1998 2.4L Fuel Pump Problem?

ericv1984

ericv1984

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My car was broken down so I replaced the MAP sensor, camshaft position sensor, and the throttle position sensor. Was going to replace the crankshaft position sensor but I couldn't get to the sensor so I left it for now. After replacing the sensors, I started the car up and it ran and idled fine. When we drove home, on the freeway the car would chug when going up the slightest of hills and the "ETS Off" light would come on as soon as this happened. But then the car drove fine when it was on level ground.

Stopped a half hour from home in Tacoma, WA to get gas. Filled the tank up and now the car doesn't chug but the "ETS Off" light still comes on and goes off at random intervals. When the car first started chugging, the fuel gauge read a quarter tank, when I filled up it had about 3 gallons still left in the tank.

We had the fuel pump replaced a week and a half ago (or somewhere around there), but we only had the pump, both internal and external strainers, main fuel hose, and inline hose replaced instead of the whole assembly. I'm thinking maybe we need to replace it with a new fuel pump assembly. Any thoughts?

Also, the "ETS Off" light going on and off, could that be a short in the wiring or is there some ETS sensors that might be causing this?

Things we replaced already are....the 3 sensors that I just mentioned, all spark plugs with NGK Platinum, coil packs, and bored out the catalytic converter.
 
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ericv1984 said:
My car was broken down so I replaced the MAP sensor, camshaft position sensor, and the throttle position sensor. Was going to replace the crankshaft position sensor but I couldn't get to the sensor so I left it for now. After replacing the sensors, I started the car up and it ran and idled fine. When we drove home, on the freeway the car would chug when going up the slightest of hills and the "ETS Off" light would come on as soon as this happened. But then the car drove fine when it was on level ground.

Stopped a half hour from home in Tacoma, WA to get gas. Filled the tank up and now the car doesn't chug. When the car first started chugging, the fuel gauge read a quarter tank, when I filled up it had about 3 gallons still left in the tank.

We had the fuel pump replaced a week and a half ago (or somewhere around there), but we only had the pump, both internal and external strainers, main fuel hose, and inline hose replaced instead of the whole assembly. I'm thinking maybe we need to replace it with a new fuel pump assembly. Any thoughts?
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Also, when it broke down, it was taking a little longer to start and it still is taking a little longer to start. Would that be more likely the crankshaft position sensor that I didn't get to or a weak/bad fuel pump assembly?
 
You mentioned internal and external strainer..I assume you meant the fuel filter. I would suggest you check the fuel pressure regulator. The ETS issue is probably a intermittent open or short in the sensor wires coming the the hub bearing assembly. These wires are known for having breaks in the conductors with the insulation still being intact. The only thing that puzzles me about this is it usually makes your ABS light come on too, and you don't mention that happening.
 
msmith1956 said:
You mentioned internal and external strainer..I assume you meant the fuel filter. I would suggest you check the fuel pressure regulator. The ETS issue is probably a intermittent open or short in the sensor wires coming the the hub bearing assembly. These wires are known for having breaks in the conductors with the insulation still being intact. The only thing that puzzles me about this is it usually makes your ABS light come on too, and you don't mention that happening.
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My car doesn't have ABS. And by internal and external strainers I meant these....

jp7kav.jpg


The fuel pump I bought came with two, external and internal. Whatever that means.

Here's a link to the fuel pump that I bought and installed... http://tinyurl.com/auzwew5
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Ok, there should be a fuel filter located inline toward the back of the car (usually close to the rear suspension area) it looks like a small can.. try replacing that, and then check your fuel pressure regulator if your still having problems.
 
msmith1956 said:
Ok, there should be a fuel filter located inline toward the back of the car (usually close to the rear suspension area) it looks like a small can.. try replacing that, and then check your fuel pressure regulator if your still having problems.
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I had the fuel filter replaced at the beginning of fall and will be replacing it again after Winter is over. When the fuel pump was replaced, he took the fuel filter off to look at it and said it looked good and wasn't clogged.

I'm now pretty sure it's the regulator so I'll be ordering a new one soon. But, one thing that I find weird is, videos on YouTube say that a rip in the regulator diaphragm will make the car run rich. But when I had the codes read at AutoZone, it said it was running lean. Would the regulator make it run lean if it was bad/torn?
 
Zimgxp said:
Have you checked the fuel pressure?
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No but replaced the fuel pressure regulator the other day which didn't make the car run any worse or any better. I now think it's a bad fuel pump module, vapor canister, or the vapor canister purge valve.
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