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2000 CSVT is dying intermittently

G

Geddup Noise

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 28, 2005
Messages
149
Location
Louisville, KY
2000 CSVT is dying intermittently as if the fuel supply is being cut off. PATS light and CEL blinking rapidly. Does this not only at idle but while driving at all speeds. Bucks hard while driving. Tachometer bounces up and down until it eventually quits all together. There is not a consistent RPM in which it fails. Completely random. It will start back up after sitting for a while. No current codes

Here's what I've done so far.

Had a bad oil leak at the oil pan gasket, replaced it (not currently leaking). Replaced the battery, inspected terminal wires for damage or corrosion. Replaced IAC.

I had initially suspected a vacuum leak, smoke test didn't show any leaks except for the check valve on the IAC (the old one).

Bad fuel pump or clogged fuel lines? But I would think if the pump was bad, it just wouldn't run at all. After replacing IAC, I really thought it was fixed. started right up, never lost idle, drove it around a bit (pushed it). Then once it came to operating temp and I reached my destination, it died again at idle. Tried to start her back up 20 minutes later and it wouldn't stay at idle, kept losing fuel.

I'm completely lost. Bad harness maybe?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Also, car has 165,000 miles. UIM, LIM, VC, TB, EGR, gaskets all replaced at 155,000mi along with plugs, wires and coil pack.
 
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A dying fuel pump can work when it is cold, but when the pump warms up, it can lose pressure.

However the PATS controller might be bad, or has a bad signal. Concentrate on the PATS first, because that cuts off power to the fuel pump.
 
PATs only functions when the car is started. After that it doesn't do anything.

Are you sure the battery terminals are tight and clean? There is a good chance that being a 2k it needs a new fuel pump. Is this worse when its under 1/4 of a tank?
 
Battery terminals are brand new, Replaced them with the battery. Clean and tight. Gas has not been below 1/2 tank since problem occurred. First symptoms started with a full tank. Should I have the pressure checked even though I already know that it's losing fuel pressure intermittently? Also, what is most likely to be bad, the pump itself ($100), or the whole electric assembly ($500)?
 
Yes that looks like the correct revised unit. Do note that to install it the metal retaining ring for the original pump needs to be removed from the tank bottom.
 
So brought the car into the shop to replace the fuel pump assembly. They spent two days trying to diagnose before replacing the pump. They said it's a bad DPFE valve/EGR pressure sensor (not to be confused with EGR vacuum solenoid). If they unplug it the issues go away. Having them replace the fuel pump anyway because I already purchased it. But I just want to confirm with someone on here that a shorted DPFE could cause all of the problems mentioned above. I'm going to replace it myself, they quoted me a couple 100 bones for that alone.
 
The DPFE sensor controls the EGR valve. If the EGR valve is stuck open it would cause issues. But normally it would only be at idle. The open EGR valve will cause the engine to want to die. This is also a good test to see if the EGR valve is working. If you apply vacuum to it while the engine is at idle it should stumble and most likely stall.

If you are getting a P0401 or P0402, I forget which one is the code for excessive EGR flow at idle, then you will need a DPFE sensor. The other code is a insufficient flow and that means that the EGR passages behind the TB need to be cleaned.
 
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