't aware of a regulator doing that. I figured if anything
it would be passing too much fuel pressure, not blocking all fuel.
Nevertheless, I decided to go ahead and get a regulator, and since I am
in Mexico and had to have the parts shipped up, I didn't want to take
any chances. I also ordered an in-tank pump, a high pressure pump, and
a fuel filter.

The parts came in, and I stuck the new regulator on there. Nothing. I
dropped the assembly and put the new high pressure pump and filter on.
Nothing.

I pulled the hose off the regulator, and it had substantially more
pressure than it did before. I took a gasoline bath. I turned it over
and gas was pumping through.

I put the fuel line back on the regulator and disconnected the
regulator from the fuel rail. I turned it over, and again, nothing
coming out of the fuel pressure regulator.

Can anyone give me any idea of what is going on? why isn't my fuel
pressure regulator passing any fuel through it. How could the new one
be bad? How could a brand new regulator be bad? How could it be bad in
such a way that it would completely cut off the fuel flow?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Taylor

 

I haven't seen the beginning of this thread, but this is a classic
symptom of a bad in-tank pump.

 

Yes, and I think that my problem might be on multiple fronts. But that
still doesn't explain why I would have gobs of pressure at the inlet of
the fuel pressure regulator, and nothing passing through the regulator
when I unhook the fuel rail from the outlet of the regulator.

Taylor

 

It may be possible that the relay controlling the fuel pump/injectors
or wires are intermittent. I have an '83 volvo and i've had to do a
lot of electrical work on corroded or rusted contacts. I'd check all
your wires with a voltmeter before replacing too many costly parts

 

I'll check that. The relay was working, because the pump was getting
power. Plus there was a brand new relay in the glove box when I bought
the car, and I stuch it on there when I started having problems.

I'll check this morning to make sure the pump is running whn nothing is
coming through the regulator. That would be a plausible explanation for
a bizarred problem.

Thanks,
Taylor

 

P.S. Sorry I can't spell 5 minutes after I wake up...

 

I had similar symptoms, car stalling out and starting immediately for
another 10 mins or so on hot days. Replaced the in tank pump, problem
left. There is a little piece of rubber hose connecting the pump to
the hatch in the tank, mine was almost split. Maybe this has wasted
away to the point it is leaking air into your engine?