ZHP stalled on the road after jerking and lurching forward and won't start afterwards

[cavette]

- 2004 ZHP manual transmission w/ 95k miles
- Installed new battery one year ago and replaced alternator about five years ago

A few days ago, as I was slowing down to a traffic light, I noticed the car lurching and jerking forward a bit as if I were running out of gas. I was low on fuel but not that low and certainly nowhere near empty. After coming to a stop and once the light turned green, I tried taking off but the car stalled. I started the car up again and once again tried to take off, but the car stalled again. From here, the car did not start up again. I had to tow the car back home.

After getting home, I trickled charged my battery, which I thought was very low on juice. After fully charging, the car started up pronto. I hooked it up to a battery tester, and the battery is decently healthy at 80%.

Trying to troubleshoot here. If it were a bad battery, then it should not have stalled during my drive because my alternator should have provided the juice. If it were a bad alternator, I guess that would have been the cause, but I better test the alternator separately.

Any other ideas about the jerking forward and stalling and not starting up again? If it were a bad fuel pump, I don't know why it is starting again without issues after being towed home.

Could it possibly be related to the humming whining whirring noise I hear from my engine bay upon start-up? Here is a video with sound of that noise issue.

https://imgur.com/a/c89utW1

Would appreciate your thoughts!

[san]

Fuel filter could be the problem if it hasn’t been replaced.


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[ENDL3SS00]

90% that it's the fuel pump

[cavette]

It is usual for the fuel pump to work intermittently before failing outright? My car stalled out and left me stranded on the road but now starts up and runs fine. I do not want to be stranded on the road again...

[John in VA]

If you don't have records showing replacement of the pump or filter, or haven't done it yourself, do it now while the car is at home!

[cavette]

If you don't have records showing replacement of the pump or filter, or haven't done it yourself, do it now while the car is at home!

I will have to do that! Just curious, is 95k miles not premature for replacing the fuel filter and fuel pump as preventative maintenance even if they are not out of order?

[az3579]

I will have to do that! Just curious, is 95k miles not premature for replacing the fuel filter and fuel pump as preventative maintenance even if they are not out of order?

Not premature. There is no typical failure rate for fuel pumps; some fail at 50k, others have failed at almost 200k like mine did.

One thing is for certain though; do not let your fuel level get low. The pumps rely on that fuel to keep them cool and regularly running it low will almost guarantee a shorter lifespan.

I'd keep it at a minimum a quarter tank, but the more the better.

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