Car Acting As If Not Getting Gas Not Sure What Wrong?

You may have plugged up caralytic convertor or another restriction in the exhaust system.

Could be fuel pump, maybe injectors. Do a CR4 search, to the right, on Chevy Cavaliers, there are many, many threads discussing this vehicle. Within those threads, check the good answers first. Your solution could well be there.

As you may have read by this time, there are considerable problems with the fuel pumps on these vehicles. Depending on who does the work, just to replace a fuel pump alone is half the job. The other half would be to confirm that the electrical connections to the fuel pump are good and not low on electrical supply to the pump itself. Its the best way to insure that the pump will work a while when done. A thorough check of all the past posts mentioned is always a good practice to make sure you are on the correct path.

h

http://cr4.globalspec.com/search/sitesearch?do=show&sort=textmatchrank&srch=cavalier&order=asc

Q does it have electronic ignition or old style ?

Your problem is not starting right, here is my advice.

1. Check that there is power supply reaching your pump (Use multitester)

(If good the voltage is at least 12 Volts also check fuel pump resistance at least below 1 ohm)

a. If no resistance replace the pump

2. If no voltage check the following.

a. fuel pump fuse

b. fuel pump relay (coil side & switch side)

c. connector and wire harness (might be open)

3. If voltage is less than 9 V check for poor contact between connectors and ground points.

4. Next is to check your pressure regulator. (here you need to use a fuel pressure gauge (pressure is around 3 bar) or pinch the return hose if regulator is exposed)

5. If fuel system is ok you need to check your ignition system circuitry.

6. Remove one of your high tention wire and do spark test. If no spark while cranking check the following.

a. Check Ignition fuse and ignition coil

b. check wiring harness for open or loose contact

7. If Fuel & Ignition system is ok there might be a problem in the engine control.

Your car need to be check by a chevy dealer professional technician.

Cheer up...

Nathan

I'm not a factory tech as far as what that year Cavalier has stock , and what TBO times each component has , but a friend has one , and he's had induction problems. It definitely sounds to me as though your problem lies somewhere in the fuel induction system. I would start right at the throttle body injectors , which are on top of where you would look for a carburettor , accessable by removing the wing nut on the air cleaner cover. With any electronically controlled fuel induction system , the system relies on detection of air pressure along certain points around and inside the intake manifold. If any of the small orifices collect enough gunk , they will send a false reading to the fuel/air computer , and it simply won't react the way it's supposed to. It won't ask for fuel when the accelerator is depressed , because it doesn't detect a change in airflow across the manifold. Get some Carbon Tetra chloride , or a decent quality carb cleaning spray , or even brake cleaning spray will work. Start the car and let it idle. Blast some Carbon Tetra chloride right into the intake manifold , where the air goes in , for a good minute or two , just enough so that you don't flood the engine . Then let the car idle for 5 minutes , and take it out for a run , with an open air cleaner - just around to the corner store and back. That may work , or it may need replacement injectors .

I'm a little puzzled about one of the suggestions made to clean the throttle body.

Wasn't Carbon Tet used as a fire extinguisher fluid at one time? I wonder if the car would continue running even at idle with carbon tet sprayed into the intake. Even some brake cleaners won't support combustion. Carb and choke cleaner does work well though.

h

And if it is the cat that is restrictive, how many injection parts will need replacing?

TEST

thanks everyone for your help, we have found a leek in the i a c motor for fuel delivery and we are puttin a new one on on monday hopefully that works if so i will let everyone know but we are also checkin the stuff u have suggested as well keep u updated and if anyone else has the same problem hopefully this will help them as well! thanks again and be back soon:)

Taken from one of my other posts

Just a thought,,, when the car cuts out like its run out of gas, Go to filler where you put gas in and listen as you remove fuel cap is there an inruse of air ( a hissing sound) if yes the one way valve on the filler is blocked

the tank is supposed to have a slight vacume to stop fumes escaping, but if vacume goes to high ( or low if you see what i mean) then the fuel pump will not be able to send fuel to injectors or carb.

and in extreme cases can crush the fuel tank.

easy to check run car till it stops remove fuel cap as you listen for inrush of air

well thanks again, my uncle who is a machanic stoped by and it was the cat converter. we were told to take o2 sensor off and if car runs normal then thats what it is but what we wernt told is that doesnt work if the sensor is after the cat only works if in the front but my uncle who is awesome took one look at the cat and new thats what it was! so anyone have a 03 cavalier and it wont rev up and has loss of power take a look at the cat! thanks again for everybodies help :)

Good for you, and hats off to your uncle for testing before buying parts.

If a cat is restrictive, any exhaust leak you create will change the way the car runs. Loosen the exhaust manifold, remove the EGR valve (plug the intake leak) drill a hole in the front of the cat, any exhaust leak will work. Another test for exhaust restriction,is a vacuum gauge. As the engine speed reaches the point of restriction, the vacuum will climb into manifold pressure. Happy motoring.