Is it the Fuel Filter, Fuel Pump or Wiring?
Asked by ladyTbird Mar 08, 2014 at 06:43 PM about the Ford Thunderbird
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
My 1992 T-Bird, was doing really good until I got it smog, had an o2 sensor replace and an egr sensor. Went to a Valero gas station then it started running horribly, jerking, missing, I burned out the Valero gas and put in my regular 76 reg. gas... it ran okay for a while then again Valero, now my car is stranded..it went from bad to worse... I have to pump the gas to make it work.. I read your other answers, but how to know for if it's the fuel filter, fuel pump or wiring? And where are these located without the manuals , can you just answer please.. er.. thanks lady Tbird
8 Answers
It only runs poorly on the Valero gas? If so I would not use it if possible. I have two older cars that only run properly on chevron gas. If I buy any other type of gas the performance drops considerably at times to the point where they miss and have hard to start issues.
Chances are its not Valero gas...its the gas from that Valero station. Bad gas is nearly always traced to bad gas stations or tanker trucks more than the refineries. Water and contaminates make it into tanker trucks and underground tanks from cracks, bad seals and access points being left open. I have used Valero gas a few times while traveling and never had an issue. On the other hand, I used Speedway nearly exclusively for nearly 8 years without an incident...but the only "bad gas" I ever had was from a Speedway where filling up an empty tank got me 21 gallons of gas and 3 gallons of thick brown slop that would separate and settle under the gas. Consider gas stations the same as mechanics...find the ones you can trust and give them your regular business to they can stay in business.
Comment: Changed the egr sensor, without also changing the egr valve???
Tacoma_1757 answered 10 years ago
Fuel filter is on the pessenger side under the plate. Wires are under the rear seat, fuel pump relay is in the trunk on the driver side so is the fuel pump shut off switch behind the carpet. Do you hear the fuel pump come on at all?
Is that what the that fan noise is? I'm not sure.. on the passenger side under what plate? I thought is was alongside the tubing fuel metal hose?
This Valero gas station had all pumps closed except one opened, I thought that too was strange, but because I was on E I had no choice. Will running the car on E damage the fuel pump? Appreciate all the valid answers... the EGR sensor was replaced, but not the EGR valve didn't know I needed the valve, keep in mind the sensors were replaced to pass the smog and now I'm have problems.
Tacoma_1757 answered 10 years ago
You should hear a noise when you turn the key to the on position(all lights on the dash is on) If you don't hear any thing then the pump is not working. With that said on my 93 with a 5.0L the wire was twisted to gether from previous owner leading to the fuel pump.
Running a car out of gas will damage the fuel pump.
