[autoduel]

Fuel pressure drop on right turns. <solved>

04 S60R 148k miles. Fuel filter was changed at 114k and spark plugs at 100K.
I had a rough idle and hunting issue a few months ago that I was trying to diagnose.
With the help of N23, I cleaned the throttle body and the maf with no change.
Disconnecting the MAF made no difference. So I discounted that as the problem.
I narrowed it down to the PCV system, which I have replaced. No more hunting, however it still idles rough.

I also have had a random misfire & cyl 1&3 code that reoccurs every 6 months. But after this issue it stays on.
To add insult to injury, the fuel pump started leaking.
I finally take it down to the dealership to get it replaced under recall.
Shortly after, the fuel pressure keeps dropping down to 30 psi on right turns, but not on left. I'm using the torque app and an OBD2 dongle to monitor this.
Then it started stumbling when passing. So I replaced the fuel pressure sensor and all the coils.
Pressure still drops when making right turns and hesitating/stumbling when this occurs. I also had the fuel pressure start dropping on one occasion at idle and eventually stalling out when it dropped below 30 psi.
I'm thinking maybe the PEM, but the connections looked clean, no corrosion and no rattling.
On a whim I flipped it on it's bracket in case something was loose, but pressure still drops on right turns and not left.

I take it back to the dealer with the code P0089 Suction control valve stuck.
They said the put a mechanical fuel pressure gauge on saw NO DROP IN FUEL PRESSURE. They cleared the code saying it was probably due to the fuel pressure sensor I replaced. They said Vida showed no codes regarding the fuel pump.
They refuse to acknowledge that the new fuel pump or the installation maybe faulty and never pulled the fuel pump to check.
They said it stalled several times at idle and attributed it to the MAF because it ran better when they swapped the MAF and said there was a leak at the PCV/intake manifold banjo bolt.
After a $140 diagnostic fee, they quoted $200 to replace a washer and $750 for the MAF, and 300 for a leakdown test(to diagnose the misfire).
It seems like my rough idle issue is found, so I ordered a MAF myself. When driving today, the code P0089 Suction control valve stuck came back.
But I'm still baffled by the fuel pressure drop on right turns. It has to be something mechanical in the fuel system. If the fuel pressure is not physically dropping, something is telling the ECU that it's dropping, because that's what I'm monitoring on my torque app.
I also broke down and ordered a VIDA/Dice unit which I will receive next week.

I should add that the car never went into limp mode.

 

[BumpinVolvo]

I had the fuel pump replaced under recall a couple years ago. Car ran great prior to taking it in, no check engine lights, no hesitation, nothing. Ran as good as a R with 120K miles could. Within a few days of picking it up I noticed it would stumble on fairly hard acceleration. This progressed into stumbling hesitation at cruising speed, to falling flat on it's face on right turns.

Took it back a few times to the dealer, they claimed everything was fine. Finally I took the service writer for a drive and demonstrated the problem. Also had an Ultragauge hooked up to monitor fuel pressure. Would drop to almost 20psi on hard acceleration or turns. He agreed there was a problem and they took the car in over night and I paid for a rental.

They got back to me the next day saying there is silt/junk in my gas tank plugging the fuel pump screen. I asked where that came from since I never had the issue before they touched the car. Of course they had no answer but suggested I pay for a new pump, a new fuel tank and labor totaling north of $2200. Unbelievable.

I took the car back, took the fuel pump out myself and sure enough there was a thick layer of fine silt like crap in the screen filter. I cleaned it and all was well. I checked it again about 6 months later and there was some build up but nothing major. I ended up with a P0089 code after that. After a few months of having that code but no performance issue I came across a listing in the classified for a new fuel pump assembly for $100 so I snatched it, put it in and no more code and upon inspecting the old pump there was little to no build up on the screen.

tl;dr: most likely crap stuck in your fuel pump screen.

I suspect the dealer introduced the crap unknowingly when they drained the 1/4 tank of fuel I had in the car into their fuel container (which probably had all kinds of crap in it) and then put it back in the car. They probably didn't do it maliciously but they sure as hell denied denied denied that it could have possibly come from them.

 

[autoduel]

Thanks. I'll pull the fuel pump and check it myself.
You didn't happen to get your service done at Autonation Volvo, did you? I avoid them like the plague, but they are near my work and thought, how could they screw up a Fuel pump swap. Boy was I wrong. Now I feel cheated getting charged a $140 diagnostic fee. But I get the feeling arguing with them will be futile.
Autonation Toyota also tried to charge me 50% over MSRP on towing components for a highlander.

 

[BumpinVolvo]

Here's what my fuel pump screen looked like the 2nd time I pulled it out, first time was much worse:



Pain in the butt to get out..

 

[BumpinVolvo]

You didn't happen to get your service done at Autonation Volvo, did you?

Volvo of Orange County in Santa Ana. My one and only time dealing with a dealer service dept and I will never do it again. I DIY or take it to a trusted indy i've gone to for the last 14 years.

 

[fermech]

It sounds like the baffle inside the gas tank is loose or missing that is what keeps fuel around the pump. Plastic piece.
My two cents

 

[nascenta]

The records that came with my VR show that they replaced the fuel pump three times. The last time they also replaced the gas tank because of contamination. The previous owner was told that it was full of crud. After the tank was replaced there was no more hesitation issues. Lucky for him the work was all done under warranty. Interesting don't you think?

 

[fermech]

i would attach a fuel gauge to the rail and drive just to make sure you are loosing pressure. if the pressure regulator is not working you can have a similar issue by by passing more fuel than necessary.
Fuel gauge is the only way to know since electric pumps are so temperamental.

 

[autoduel]

I tried removing the fuel pump tonight, but couldn't get the lockring off and didn't have the right parts laying around to make a tool.
I did notice that the driver's side sending unit was untouched. The connector was caked with untouched dirt. I thought that it had to be removed to secure the fuel pump pickup hose that snakes underneath?

 

[autoduel]

Yesterday , the fuel pressure started dropping while driving. Restarting the car had no effect and it wouldn't rise above 30psi.
Since the tank was 1/8 full I pulled the fuel pump before refilling the tank.

I pulled the pump and found a bunch of sediment in the pump housing.
How it got there in a few weeks after it was supposedly replaced under recall is a question I will take up with the dealer.
The fuel pressure drop on right turns is caused by the little orange check valve being stuck open. It keeps the fuel from rushing out of the housing when the fuel sloshes to the left side of the tank. The filter screen was also covered in silt and the edges covered by sediment.
Anyone know if they actually replace the entire pump in this recall or just the cracked top cap?
After cleaning it and putting it back in, no more fuel pressure drops and pulls like a champ.
I also replaced the 4 year old fuel filter.

 

[nascenta]

If they had replaced the filter it would be on the work order. Like I said earlier. My tank was replaced under warranty because of sediment in it. How and why it got in there in the first place is anyone's guess. It probably isn't through the gas since pumps have their own filtering systems. Is the sediment black plastic like the tank? If so it was from manufacturing/install.

 

[autoduel]

The filter is part of the fuel pump. I'm not aware that they are sold/distributed as separate parts. Just a "fuel pump assembly".
The large black plastic shaving was the only plastic in there. The rest looked like sediment.

 

[BumpinVolvo]

Anyone know if they actually replace the entire pump in this recall or just the cracked top cap?

As far as I know they replace the whole assembly (plastic "canister" with the hoses attached to it) Mine was definitely new when I had to pull it out to figure out what was going on.