# Lack of fuel pressure (A.K.A sputters at start up, dies silently while driving)

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/lack-of-fuel-pressure-a-k-a-sputters-at-start-up-dies-silently-while-driving/80256>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lack-of-fuel-pressure-a-k-a-sputters-at-start-up-dies-silently-while-driving/80256 "2013-07-09T21:08:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rebecca4now](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c57346/32.png) [@rebecca4now](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rebecca4now)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lack-of-fuel-pressure-a-k-a-sputters-at-start-up-dies-silently-while-driving/80256/1 "2013-07-09T21:08:05Z")

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I purchased a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Laredo at a steal . . . thank goodness too, because I’ve already replaced the head gasket sealant (thank goodness too for a set of mechanically inclined friends). My biggest current concern is the fuel pressure. The car either starts up beautifully or sputters and gurgles for a good 5 seconds before finally idling normally (either occur during cold or warm starts). The sputtering at start-up has become more commonplace as of late. If I drive away without providing a good three-to-five minute warm-up, the car will drive as normal while applying gas pressure to the peddle, then once gas pressure is no longer applied, the car dies silently; The battery stays on, but all power steering and engine power disappear and the car coast into nothingness. If I allow the Jeep to warm up significantly, it will drive as normal for hours, except for it’s struggles to compensate long upward hills.

The fuel regulator has a slight leak. Worse at start-up, lessens up over time. The seal may be improperly seated, but is in physical working condition as I can tell. Spark plugs were replaced. Battery was replaced. Injectors have been tightened. There is a slight oil leak (it seems to move around a bit), but is far better since the Head Gasket was replaced.

Could this be a bad fuel regulator or something else that I have missed? Your thoughts?

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**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/lack-of-fuel-pressure-a-k-a-sputters-at-start-up-dies-silently-while-driving/80256/2 "2013-07-09T21:26:54Z")

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Your fuel regulator has a slight leak? Fix that first or may catch fire and fixing will be moot.