80 Spider FI Loss of Power

[AnthonyCasta]

Ok ... I finally got my car running! ... Bought it not running!! After replacing the fuel pump, timing belt, coil and spark plugs we got it running and it sounds strong and runs pretty good, however, I took it on a nice long drive today and after about 15 miles on the freeway at a steady 60 - 70 MPH it started to loose power and hesitate ...

I'm not really sure why but it got worse, after I exited the freeway I was having trouble in every gear at 2500RPM and above .. At idle it seemed to be ok, and when I reved it netural it was ok ... I turned the car off to check the plug wires, they were all ok. When I started it again it was fine for about 10 more miles then the same thing started happening again ... It has the symptoms of a cloged fuel filter, but I just replaced it! If it was to get clogged so soon, why would turning the car on and off fix it for a short distance???

Thanks ...... Tony

[rlux4]

How long was the car sitting? Too long = bad gas. Was the gas tank empty during this time? Too long = moisture caused rust that is flaking off. Have you checked the flap in the AFM for free movement?

[So Cal Mark]

if there is lots of debris in the filter, shutting the pump off will let the debris fall away from the filter media, allowing flow again. Problems above 2500rpm are usually fuel starvation related

[AnthonyCasta]

We drained the gas tank, and it was empty for about 5 days to 1 week ...

So do you think that I got a bad fuel pump? .... What if I put a filter before the fuel pump as well as after? ...

[mbouse]

when you drained the fuel tank, what method did you use? did you just run the car until it was out of gas? did you literally pull the tank and dump the fuel out the fill neck? did you syphon the fluid out?

pull the fuel sender and see if there are gobs of grit and rust attached to the filter at the end of the sender.

[rlux4]

Did you happen to look inside the tank while it was empty? Mark is right, it sure sounds like you're not getting enough fuel flow for higher RPMs. I don't think it's the pump, seems like that would show up across the range. I'm suspecting rust flakes from the tank, that is what would settle off the filter medium when there is no pressure, and come back up to clog the filter under pressure. Could be you have to blow the lines out, and put a new filter on. Just guessing here.
Ron

[So Cal Mark]

don't add a filter before the pump. How is the fuel line from the tank to the pump?

[racydave]

Pull the filter, and see what comes outta it, Also blow thru filter against the flow and see if its clogged...