I had this question in another thread but thought I put it in its own thread.

The problem I have been having lately is four different times now my car has acted like its running out of gas for a few seconds (5-10) and be fine afterwards. Only once has the car actually stalled but it started right back up and I had no further problems the rest of the night. Neither time was it really hot where I could blame it on vapor lock. Last Saturday it started acting like its not getting any gas for about 10 seconds while driving it on the highway at a steady 70 mph (thanks to my 323 gear). I drove it in the July 4th parade and had no problems at all. Then yesterday it did it again. The car starts good and runs good and has no hessitation but this has me worried that one time it's going to stall and not start. My experience with fuel pumps in the past is that they just go out completely so I don't think its a fuel pump but I guess I could be wrong. I'm wondering if a fuel filter could cause this? It is so strange that it does it and then quits for a few days or a week or two. Any suggestions or thoughts on this?



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http://www.oldcarclub.com/1971_chevelle.htm

The fuel filter would be the first thing I would check. A filter that is getting clogged can cause those symptoms.

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Rob F.
TC #312
68' SS396 6-spd Pro Touring Elky
My EC (http://home.earthlink.net/~usass396)

So you're just cruizing along and the motor will cut out for a few seconds then come back and be fine or just studder like it's starving for gas or some cylinders are misfiring?

You might be loosing spark. I had a module going bad in my distributor that would cut out for a second or miss at higher RPMs.

Also a clogged filter makes the motor studder at high RPMs. Been there, too. Check your filter ASAP because by the time I did, it was absolutly full and it was one of those spring loaded ones that move out of the way when clogged. Debris got into the carb the motor ran terribly since.

Tim.

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Proud Owner: '69 Chevelle
Malibu: 454, Richie 5, 3.36 open dif.

FS: TH-400 longtail 0 miles
BB Hooker Comp headers
350 running but needs rebuild
SB Dynomax headers

"ALL YOUR RICE ARE BELONG TO US!"

Chevelle page (http://www.wyatts-torch.com:8080/~dienadel/chevelle/index.html)

My problem is so wierd the way it just kind of "comes and goes" like it does. I was always thinking that a filter getting dirty would just continue to get plugged and then the engine would continue to run worse. I know its not bad gas. Thanks for replying Rob F. I hope that's it because it would be the cheapest fix for me.

TronDD...It doesn't act like a spark problem to me but I could be wrong. It happens about 3 times at about 30-40 mph and once on the highway driving a steady 70 mph. I guess I will check the filters out 1st and go from there! Thanks! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif


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http://www.oldcarclub.com/1971_chevelle.htm

I believe I had the same problem. Check out my topic posted June 25 under this section called "Vapor Lock". It seems my problem was carburetor boiling. I installed a wood carburetor spacer manufactured by Moroso and I have not had the problem reappear.

To me it sounds like CLASSIC mechanical fuel pump going away OR clogged fuel filter. I have experienced both on a 69 and then a 70 'velle I had.

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'71 468 Street/Strip Monte Carlo 3950lbs, 9.8:1, 3.55's, 11.46 @ 117, 7.29 1/8 mile
1.62 60'

Lumberman....I went back and reread your thread. Your problem seemed to be only when its been hot and mine hasn't been necessarily. I will go the filter route 1st seeing as how that's the easiest and see what happens. All of my past experiences with fuel pumps is that they go out all at once. I've never seen one act like mine. The car runs excellent 99.9% of the time. Thanks for your opinion! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif TC IS GREAT! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif


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http://www.oldcarclub.com/1971_chevelle.htm

This may be a long shot, but my folks had a similar problem on their boat. It was a 24' Sea Ray with a 350. It would run along fine and all of a sudden, it would cut out. It would restart get under way, and do the same thing again. After tearing up the carb and fuel lines/filter with no luck, it turned out to be chunks of cork and debris floating around in the gas tank clogging up the fuel outlet. They must have gotten some "bad gas" somewhere or something. What a pain in the dupa.


I hope thats not the case with you!!! Good luck!

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1970 Chevelle Malibu
My Chevelle (http://groups.msn.com/OurCoolMuscleCars/shoebox.msnw?albumlist=2)

My guess is the fuel pump. I had a Holley mechanical that would run great around town, but when I got on the freeway the car would surge and get slower and slower. I would shut it off and restart and it would act fine, for a while. then it would surge again. I replaced the module in the dist. because I had had probs. with this before. I bought a stock pump to test and viola! poblem solved. I eventually replaced the stocker with a Carter pump.

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1967 Malibu
406 cid / 350 TH

I was just thinking what 70_Malibu was thinking. Although, I remember a twist from my teenage days. Used a ping-pong ball in the gas tank. Would produce the very same conditions, especially as the fuel would run low in the tank.
Fred

I just realized that I never posted what I found to be the problem with my Chevelle acting like it was running out of gas. Dropping the gas tank, we discovered that the gas line was pinched plus there was an additonal fuel filter that was installed there. It was also the wrong size gas line. I didn't do the body off restoration on the car. Like my mechanic buddy said, "I can't believe it didn't act up all the time with the gas line pinched like that". Anyway, problem solved! :D