INF 1994 Q45 Issues

[lambss]

I have a couple of issues with this car recently, was wondering if I could get some advice to steer me in the right direction. As of last week, my car has been having an extra hard time starting. would take over 10-15 seconds to get it to turn over. I dont think the fuel pump has ever been changed on the car, and I can always hear it humming in the back. Also, for some strange reason, I noticed that when the car is almost out of fuel... the problem almost doesnt exist at all. I'm car ignorant, so I wasnt sure if this had to do with the reserve tank, if it even had its own pump or not, I'm just not clear. But my first instincts would be to replace pump, replace filter.

I know the answer I'll probably get is to check the fuel pressure, I'm car stupid, How?

The next problem I've had for a while now, my car has issues, only sometimes, getting over 2000 RPM. it will bounce between 1 and 2, but never let me go higher. I normally just hold down the gas, or wait, and it stops after a few minutes. Sometimes after I've been driving on the highway for a while the problem will occur, requiring me to pull over and wait it out, its quite horrible. People tell me this could be attributed to the MAF sensor? I saw once on this site a resource to clean it. Was wondering if anyone could provide that source, or maybe some insight into the second problem as well.

I'm just tired of my car running like utter s*** and would now like to take the opportunity to fix it.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

**Problem Update**

I decided to try my luck and fill the gas up just a little bit above E.. Sure enough, it wont start unless I turn the key for like 20-25 seconds, and it starts very very slowly. Yet, when I start to run the car with almost no fuel, thats on the line and a little below it, it starts fine, and runs perfectly. Is this because the car is using the reserve at this point? Would that ever effect things? Is there a different pump for the reserve?

[Q451990]

to NICO!

The Q only has one gas tank, so there's no reserve tank.

I really have no idea how the fuel level could have an effect on anything. Typically the pump fails in a way that will cause it to be noisy, especially when the fuel level drops below 1/2 a tank. The noise is often described as a "hive of bees" sound behind the back seat at idle. The pump eventually pulls too much current and burns out the controller that regulates which of the three speeds the pump will run.

Your RPM issue does sound like a MAF problem to me. If you remove it, you can clean it by misting the sensor protruding in the middle of the "pipe" with brake parts cleaner. The RPM problem is more likely due to a bad connection or internal electrical problem though. Check to see if the RPM changes when you move the connector while the car is idling.

Heath

[lambss]

any idea then why my car is having such a hard time turning over when its not running on E? The sound, the bee sound, I hear it, but its really not super loud. a quiet hum maybe, and only when the car is just turned off, or in the on position.

[Q451990]

I've never heard of a Q only running when the tank is low.

I think your next step would be to test the fuel pressure. You would want to buy a fuel pressure gauge at tee in between the filter and rail under the hood. Harbor Freight has an inexpensive gauge setup.

Heath