fuel starvation problem..HELP!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 841
Likes: 0
From: High Desert California
fuel starvation problem..HELP!!
My car bogs down uphill. For some reason, it went away on its own. When I took it out today and given the slightest incline of the road causes it to bog down. It feels like fuel starvation or something related to fuel. On a straight away, there's no problem at all.
I have a generic (auto zone) electric fuel pump installed under the right wheel well. I just purchased an edelbrock quiet-flo fuel pump but unsure as to where to install it.
My question:
1. What's causing the car to bog?
2. those that use an electric fuel pump, where did you install yours at?
We jacked-up the car and couldn't figure out a place to install it. this is also the reason why I installed it to where it is right now and since I got a more reliable pump, I thought of installing it the right way....near the tank.
Please help, I wanted to go up to Big Bear for the Corvette car show but no way is it going to make it up that winding road.
I have a generic (auto zone) electric fuel pump installed under the right wheel well. I just purchased an edelbrock quiet-flo fuel pump but unsure as to where to install it.
My question:
1. What's causing the car to bog?
2. those that use an electric fuel pump, where did you install yours at?
We jacked-up the car and couldn't figure out a place to install it. this is also the reason why I installed it to where it is right now and since I got a more reliable pump, I thought of installing it the right way....near the tank.
Please help, I wanted to go up to Big Bear for the Corvette car show but no way is it going to make it up that winding road.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
You made at least 1 change to the car. When did this problem start...just after you installed the electric pump? If so, that should give you a clue to your problem. Another possibility would be the sock (filter) in the fuel tank.These filters get week over time and start to bend shutting off the fuel supply when any pressure or suction is applied. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 841
Likes: 0
From: High Desert California
You made at least 1 change to the car. When did this problem start...just after you installed the electric pump? If so, that should give you a clue to your problem. Another possibility would be the sock (filter) in the fuel tank.These filters get week over time and start to bend shutting off the fuel supply when any pressure or suction is applied.
Do all corvettes have a sock?
Why is it that it only bogs when going on an incline???
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Another area to check would be the tank's baffle (sump) that is supposed to hold fuel when the car is not in a level position and when fuel is sloshing around do to acceleration and braking. Perhaps it is rusting thru allowing gas to move outside the baffle. BTW, is you fuel pressure within specs? You just have to keep checking things until you find the culprit, starting with the easiest first. Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
I've never dropped an '81 but it's not bad on the '76 I did. You may have to move your exhaust somewhat, I don't know. And you want to do it with as little gas as possible in the tank. Others should chime in. As I said before, though, do the troubleshooting from the easiest to hardest. You could spend a couple of hours on the tank and the problem ends up being that the fuel pump is being shut down by one of its wires moving around when you're on an incline.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
We are going to relocate the fuel pump to the rear and give that a shot. Even with a full tank of gas it still bogs down. I was thinking that since the fuel pump is close to the motor and higher then the fuel tank that could be the reason it bogs at about 4000 RPM. I just hope is solves the problem. If not I will be forced to drop the tank.
Also my Dad talked to a local shop here in town and the guy said he has dropped a tank from a 81 before and it doesn't have a sock it has a baffle. He said if we tap on the tank we should hear the baffle move around if it isn't working correctly.. any 1 agree to that??
thanks again for all the help!!
Thomas
Also my Dad talked to a local shop here in town and the guy said he has dropped a tank from a 81 before and it doesn't have a sock it has a baffle. He said if we tap on the tank we should hear the baffle move around if it isn't working correctly.. any 1 agree to that??
thanks again for all the help!!
Thomas
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Of course we got to the point of connecting the fuel line and we don't have the right size hose. So tomorrow morning we are going to get some hose and test it out. My dad want to go up the Big Bear for the car show so lets hope thats the problem. I will keep you guys posted.
Thomas
Thomas
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
Likes: 439
From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Thinking a little more about this problem, I don't care for your Autozone fuel pump. This is certainly not a high quality item, and even if it turns out not to be the problem, I'd replace it with a brand name pump. I worked at Advance Auto Parts for a few years and I can tell you that off brand parts are nothing but trouble and that is why they are much cheaper than their higher quality counterparts. There ain't no free lunch.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Thinking a little more about this problem, I don't care for your Autozone fuel pump. This is certainly not a high quality item, and even if it turns out not to be the problem, I'd replace it with a brand name pump. I worked at Advance Auto Parts for a few years and I can tell you that off brand parts are nothing but trouble and that is why they are much cheaper than their higher quality counterparts. There ain't no free lunch.
I will let you know how it turns out..
Thomas
