Hadn't had one do this. Any ideas?

Trying to get this car with the rusted fuel tube to run. Recall that I drove it 3000 miles back to TX just fine, until it started raining. About 50 more miles and it started missing terribly. I had fuel tank codes and misfire codes for each cylinder.

Thinking that all the cylinders didn't blow injectors or plugs at the same time, I assumed it was not getting fuel because of the tank issues. So, I inspected the fuel cap/neck and found it all rusted out, the part that the cap screws into was almost completely separated from the filler tube.. Cap definitely wouldn't seal and good chance that water got in the tank, which lines up with it misfiring after driving in rain.

So, I'm going to get a new fuel tube, but until then, I pulled off the cap section and used a rag to plug up the tube, thinking I could get it to seal enough to restore fuel pressure. I also poured a bottle of HEET in the tank to get rid of any water in the fuel.

I don't know how long it takes HEET to work, and the tank was 3/4 full, but I tried to start it immediately and it didn't seem to change. Still started, the ICE kicked in and stumbled badly, kept trying for a few seconds, then died.

I tried it a few times but it never would continue to run. I would clear the codes by pulling the battery connector for a few minutes, then try again. Finally, it wouldn't even try to start the ICE, and thinking the HEET might take a while to work, I gave up yesterday.

Went back today and the same thing - except there are no codes. It tried to start once, just like before, stumbled and died, and now it does nothing, doesn't even try to start the ICE even though the READY light is on. Doesn't move in Drive, or in Reverse although the turtle light comes on. And it's not throwing any codes. Does nothing in READY if I push the pedal, nothing if I give it pedal in P, D, or R.

Any ideas? I'm lost without it throwing codes.

 

I using Torque Pro to read codes. I stopped by and tried to start it again this evening. It did try to start the ICE about 2 seconds after turning the key on. I heard it barely turn, then it shut down but shows Ready. The CEL didn't come on, but I didn't check for codes

TBC, the first real work I need to do on this is replace that fuel tube. Right now, there's an open vapor/vacuum? line that attached to the section of the tube that I've removed after it rusted apart. the part where the gas cap screws in. I can't understand, after reading the service manual some and many posts here, whether the absence (essentially) of a gas cap/sealed fuel system can cause all of these problems (misfires, now complete no-start), but it needs to be repaired, so I should eliminate that as a possible problem to start with.

Does the ECU stop trying to pump gas from the tank when it senses a leak? If so, that would explain the no-start. Is there an easy way to determine that the fuel pump is coming on? The service manual says something about being able to hear gas flowing, but it wasn't clear where that sound would be coming from. It also mentions pinching the fuel line to tell, but the one under the hood isn't very pinchable. I haven't looked at the tank connection - maybe there's a fuel line that I can hear/feel to now it's pumping.

I could also lift up the fuel rail and pull an injector to see if there's pressure behind it, but dang, the last time I messed with injectors it took forever and many o-rings to get them sealed up again. Maybe someone knows an easier way?

Another thing - it seems to have gotten progressively worse. We were driving on the freeway when it first started missing badly. But, we were able to keep driving a couple of miles and park in a lot. The next morning, the car started and ran long enough to drive into my car hauler. Didn't even miss too badly at first, But did start missing right before I was able to shut it down. Since I've got it home, the first day it would start and struggle to run for maybe 8-10 seconds. It did that multiple times. Every few times, if wouldn't try to start, but I'd clear the codes - and there were codes - and either that or letting it rest for the few minutes and it would try to star again.

The next day, it would only try to run 3-5 seconds, and today, it hardly tries at all and doesn't throw codes when it dies. Just seems odd that it shows READY.

 

Well, on top of this, my daily driver threw a CEL today and I pulled a P1437 and a P1455. Seemed to run normal. Maybe they'll clear.

 

OK, I cleared the daily driver's codes and they haven't come back after about 20m. Which is a good thing - reading the service manual, the diagnostics on the P1455 say to remove the tank, turn it upside down and see if fuel comes out anywhere other than the main fuel line. If it does, replace, if not replace the ECU. Hmm, not a lot of options there.

The P1437 isn't much better. If it's neither the vacuum line going to the cat or the actuator on the cat - it becomes a PITA.

I inspected the gas cap and replaced it. Started the car 5x to see if it would reset by itself - never did. Finally cleared the codes with my reader and they haven't come back. probably a warning that my actuator is getting rusty, or an ox sensor is going bad. That car still has the OEM cat w/actuator. If I get those codes again, I'll probably cash in that cat with the recycler, then install the cheapo aftermarket cat and vacuum line hack along with a new sensor.