Fuel Pump Out Again In Less Than A Year?

[finespunflesh]

I have a 90 LS400 with 190k and it was running great until...

I was out running errands and it lurched up 200-300 rpm's and back down below 200-300 rpm's until it seemed like it was running out of gas and would almost die for approximately 4 seconds, the accelerator pedal wasn't really responding much, and then it would rev back up and limp my car ahead a bit more and then decelerate again for approximately 4 seconds and then rev back up for a couple blocks until it died a few times, I'd turn the car off, restart it, and eventually got it home.

When I got it home I let it idle and it was revving itself up to 1000 rpms and then would drop suddenly, without me doing a thing, over and over until it eventually died out.

So I replaced the fuel filter as I had a hard time going uphill the day before and I thought it might help, and it worked fine to the store and back. I had hoped that was all it needed, even though I replaced the filter and pump a year ago. Well today I took it out to the pharmacy and before I even got there it started doing the deceleration pattern again until it died and I eventually got it home, it dying sooner and sooner every time I restarted my car to just get it parked at home.

I disconnected my battery for about half an hour and reconnected it. Now my car won't even start. It really sounds like it wants to and had no issue restarting throughout this entire problem, but it won't actually stay running at all now. This is identical to what happened last fall when the fuel pump went out.

Is it common for a fuel pump to need replacement every year? I didn't think so, but what could be causing that to happen? The relay clicks and appears to be working and the engine and transmission are really great for a car that's as old as I am...

[pj8708]

Hi Nicole,

Not much of an expert in this field but no, a fuel pump can last for years. In this situation, You've diagnosed your patient without taking any test or examination for a true method of finding the cure.

I would suggest you have a dealer or Autozone plug in and read out the diagnostic codes. Also, the read out of the codes could show a need for plugs, plug wires, coil packs and on and on.

When you consider the age and miles on the car, it could use several things. Do you know who owned it before you? The Lexus dealer may be able to pull up the history of any service that a Lexus dealer may have done.

Come back and let us know what you found out.

Paul