so what does it feel like when the fuel pump is going out?

[sy0296]

this has happened to me 3 times over the past 2 months. 1st time right around x'mas and twice last night towards the end of my 500mile road trip in the middle of no where...not fun

i'm cruising along and car is not showing any signs of problems then without warning, the car/engine stutters badly when you try to get on the gas. it almost feels like the car is going to stall out but it doesn't. hold in the clutch and it will idle normal. there is no power, but you can still rev the engine freely (reluctantly), but with any load, it'll stutters and feel the the motor is going to cut out (kinda like lugging the motor by driving in a high gear @ low speed).

the first 2 times it happened, the car acted 100% normal after shutting off and restarting the car...it actually fires right back up.

this very last time tho, on a 2 lane hwy middle of no where in blizzard conditions i actually could not drive the car. took 5 restarts but she finally got going again. f-inf scared the sh1t outta me

anyways, it feels like the car is not getting the fuel or air it needs??? thoughts?

scary cause i gotta turn around and make the same 500mile drive back from tahoe to LA. i definitely should have done some trouble shooting the 1st time it happened but the symptoms never came back (until i'm 500 miles away from home of course)

[KNaudi]

any codes? Was the fuel filter changed out? I would start there before you jump to the fuel pump conclusion.

[J-b5]

sounds more like split in the TBB or a coupler.

If you find the car becomes undriveable and there is no way to fix it where you are, you can try running with the MAF disconnected and if you stay out of boost you can drive along just fine like that. If its an air leak issue, this will help.


If its a fuel delivery problem, sticking a wide band on, or a fuel pressure guage is the best way to check it. Any garage worth its salt can pressure test/smoke test the intake tract to see if there is a big leak somewhere... Its harder to find fuel pump failures if they can make base pressure at idle, you have to go for a drive, put some load on the pump and see if the pressure drops. Or with a wideband, you will see it go lean.

[J-b5]

sounds more like split in the TBB or a coupler.

If you find the car becomes undriveable and there is no way to fix it where you are, you can try running with the MAF disconnected and if you stay out of boost you can drive along just fine like that. If its an air leak issue, this will help.


If its a fuel delivery problem, sticking a wide band on, or a fuel pressure guage is the best way to check it. Any garage worth its salt can pressure test/smoke test the intake tract to see if there is a big leak somewhere... Its harder to find fuel pump failures if they can make base pressure at idle, you have to go for a drive, put some load on the pump and see if the pressure drops. Or with a wideband, you will see it go lean.

[J-b5]

any codes? Was the fuel filter changed out? I would start there before you jump to the fuel pump conclusion.

Unless that filter has been on there for an eternity, swilling around in old gasoline for years at a time, i highly doubt its the issue.

[KNaudi]

Unless that filter has been on there for an eternity, swilling around in old gasoline for years at a time, i highly doubt its the issue.

you're probably right. he just got me thinking about the fuel system and nothing else with the title of the thread.

[J-b5]

Im just mad cuz my idiot mechanic wasted my time with changing fuel filters constantly, when it turns out the moron pinched the return lines closed and burned out my brand new fuel pump. Causing load onset fuel starvation and cost me an entire season troubleshooting when a simple fuel pressure check sorted it out in minutes.

[jaimeson]

Im just mad cuz my idiot mechanic wasted my time with changing fuel filters constantly, when it turns out the moron pinched the return lines closed and burned out my brand new fuel pump. Causing load onset fuel starvation and cost me an entire season troubleshooting when a simple fuel pressure check sorted it out in minutes.

Wow.....and these people call themselves mechanics, what a shame.

[J-b5]

In his defense he was a raging alcoholic.

[sy0296]

thanks for the info....just went out again to get stuff out of the car and found a new symptom. the cabin smells like fuel fumes! that can't be good huh? it is possible that i have a bad fuel line? would that gas the cabin to smell like gasoline (no noticeable smell outside of the car btw)? car still started and drove normal around the parking lot

any more thoughts based on this?

hoping it's something like a tbb of coupler and fingers crossed that i can get it home safely on Monday. i can't imagine what a 500mile tow bill will look like.

on a side note, anyone know of a audi mechanic in truckee, ca?

[KNaudi]

In his defense he was a raging alcoholic.

not much of a defense. if you'd said he has downs syndrome or is blind like this mechanic


I would understand.

