40 year old DIYer
Friday May 2, 2008
It's never too late to take charge of your auto repair and maintenance. This new DIYer is diving right in:
Hello Matt, I just turned 40 and it seems like my life is just beginning. Between my dad and brother I didn't have to worry about auto repair. However dad died and my brother was in a serious motorcycle acident. Well, so now here I go it alone. I was out with my mom who's 80 and while driving down a major highway, my car suddenly started acting like he didn't want to go. I was giving him gas and he wasn't moving to fast. Kinda like he wanted to "crap out" on me. I putted to the gas station, even though I had a little over empty and the light hadn't came on yet. I put 10 bucks in and that brang him over a 1/4. I figured if it was low fuel that would fix him and bam. Got back in and still he "putted". I tried to remember the common problems and came up with HOPEFULLY the cheapest and easiest problem. Spark Plugs! I read your how to change them yourself. And I was smiling when I remembered that years ago my dad, brother and grandfather had all told me that if I ever had to change them, to do them one at a time and the same with the wires. So for now, I send you thanks and hope for the best.Well 40, you're headed in the right direction! The first step to automotive empowerment is grabbing a tool and popping the hood. If your car is due for a tune up, changing your spark plugs is a good idea. In your case, especially considering your low fuel incident, I'd look at the fuel filter. When your gas tank gets especially low, it's possible for debris to be sucked into the fuel lines. Your fuel filter should catch them, but when the filter clogs it will really slow things down. I'd install a new fuel filter and see if that does the trick. Congratulations on your decision to become your own mechanic!
Signed, The 40 year old "try it" yourself-er.
Comments
I wish some of you “Saturday mechanics” would explain to me just exactly what the level of Fuel in a tank has to do with dirty fuel and clean fuel.
Does the fuel pick up dirt as the level falls or what?????
Also check the coil packs!! One could be out!!
How about the fuel injectors, What make is the car it could be a number of things. Oh and Jim Dirt and scum usually settle to the bottom of the tank so low fuel can clog the pump sock and/or fuel filter.
Frank and Bob both have useful info, Jim. You can test for spark and fuel delivery. If you start having to replace things, a fuel filter is a lot cheaper than a coil pack. Depending on your model they can really hit the wallet hard.
OK here goes guys,
1.) concerning fuel level and dirty fuel…sediment and dirt settle to the gas tanks bottom, so logically your fuel pick up tube is pulling fuel into it at the bottom, 2 a few things can happen with dirty fuel being pulled up into the fuel system, most common are,
1. fuel filter becomes clogged(car wants to stall or does stall, wont run)
2.) dirty fuel can affect the (electric) fuel pump mechanismn causing the impeller blades in the pump to fail causing the pump to fail and also causing the engine to quit running.
3.) dirt can clog the fuel injectors causing the engine to (miss) or run rough or poorly.
ANSWERE TO IT ALL,,HAVE THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL SYSTEM FLUSHED OUT PUT IN A NEW FUEL FILTER, INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP REFILL THE TANK AND NEVER RUN IT BELOW 1/4 TANK OF FUEL AGAIN IF POSSIBLE. RUN FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER WITH A FULL TANK.
I am a mechanic for quite a long time however as all of us go… we occasionally run into situations that we are not “TOTALLY” familiar with, here is mine, 1993 Nissan Sentra 1.6,
lower chain and guides /tensioner were replaced…LATER on I now have a noise from the TOP Chain, looks like the TOP is not to hard to R&R however being a dual cam is it difficult to replace the tensioner on the TOP and is it really neccessary? Someone(dealer) said those top chains had problems with noise related to the chain guides and some techs. disgarded the guides? Need only PRO answeres on this who has been there and done this. thanks.
It can be somewhat related to the fuel filter but water in the fuel from one source or another can cause this. Drygas now and periodically can help - and it’s relatively cheap.