Hello, as we were driving our '02 Accord SE V4 on the HWY, the motor began to hesitate (misfire), and then it stalled. Fortunately, we had enough momentum to be able to pull over. Though the battery and starter was doing its job, I was unable to restart the engine, and we had to get towed. Other than my wife running out of gas - earlier this week - the auto had not had any problems. I also must admit, that my wife has the habit of sometimes running on empty. Might this bad habit be related to our situation?

A friend suggests that the fuel filter might be clogged. If so, would a clogged fuel filter cause the engine to stop working from one moment to another? If it is the filter, was it the DIY procedure to replace it? If it's not the filter, what can it be, and/or how to I troubleshoot?

Thnx.

 

perhaps the sediments that sit at the bottom of the tank were sucked up through the fuel lines and clogged in the injectors maybe. try some fuel injector cleaner and crank the engine to see if that works.

 

First thing that came to mind was bad gas, but it could be a clog in the filter or the fuel line.

Either way, I second what flyromeo3 suggested. I'm not sure if that model has a fuel filter in the engine bay, might just be one in the fuel tank... in which case it's more difficult/more expensive to replace.

Running on less than 1/4 tank puts extra stress on the fuel pump anyway so it's never a great idea, but I doubt it's the pump itself unless you never fill it above 1/4... even then I'd be surprised.

When you add some injector cleaner, I'd add that first, and then completely fill the tank with gas from somewhere you're confident you'll get good gas. A major chain like Shell or BP, for ex., is supposed to have higher quality gas, but the main thing is that there isn't any water in it. Most, if not all, injector cleaners will help if there's water in the tank, but if that doesn't help they also have products specifically for watered down gas.

I don't know that there's anything wrong with the gas in the tank of course, but those are the easiest and cheapest things to try first.

 

Thanks for the responses. I''ll try using some fuel injector/gas treatment. It turns out that my mechanic is currently on vacation, and so I had the car towed to my driveway. And since the car is currently immobile, I won't be able to fill up the tank.

I've never had any problems arise from a clogged fuel filter before. Would anyone know whether a clogged filter might cause the engine to stall - all of a sudden - while driving/operating normally? Or if it is the filter, would the engine's perfomance decline gradually?

Thnx again.

 

It depends, if the filter was just old and had collected it's fair share of dirt over the years, the drop in performance would probably be very small.

It's when you get shitty gas or run the tank low enough that the crap that's built up at the bottom can get sucked into the filter, that there's a possibility of a severe clog occurring suddenly.

However, even cars with regular-replacement fuel filters in the engine bay, have a mesh "bag" over the fuel pump input, which will normally be enough to prevent sudden, severe clogs.

If I was you, I'd fill it up as much as possible with a portable gas container, so that if it is a gas issue, you can dilute whatever is causing the problem.

Another easy and cheap check would be to pull a spark plug after you crank the engine for a short period (the engine should be cool before you do this) and see if you can smell the fuel. If you do, you could then check for spark (easier in the dark) by holding a plug, tight in one of the plug wire boots, near a ground and having someone crank the engine.

 

there is no fuel filter for 02 accord.
Actually, there is but its not like the older ones that has a canister.
Its just fibers inside hte fuel filter.
I believe its accessible by folding down your rear sets and unscrewing like 6 screws that holds down the fuel pump.
Try and buy one of those gas containers and fill it up, pour in the fuel injector cleaner, pour the gas in and try cranking.

Have you tried disconnecting the fuel line? If not, do so and ask someone to crank the car to see if fuel is being sent to the engine. Make sure to use a soda bottle or something to allow the fuel to collect in there when cranking.

 

Hello Flyromeo & A-series,

Thanks for your suggestions. Determining whether fuel is reaching the engine seems like the first logical step to take. Can you direct me to a link which will show a picture/diagram of where the fuel line is connected to the SE 4-Cyl motor? If the gas is flowing, then I will try the spark plug test. If it's not, then I will fill up the tank, and add gas treatment. If that doesn't work, then I will proceed to replace the filter.

Thnx

 

Hello again,

First I added 8 gallons of gas plus one container of Lucas Fuel Injector Cleaner. And that was all I needed to do. (The battery also required a boost.) From now on, we won't run below 1/4 tank.

Thanks for your help.