[J-b5]

Yup sounds like you have an issue in that department for sure. No puddles of fuel or wet spots?

[sy0296]

Yup sounds like you have an issue in that department for sure. No puddles of fuel or wet spots?

can't really see any puddles or any wet spots with all the snow around...but parked the car over night and fuel gauge held steady...i think.

really need a mechanic to look at this today before everything shuts down for the weekend. sigh...i really love and hate this car

[Jibby]

I'm in Loyalton, about 40 minutes away in good weather to the north of L. Tahoe. If you are still stuck tomorrow I can try to come out there and scan and offer what I know. You probably blew/crushed an EVAP line or have moisture frozen in the system since you smell gas fumes. Happens to some cars up here at elevation.

[sy0296]

I'm in Loyalton, about 40 minutes away in good weather to the north of L. Tahoe. If you are still stuck tomorrow I can try to come out there and scan and offer what I know. You probably blew/crushed an EVAP line or have moisture frozen in the system since you smell gas fumes. Happens to some cars up here at elevation.

appreciate the offer. was recommended a shop in truckee and heading over there now. hopefully everything gets resolved without too much issue

[sy0296]

I made it back to LA! so it was a fuel delivery issue.

it turns out one of the fuel lines was leaking at a fitting. Jared from VML Spec in Truckee, CA was kind enough to take a look at the car, diagnose and replace the broken part within 30 minutes of getting my car on his rack.

thanks again for the help, AZ!! :)

[sy0296]

mini shop review for anyone who needs a shop in the tahoe area:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...94#post6218694

[fatezero]

Snow Trooper is the man!! Glad you made it home safe Sam

[sy0296]

Snow Trooper is the man!! Glad you made it home safe Sam

thanks for the help adam. if i needed to tow the car back from tahoe, i probably would have just listed it on the local craigslist, lol

[Scotty@Advanced]

Usually when the pump takes a shit it it will whine like an X-wife looking for alimony.

[sy0296]

Usually when the pump takes a shit it it will whine like an X-wife looking for alimony.

lol. i'll keep that analogy in mind for the future.

[99ebpsi24]

Glad you made it home safe. I had a strong smell of gas in the cabin a while back but no ill effects like you were having. Ended up being a fuel line as well. I'd be it was the same line as it sounds like a common issue I'll attach a photo for refrence. Don't mind my goofy ass thumb in the picture lol. The line is on the passanger side right above the valve covers, if you look you'll see it. It typically leaks right at the fitting and will drip and puddle up on the plastic over over the valve cover. I just broke it loose and cleaned it and torqued it back down and have been golden since.


Photo of leaking fitting found HERE...

[sy0296]

Glad you made it home safe. I had a strong smell of gas in the cabin a while back but no ill effects like you were having. Ended up being a fuel line as well. I'd be it was the same line as it sounds like a common issue I'll attach a photo for refrence. Don't mind my goofy ass thumb in the picture lol. The line is on the passanger side right above the valve covers, if you look you'll see it. It typically leaks right at the fitting and will drip and puddle up on the plastic over over the valve cover. I just broke it loose and cleaned it and torqued it back down and have been golden since.


Photo of leaking fitting found HERE...

imbedded your photo


that's the exact same line i was leaking from. fuel was leaking from the fitting. at first we removed the line to check the integrity and torqued it back down. however, mine was bad so the mechanic replaced it with a working piece. problem solved! no idea why it would be bad, but if it's a common a common issue, the lines should be inspected regularly then...would suck to be driving and have the fuel/fumes spark especially since right below those lines is a hot exhaust manifold!

at the same time, he also discovered my spider hose was popped off behind the intake mani which might have been the culprit for driving issues. it's all been resolved though

[99ebpsi24]

at the same time, he also discovered my spider hose was popped off behind the intake mani which might have been the culprit for driving issues. it's all been resolved though

Yeah the spider hose would make more sense on the driving issues as that would cause a boost leak.

I just wanted to post the photo incase he fixed it and you didn't get a chance to check it out. Like said normally if there is a leak it comes from that line. Any ways, glad to hear everything has been resolved and you made it home safe. Enjoy the car!

[Fiyacracka]

I remember when my fuel pump was on its way out. There was a really loud humming noise from the back. One morning tried to start her up, no luck. Banged it a couple of times and luckily drove her to the mechanic.