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Engine quits when down to 1/4 tank of fuel
Topic Started: Sep 9 2011, 06:59 PM (1,674 Views)
red92
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When I slow down from highway speeds and come up to a light my car stalls.

Re-starts fine.

This only happens when i get down to 1/4 tank of gas.

I replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter.

Otherwise it runs great. Starting and idle are normal except in the above scenario.

Ideas?
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allmountain40
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Sounds like your fuel gage is not reading properly. When its on 1/4 tank it is really almost empty. When you stop, gas sloshes away from pump, car stalls, sloshes back, fires right up. :thumb
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dayle1960
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Fastest Hampster EVER

How many miles can you run after the first time the engine dies. Can you drive it another 100 miles? Or are you able to only drive it a few miles before the gas tank is bone dry?

If you can only drive it a few miles then I suspect you have a wonky fuel sending unit. But usually a wonky fuel sending unit will allow the needle on the fuel gauge to go well below the red mark until the tank is completely empty.

Another thought that come to mind is you have a fuel pump going bad. Or maybe the fuel filter is plugged. Have you ever changed the fuel filter or do you know if the previous owner ever changed it?

What part of the country do you live in? If in the rust belt, I would think you have problems with the fuel filter.

Just some random thoughts.

Terry.
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MetroFoSho
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It's supposed to be the opposite! Empty on a metro means 1-2 gallons left!
Edited by MetroFoSho, Sep 9 2011, 07:27 PM.
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Spud
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Mine does the same thing except it's only when going down a mountain or taking right turns at high speed such as long bends. Going to tear into mine as soon as I run the gas out of it, which that's another 350 miles.
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dayle1960
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Ace, how many miles can you drive on a full tank before you are left on the side of the road? If your car sputters on a right hand corner usually there is only a gallon of gas left in the tank. When your car develops these symptoms where does your gas gauge read on the dial?
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

When mine starts sputtering on right hand turns my fuel gauge is halfway into the E. I think my Geo is one of those rare ones that don't have a jacked up fuel reading.
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GeoStalker
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"Chicks dig me and guys think I'm cool."

Did you replace the fuel pump before or after you started having the issue? It's very possible that when removing the pump you bent the floater arm down, which basically moved your fuel guage a quarter tick to the right. Easy to do. But bending it back would be an estimate on accuracy at best. Your only solution, if that is the problem, is to get another bobber from a donor car, drop the tank, and repeat the process. Or, you can make the quarter full mark your new E.
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dayle1960
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starscream5000
Sep 9 2011, 08:54 PM
When mine starts sputtering on right hand turns my fuel gauge is halfway into the E. I think my Geo is one of those rare ones that don't have a jacked up fuel reading.
How many miles on your metro, starscream? Maybe the problems with wonky fuel gauges lies with the number of times the are has moved across the face of the reader inside the FSU. the more miles on the metro, the more times the gas tank was filled up which results in numerous arm swipes.

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Spud
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Well every time mine does it reason I know there is 3.6 gallons of fuel left is fact that the tank is 10.6 gallon capacity and right when I get to gas station after doing it only holds 7 gallons at max. I have never touched the fuel pump, then again if the previous owner touched it then that explains everything... :monkeyfight
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

dayle1960
Sep 10 2011, 03:52 PM
How many miles on your metro, starscream? Maybe the problems with wonky fuel gauges lies with the number of times the are has moved across the face of the reader inside the FSU. the more miles on the metro, the more times the gas tank was filled up which results in numerous arm swipes.

I have over 213,000 miles on it and counting. I've never messed with the sender, fuel pump, or fuel filter either.
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dayle1960
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Starscream, would you consider the part of Kentucky you live in as part of the rust belt?

I'm thinking salt might have an effect on the wiring.
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

Oh yes, it definitely is! My Metro doesn't have much time left before it's done from the rust.
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dayle1960
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If and when you take your metro to the bone yard, would you be willing to part with your FSU so dayle1960 can do research. I want to pull the metal cap off the FSU and look inside of it. I have a feeling since your FSU is a good unit, then it should look pritine on the inside with little wear on the area the arm sweeps over.
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

Possibly, I will probably have this car's frame welded up as I've done a lot to it to get where I am right now.
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