Car starts...but immeditaly stalls...question?

I have a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant....Around 120,000 miles..(lots of highway miles)...Has always run great....has been running fine.

Last night went out to eat...came out started it up (sort of a hard sounding start)....but then it immediately stalls......This process has been repeated several times now.....It will start up...but then stall out.

Any suggestions or ideas? (before I have it towed to a delievership).

Does anyone know exactly where the fuel filter is located on a mitsubhsi Galant? (I think I was told on the purchase that it is IN or directly tied to the gas tank itself.....meaning I couldn't clean / replace it myself)...

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions...help........(I should also add about 7 days ago I was headed to a trip up to MI...From NC......I put a bottle of complete fuel system cleaner into my gas....)

 

To help everyone interested in trying to guess, - when it does start, how long does it run before it stalls?, and does it sound like it runs smooth or rough in the interim?

 

It runs for less then 3 seconds.....Starts, sounds fine....I can maybe get one push down of the gas pedal (engine revs up) but then it stalls out....

Sounds fine when I turn the key....turns over...then stalls within 3 seconds...

 

How does this car deliver gas to the cylinders?

Can you imediately get it to start then, again? And repeatedly do that over and over?

Do you have any rubber fuel lines that come from the tank? Possible collapse of tube.

How full is your gas tank? Sometimes something goes wrong and it starts running out of gas even at like 1/4 tank. If you are low, get more gas into it and then see.

Easy check: Quickly go out to gas cap and undo it to see if it pulling a vacuum.

 

I had just put around $12.00 (4.5 gallons apprx) of gas into this car.....right before going into eat (last night). Then came out and had this issue.

Not sure on the gas lines (rubber tubes) from the gas tank (but will check this).

I will also add some fuel to the tank and see if this is an issue (though, I know I've run this car near COMPLETELY empty a number of times and have never had an issue before).

As for can I get the car to "start-up" over and over.....(with it stalling a few seconds later). Yes. Well at least last night (prior to giving up and coming home)...I could.

I started it up at least 6 or 7 times....with it then stalling each of those times within 1-3 seconds...

I'm starting to wonder if last week when I ran a complete fuel system cleaner through my cars system......If it didn't work too well...and clean a bunch of junk out of the system.....ONLY TO clog my fuel filter / system??????

Problem is with this Mitsubishi 2001 Galant....The fuel filter is built into the whole fuel pump module ...and you have to replace the whole modlue (which is hooked within the gas tank itself).....It doesn't seem to be as simple as just trying to replace the fuel filter......As it doesn't really have one.

 

Well, any kind of restriction in the fuel system could be the culprit. I named some - you named another.There obviously is enough gas coming out with the correct pressure to start it. But somehow it can't keep up.

Some kind of fuel pressure/volume check is going to be in order. On your car I don't know if there is some way of disconnecting something reasonably safely somewhere where you can crank car with coil system disconnected (so no spark gets near gas/fumes)), to see what kind of volume you have. This is not accurate but may be a definite tip off.

When my car ran out of gas, prematurely, I was able to discoonect the line and learn that nothing came out at first, until I added more gas, and then I got someone to crank the car (with coil disconnected) to now see how the gas pulsed out of the fuel line, like an arterial bleed. I will now keep that visual in my mind in case anything else happens to filter or pump to compare with if I have to in the future, with this car or perhaps another like it. Having references like that to go on can be helpful, to keep one from wasting one's time on other things.

 

It is highly discouraged you run your car with the Fuel Low light on. Doing this makes the fuel pump very hot because the fuel acts as a coolant for the pump when it's submerged. Your pump is probably burned up and needs replacing.

 

Hot,

For what it is worth. -MY- light never came on when -I- was having that trouble. And my light has always worked when I used to could get the car down to empty. All I know is in -MY- case, the car would take longer to fire-off the farther and farther the fuel level got below 1/4. Almost a direct relation in fact. The ONLY reason I have associated low fuel is based on the extra cranking or the no-fire I had that was solved, and never returned since, after I now keep the tank above 1/4. I am to scared to flirt with disaster as I really need my car and work a long way from home and don't have many people I want to come and get me. And my newer fuel pump was only months old when this started to happen. Something must have happened with the sending unit where it is not recording accurately anymore when I am truly low, and that in turn makes it so the fuel pump light does not come on either.

 

I had exact symptoms with a '92 Dynasty. Ran fine 50 miles to work. Parked it, came out 8 hours later (70 degree weather) and it would start and stop in like 2-3 seconds. I called a friend at a Mopar dealer who put me with Service mgr; he said the engine computer was engaging the antitheft program. I didn't have it on my car but he said that was the problem. I bought new computer, installed it, and started right up.
I've no idea how to tell you to diagnose this specifically.
Good luck!

 

Running your car with the tank down to 'completely empty' is completely foolish, imo. You may have a clogged fuel filter by now..and fortunately it appears to be in the tank.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_is_the_fuel_filter_located_on_a_2001_Mitsubishi_Galant
.
Check the forums here: (link removed)
They may offer some more info.
Good luck.

 

Not sure about MItsubishi's at all, but check the idle control valve or equivalent. This problem has happened on my Mercury's and on a friend's Volvo.

Basically, the valve gets clogged with gunk. You clean it and it gets unstuck and properly regulates idle again. Not sure a fuel system cleaner would get to this part.

 

Update -

Situation is fixed -

It was a failed Camshaft sensor that was causing my engine to quit (stall)....

$220 later...it is fixed....

 

Were they able to go right to the problem?, and that was the lions share of the cost?, or did they spend a lengthy time checking this and that?

 

Hi, This post is very informative, however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,

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Your links in the signature area have me concerned. Are you trolling for scam victims, or do you have a legitimate question about car repair?

I doubt I'll be buying a timeshare in Dubai any time soon by the way.