Stalls/Dies After High Speed "Spirited" Runs

[keflaman]

During two years of ownership my car has failed to start twice (cranks; no start). The first time I left it and on my return a few days later it started with no problems. The second time I was sitting on an incline and after a few attempts at starting, I tried bump-starting it and to my surprise that was successful. Since then I replaced the battery as it was slowly dying.

About four weeks ago I floored it during a merge onto the highway and it died about a mile down the road. I pulled off to the side of the road and it would crank, sputter and die until it got to the point where it would only crank. I called the wife to bring the Jeep and we towed it home. I carefully inspected the usual culprits (fuel, plugs, fuel pump/relay, sensors) and finally "thought" I had found the alarm system (aftermarket) defective and not allowing power to the fuel relay. I removed the alarm wiring and it fired up.

Two weeks ago I was playing with a Mini and we were running about 100-110MPH for a few minutes. I broke off to leave the highway when suddenly the car died. For some reason I left it in fifth gear with the clutch engaged and as I got down to about 20-25MPH it suddenly caught and we took off. I made it to the next exit (1/4 mile), turned right and went about 100 feet when it died again. I started to jump out and push it to the side when I remembered my foot was broken and in a cast!

Well, crap! Traffic was piling up behind me, so I decided to put it in first and use the starter to bump it to the side of the road. Much to my surprise it fired up after 2 or 3 cranks, so off I went. It died two more times the rest of the way home and each time I tried to start it "normally" I got the same results: crank, no start. First gear/clutch engaged, it starts after 2 or 3 cranks.

Day before yesterday, same scenario: High speed driving, stalls, cranks/no start; starts in first gear/clutch engaged.

Today I kept it about 70-75MPH and had no problems. It seems prone to happen when I "keep my foot in the gas" during high speed runs, although I haven't tried doing it while at slower speeds.

I'm the only driver who encounters this problem. I have loaned the car out several times to other people for weeks and they have not experienced this.

Any suggestions? Fuel pump/regulator?

[DesktopDave]

Yeah, I'd figure the car is starving for fuel at high RPMs.  Go down the usual suspects, CPS losing signal because it's oily; fuel pump just because it can; o2 sensor because it's old; sticky AFM.

[keflaman]

Received a new fuel filter last week and put off installing it due to other obligations at home. Yesterday I took the dogs out to the park and it died just as we arrived. This time it would immediately fire up, but did it two or three more times until I got it parked. Coming home was a crap shoot. It died so many times I lost count.:mad:

After everything cooled down I installed the new fuel filter (looked to be the original one) and cleaned most of the connectors to the engine management components, fuel pump and injectors.

Today she ran like a champ to the park and back; I duplicated the driving parameters of yesterday, i.e., easy on the gas with slow/smooth shifting. No hot rodding.

[DesktopDave]

I'd agree that it's the fuel system...but I was thinking that the volume of fuel flow should be lower at high speeds than in starting from a dead stop.  Might be that the high-demand over a long period is doing that pump or FPR in...

[keflaman]

Just reporting back to say over the course of the past week she hasn't missed a beat and runs very strong and smooth. Man, I'm going to miss this car:(.