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1979 Volvo 242DL 398,000+ miles.
Story:
My car was running decent, but it was way due for a major tune up. After getting a major tune-up, replacing the fuel filter, and air filter. They also serviced the breather system. Shortly after the car was serviced it started acting up. About a month ago or so, I was driving about 80 miles, and I felt a couple of hesitations in the engine, as if it was running out of gas. But it wasn't out of gas. I thought it could be one of the fuel pumps going out. Then the next week or so, I was driving home from work about 15 miles or so in rush hour traffic and summer heat, the hesitations started up. It was real low on fuel, but after filling up the symptoms continued. The next day it happened more frequently. And there was one time when I was stopped at a light, that the engine died but it started right back up.
There was a couple of times when the engine hesitated that it sounded like it was pinging.
This hesitation seems to happen with a full tank of gas or less than half. The next day after the engine was running real bad, I took it into my mechanics. They drove it for about a total of 40 miles or so and no symptoms. They checked the pre-pump and they said the electrical and pressure was good. I took the car back the next day and drove it out of town and back for the weekend. 320 miles or so round trip in warm weather. No real symptoms. Every now and then I think I could feel a little something but hardly noticeable. It's been a week or so and the car has been running fine. Yesterday the symptoms came back. Happened every now and then, but nothing major. I was able to drive to the beach and back.
When the symtpoms are occuring, I could press the gas pedal and accelerate without any problems. Funny though, it seemed that slowing down the car effected it more. Altough yesterday when I went to accelerate fast, the engine hesitated a couple of times.
Is it the main fuel pump? It seems from what I've been told that when a Main Fuel pump goes out, it goes out completely! Could it still be the pre-pump even though it tested good?
What about the fuel distributor? Does it cause problems like this?
What about fuel mixture? One thing I notice alot is that sometimes the car accelerates very responsively and fast and other times it's sluggish.
Well that's about it. Let me know if you have any questions or need more info.
Thank you.
Michael
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