Car not running well/no codes

[hahnmgh63]

Rian, when you head down south I have a fuel pressure tester set. Not sure if there are all the fittings but you can probably make it work. Any other tools you need to borrow let me know. I can probably bring them into work and meet you somewhere off I-5 so you don't have to come out and listen to the neighbors with Banjos.

[Chung]

Thanks Mark. I am going to take the train down so I will probably just stop at an Autozone when I get there. I tend to buy the tool I need and leave it for my brother inlaw to help out getting more tools.

It is amazing some of the garages the members have here. Mark's garage has the trifecta, space, tools, and someone who knows what they are doing.

ttboost, if you need a project I can send you my car, it needs a manual transmission (maybe more)

[ttboost]

Ha..you aren't the first to ask...

[kismetcapitan]

I'm putting my money on boost leak. Never had this happen to my RS6 but it happened ALL the time with my '91 Skyline GT-R and the symptoms were identical. The MAFs read X amount of air and injects the requisite amount of fuel, but with the air leaking and not reaching the engine, you end up choking the engine with too much fuel and it will barely run.

[Corbett]

Yes. this exact thing happened to me while I was 600 miles from home. I gunned it and car died. Would start back up and then die. Could only get car to run if I played with the gas pedal. Got to a gas station. Car smelled like fuel. Found upper intercooler hose was completely off the intercooler. 5 min fix. Hope it's as easy for the OP

[ttboost]

I've had upper IC hoses come off (usually at the track and I can't get them back on)..Car runs and drives fine, just won't boost...

[Chung]

And the winner seems to be the fuel filter. I checked the hoses and they were all on snug. Replaced the fuel filter and it started right up and ran great for the last 30 or so miles. Next up the 200 mile journey home.

Thanks for all the help, the people here rock.

[DHall1]

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Hats off to ttboost as well. He hit it too.

Glad it was a simple repair.

Fuel starvation

Check fuel pressure first

Then work back from there to the tank

[Bigglezworth]

Good news. Remain unclear on why you would have a strong fuel odour with a poor performing fuel filter, but as long as you've fixed the problem.

[as350]

Glad you found the cause and that it was a simple fix.

[Chung]

Good news. Remain unclear on why you would have a strong fuel odour with a poor performing fuel filter, but as long as you've fixed the problem.

I am not sure about that either. Maybe my brain was making things up.

I really hope the problem is fixed. When I got there yesterday the car would only sort of run and I coasted it on to the lift. After the fuel filter replacement it ran like a champ again.

Time to add the fuel filter into the things I regularly make sure I do. It is not the easiest thing to replace for the mechanically challenged like myself but by far not the hardest part to replace on the car.

[G2]

And the winner seems to be the fuel filter. I checked the hoses and they were all on snug. Replaced the fuel filter and it started right up and ran great for the last 30 or so miles. Next up the 200 mile journey home.

Thanks for all the help, the people here rock.

Can't ask for anything "better". Replace my fuel filter every year-- it's far too small. My old Scirocco has a filter 2-3X bigger......

[G2]

I am not sure about that either. Maybe my brain was making things up.

I really hope the problem is fixed. When I got there yesterday the car would only sort of run and I coasted it on to the lift. After the fuel filter replacement it ran like a champ again.

Time to add the fuel filter into the things I regularly make sure I do. It is not the easiest thing to replace for the mechanically challenged like myself but by far not the hardest part to replace on the car.

I think you were right: when there's not enough fuel to support combustion it gets pumped out the exhaust. Hence the fuel smell. What some call a lean mis-fire (for a barely running engine). Took me awhile to figure that out in the real world, but tech school helped. Too rich or too lean= gas smell.

Fuel filter replacement is a pain even on a lift. Disconnect it at the fuel pump and remove filter and the supply hose that crosses over the fuel tank. Replace the hoses with new if hardened to ensure good sealing and hose splitting.

It's likely the fuel pump is on it's way out, and if not, the "dead-heading" of the pump sure speed that process up. The pump to filter pressue is excessive. Consider replacing the filter again in 3-6 months as the residual contamination will likely stark packing up the new filter. I noticed this in my car during it's first servicing.

[JSRS6]

And this is why I'm going to replace my external with a Bosch and mount it differently under there to ease future filter changes.

[Avus-RS6]

Great thread, glad you go your car going again! I'm going to have mine changed yearly. I tend to do 21-22 gallon fill ups so I know mine will need it.