UPDATE:Engine shutting off, Ck eng lt code 17 ,erratic idle

[mechanicaldj]

now i'm thinking fuel pressure regulator

[PaulLehr]

Yeah I was kinda thinking fuel pressure regulator or a fuel pump on its way out that cant deal with the load put on it under moderate acceleration

[oldgrezmonke]

maybe some bad gas plugged the filter in the tank-that would explain pump never shutting off.

[packrat427]

Well it's worse today ,it does it now at higher RPM's .
When sitting in the driveway ,raising the rpm's to make it fluctuate up and down I can smell a lean condition out of the exhaust .
So yes I am thinking also fuel delivery ....
Regulator or pump , the pump is not that old ,and I would think that the pump would not flow properly all the time ,just not at those rpm's 1,500 -2,100 now .
I still am not sure about the pump ,why it runs all the time , I can hear the fuel running thru the rail and returning .
I have not checked actual pressure , I don't have a gauge to hook up to it to monitor pressure while I am driving , It is worse when under a load driving , not as bad sitting in the driveway and doing it .

[packrat427]

Just replaced the fuel pump with a new one ,STILL DOES IT :x
Regulator seems to be working , nobody has one here in town anyway.
I can pinch off or disconnect the vac line to the fuel regulator and it won't rev at all .
I am really stumped now.
Anyone have any ideas ??

Earlier today on the way back home today as it felt like it was shut off, I pushed in on the clutch and the tach fell like it was going to die , then it picked back up before it fell to 500 rpm's

[freshtiva]

Hows is your in line fuel filter under the hood? Might be a cheap attempt to fix. I had a similar problem with my idle fluctuating but it didn't fall off like that. Just kinda cycled.

[project b6t]

get out the timing light and check the ignition timing.

[packrat427]

The fuel filter is not that old , might have 6,000 miles on it .
Igntion timing ?? I can check it , but I am still trying to figure out why the fuel pump runs all the time ,key on engine off... It is not supposed to do that .
I don't think timing would just make it feel like it is shutting off , you press on the go pedal and there is nothing there , then it just decides to come back on when you think you better head for the shoulder .


Now after taking the rail off and the injectors out to check the regulator , I now have a cut O-ring ,and a bad leak ??? anyone have a match handy
Now I need more parts :x :x


Section 11 in the Haynes under trouble shooting says surge at steady idle ,is possible pump or regulator .but nobody has one here .

[freshtiva]

I noticed that the day you posted this problem was the same day you did the sea foam video. Is it possible that a dislodged build up might have re lodged else where. Maybe a new shot of sea foam would dislodge blockage. Just an observation. I read through a chapter in my manual (not Haynes) on the fuel system. It describes the components and the function/operation. But has no troubleshooting section. I have some extra fuel system parts if you'd like to try something, Ill sent it to you to troubleshoot before you replace an expensive part needlessly.

[mechanicaldj]

you could just pinch off the fuel return line from the regulator and see if you have rich condition instead

if so, replace the regulator

[packrat427]

I picked up a O-ring kit tonight , for the one I cut putting it back together .
first thing in the morning I will put the fuel rail back on and pinch off the return line .

I am not sure what the regulator is supposed to look like on the inside ,
but I don't see anything inside of it to restrict the fuel flow , maybe the pintle inside of it is stuck all the way up letting all the fuel pressure return to the tank ??
Just a thought.
Does anyone have one laying around ,that can look inside of it , This one looks like it has nothing inside of it .

[PaulLehr]

I have one laying in my garage from my parts car I can look at it later tonight if no one has got the info by then

[packrat427]

That would be great Paul , I am curious what it looks like , I am getting ready to put my injectors back in now , so I can run it with the return line restricted ,to see if it makes a difference .
I was really thinking that there should be something inside of the regulator that you could see to regulate pressure ,it looks empty on mine .

[packrat427]

Well the O-ring kit they gave me was wrong , another trip to the parts store ,I replaced the injector o-rings and now the regulator o-ring is leaking , took the whole %$#@ rail back off to get to the regulator bolts replaced that o-ring now , we have no leaks !!

I start it up , Now I have found that this problem does not do it on a cold start up or even right away on a restart if the engine has cooled a little .
After a mile or so is when it starts .when it starts getting up to temp .

I restricted the return ,and then just pinched it off totally .IT STILL DOES IT .

[25Horseplay]

I wonder if the coil or module is heating up then cutting out, restarts after it cools. Autozone can test module's.