Please Help!!

[whiteliquid]

Ok so here's my problem,
On the way to a town that is about an hour away, my car just starts jerking back and forth, then it starts sputtering off and dieing, then it dies and i lose power steering......... I pull over sit for a second, and try to restart it..............it starts, i drive about a few miles down the road same problem happens again.

When i get to the college, i go in and register (car is obviously off this whole time) Come out an hour later and drive a Pretty good way on the way home, it starts doing the same excact thing.


Any ideas or leads i could look for.

3.4 v6 stock engine

[jabartram]

how long has it been since you changed your fuel filter?

[whiteliquid]

the car has 57000 miles and i have owned it for 5 months never been changed under my ownership, idk about previously.

I thought about that, but is that really a possibility, cuz it would only run good after sitting a while


Thx for the advice


any more ideas greatly appreciated

[jabartram]

its quick cheap and easy to change, shouldnt take more than 30 mins.

[Youngblood77]

That's if it hasn't already trashed the fuel pump, our fuel pump/sending units are expensive,cheaply made junk...just ask Ken. Ever since his experience, I've been chaning mine once a year religiously.

[whiteliquid]

Yea i might change them both out, Sucks because of the $$$$$$$ :alcoholic: but i might as well :Noooo:

[Redog]

O yea, the clogged fuel filter caused so much pressure build up that my fuel pump hoses broke off that was spraying around inside my gas tank.

Every 2 years or 24,000 miles, change that fuel filter

[rowdygls]

that is the fuel filter for sure and possibly the pump. thats exactly how my gf's cougar drove with a bad filter.

[whiteliquid]

I changed my fuel filter, it is still doing the same thing, i took it to a local shop, and they said they would drive it and see what they thought. They said either fuel pump or ignition module( :blink: )

How much $ is a fuel pump

[bigd6983]

the fuel pump is expensive.......a few hundred i believe and expensive on labor........

[whiteliquid]

oh great :glare:

But hey its gotta be done, so i guess i'll just get it done and then party afterward :alcoholic:

[Wildman]

Do your gauges go crazy at all when it happens?? I'm thinking something electrical.

[whiteliquid]

nah guages stay regular until the engine dies,

[whiteliquid]

:shout: :pissed: :shout: AAAHHHHHH!!!!! :pissed:


It was running fine for a while, and all of a sudden today on the way home from school same problem occurrs(see first post)


What the crap am i looking for here, I have no idea whats up.

SPark plugs--?
fuel pump---?

[whiteliquid]

does no one know :cry:

[Wildman]

Best bet if you can't easily pinpoint it is to take it to a reputable mechanic. It's going to cost you but its easier to just bite the bullet once and get it over with. Let them do the figuring out, plus it will be fixed and you will not have to be angry about it anymore. It could really be a lot of things that are causing it and I don't see it being resolved on this forum. You will most likely just waste lots of time and money guessing and throwing parts at it. I've been through this a few times on my Alero and I know what your going through. It can be one of the most frustrating things to deal with especially if you use your car a lot. Good luck and let us know what you find.

[-Alero-]

what would explain the power steering loss?


White, when yo usay surging back and forth, how does your transmission act? normal, relentless? wacky?

and what about your RPM's? this could be other things than the fuel filter....

[Wildman]

Loss of powersteering is likely because the engine is partially stalling out and not turning the pump.

[whiteliquid]

the back and forth jerking comes from the loss and gain of acceleration(if that makes sense)

The rpm's slowly decrease

The power steering goes completely out after the engine slowly cuts out and dies off

[Wildman]

Two main causes of an engine stalling are, loss of spark or loss of fuel. Those are the 2 main ingredients in detonation (other than air). So a place to start would be to have your fuel pump tested as well as coil packs and wires. Though, from your symptom, if the engine is completely stalling out, then I would less suspect it being wires or plugs or coil packs. Coil packs run 2 cylinders and if you have a bad coil pack, your still going to be running on 4 cylinders, so it shouldnt completely stall out. Same deal with a bad plug(s) or bad wire or two. A loss of fuel however would indeed bring down all 6 cylinders....Something to ponder.

[DRA-GON]

Not sure if it is the same thing but what you are saying sounds exactly like what my old car use to do and it was the coil pack i believe that was toast. ( not 100% on that but i believe that is what i change it was a few years ago now ) but everything you are describing sounds just like what use to happen in my old dodge spirit

[Wildman]

Having 3 bad coil packs at once (while possible i suppose) seems to be highly unlikely in this case.

[-Alero-]

good points Wildman

[whiteliquid]

Im glad i have a good knowledge of what to look for but, was really hopin you guys would say "naw couldnt be the 400$ fuel pump"

Thanks for the input guys, dropping it off tomorrow at a shop so they can drive it around and see what they think.

[whiteliquid]

Oh yea only seems to do this when my fuel guage says less than half a tank.

So more than likely goin to be fuel something.

[elitecloud]

fuel pump at checkers (ADVANCED AUTO) is 229.99

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.as...chfor=Fuel+Pump (http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?parttype=52&ptset=A&searchfor=Fuel+Pump)

[whiteliquid]

Got the fuel pump ordered, will arive tomorrow morning. Can anyone post up a link to a "how-to" for changing out the fuel pump.

[whiteliquid]

there is no how-to I've looked.

anyways I have the basic steps in my mind kinda, i've seen it done before. But if anyone could write up a quick how to I'd appreciate it allot

[Wildman]

Well, it's not an Alero, but I helped a buddy of mine change one on his Blazer. Start by removing as much gasoline as possible to make the tank lighter. Then put a jack under the gas tank and remove the gas tank straps. Then ease down the tank after disconnecting all plugs and lines (if possible). Then you will need to remove the fuel pump lock ring. It's a metal ring that goes around the opening of the gas tank where the fuel pump goes in. You may need to tap it with a hammer and chissel to break it loose. I think it turns counter-clockwise, but you may want to check on that. Then lift out the old pump, and put in the new one. Then put it all back together. Remember how the old pump was positioned when you pull it out and put the new one back in the same way.

[S_Gibson]

I would suggest not smoking while changing it, but I'm sure you might have thought about that already.

[-Alero-]

this one is a hardcore fix. its pretty far up there, like with....changing your.............crankshaft?

lol anyways, i dont know too many people who would wanna tackle this, but if i were you, i'd try to leave it to a GM mechanic.

[Wildman]

Originally posted by S_Gibson@Feb 2 2006, 07:33 PM
I would suggest not smoking while changing itQuoted post



Funny you should say that because my buddy was smoking while doing his and actually layed a lit cigarette on the edge of his gas tank when he had it out. Needless to say I walked away for awhile and a few other people who were present were VERY pissed at him for acting like a hardass..... Please don't be stupid. Take your time and think things through before you do them and you should be OK.

[whiteliquid]

Fuel pump changed,

I drove it out to a buddy's shop last night, dropped the tank, and unconnected everything.

Picked up the pump this morning(248$'s) went out to the shop reconnected everything, and remounted the tank.

time-- :alcoholic: :alcoholic: :alcoholic:
work-- :alcoholic: :alcoholic:

Wasnt to bad, I'll give the time a 3 outta 5 and the work a 2 outta 5

[Wildman]

Good to hear it's done. Let us know if it solves your problem