Odd fuelling issue...Any ideas?

bigbloke

Hi, I have a Vectra B 2001 Z22SE engined which has developed a new and annoying fault. I've had the car since 2006 so this is a new issue and not one that has been here before.

With a full tank there is no real issue, but as it drops to below half the engine seems to be reluctant to respond to increased throttle - if I floor it, then it hesitates and then some time later it surges and works ok again. It is most noticeable when you coast into a roundabout and then set-off when the car will almost die, and then 1-2 seconds later surge back to life. Makes me look like a chump who has messed up a gearchange!

I changed the fuel filter (because it hadn't been done ever looking at the state of it), and it seems to have helped a little bit (but that may be in my mind). Is my in-tank fuel pump on the way out? Or is it something else?

The car has 97500miles on it and engine was rebuilt at 60000 due to the chain issue. This issue has been happeneing for a couple of months and I have been getting round it by filling up the tank as soon as it starts hesitating, but it seems to be getting worse so I would like to fix it before something completely dies!

Thanks in advance, and for reading my little essay!

pottsey

now this a strange one ,ive always told people that it is a knackered swirl pot ,the bit that attaches to the tank that the pump sits in .

i used to get the same problems except mine were 20L 1/4 tank and below,it used to cut out splutter ,kangaroo etc .but as soon as i put it above 20l it was fine,now i had this trouble for about 2 yrs ,then one day i managed to get into the red and all was running fine .
then all off a sudden it started playing up ,another member on here also had the same and one day he put super unleaded in and it ran fine and has done ever since ,so i did the same and it cured it ,coincedence or what i have since had normal unleaded in and ran fine so its a bit of a mystery really .
ive known other people who have the same trouble and theyve gone out and bought a new tank and its cured it ,but what gets me is why is mine all right all of a sudden ,as the cracked swirl pot cant fix itself in the tank lol

bigbloke

Thanks for responding pottsey. I am now down to 20litres in the tank, and the stuttering is back as bad as ever, so I don't think the fuel filter is/was the issue. I will try a tank full of super-unleaded if I can bear the ££££s (yikes), and I might look into cleaning the injectors. Can fuel pumps become weak? or do they work until they die? I might risk a 2nd hand pump off ebay and swap it over to see if it changes anything.

And wait to see if any of the bright guys on here can suggest a solution.

martinjh

late response to this post but hey, ive just signed up. i had the same problem, 1/4 tank a fuel and loss of power going round corners, roundabouts and up hill , stumbled across it when i had a leak on my tank, on the fuel return pipe on the swirl pot, there is a valve that injects the fuel back into the swirl pot, a spring keeps this in place, i found that my valve was dis-lodged to the side for some reason - hence not injecting fuel back in swirl pot, repositioned valve to correct seating and all ok again, been fine ever since.

m4rtin

try redex mate in a tank of petrol. it helps clean the fuel lines, injectors and remove sludge. i use it in mine every couple k and works a treat. (y) plus its only about £3 from asda atm so its worth a go??

martinjh

na dont use redex mate, unless you get crap fuel and own a 25 year old car, lol.