1996 Nissan Sentra fuel problem

VANSCOTTB

MEMBER
1996 NISSAN SENTRA
1.6L
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
200,000 MILES

Intermittently acts like its running out of gas (tho there is plenty of gas in the tank); doesn't seem to matter if engine is hot or cold, weather is hot or cold/humid or not, going uphill, downhill or on level portion of the road, accelerating or decelating, changing gears or not, have been driving 30-45 mins or 1 min. I never know when it's going to act up---might drive fine for long while or short distance before it goes into chugging or lurching like it's running out of gas. I have found that fairly often when it does act this way, if I turn the ignition off for anywhere from 30 sec to 3-4 mins and then start engine again, many times it will run ok for a while. Have put fuel injection cleaner in tank with basically no effect. Also have replaced fuel filter, again with no change in engine performance. Any clues would be appreciated. Thanks

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

What you described is exactly what happens when the pickup screen inside the gas tank gets plugged or collapses. They will stretch out again within a few minutes when the engine is off. If you have a fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail on the engine, and a fuel return hose to the tank, you can get a clue by disconnecting and plugging the vacuum hose to it. That will make the fuel pressure too high, but the volume that has to get through that screen will go way down. The additional clue, if you have that regulator up front, is the stalling will tend to occur when the largest volume of fuel needs to be pumped, which is during coasting.