Dear All
Here’s a question from Great Britain!
My car is a 2001 Vauxhall Vectra - roughly equivalent to a Chevrolet Cavalier.
It’s a 1.8 petrol (unleaded gas) model with single point injection and manual (stick shift) transmission…
Recently, it’s developed an odd and intermittent fault.
When it gets down to about 1/3rd full in the fuel tank, the engine starts “jumping” under standard town traffic acceleration - and on any form of uphill driving.
Put some fuel in and the problem goes away; get back to under 1/3rd tank full and back comes the problem.
I?ve tried several solutions:-
1 Keep filling up! Problem disappears (but, I reason there?s something WRONG!)
2 Run the tank down until it’s just about fumes and sludge in the tank incase there?s any much in the fuel (I reasoned I could change the fuel filter and sort it that way); but, it just keeps repeating the problem each time the tank gets emptier…
3 The local motorists? shop suggested I try some fuel system cleaner and I did this; the next time the tank got below 1/3rd full it was a bit better, but, not much. I tried putting Red-X in the tank and thought that might deal with any trouble - but, it comes back each time the tank gets low…
Any ideas??
That sure sounds like a weak fuel pump to me. It may also be a clogged pick up screen.
[b]Yup! Weak fuel pump.
Tester[/b]