'87 4kq: whine, then stall

[John Cody Forbes]

Andrew Buc wrote:
> A few days ago I was driving home from work on a hot (mid to high 80s)
> day. After about 5 miles I suddenly heard a loud whine from the rear
> of the car for a few seconds, and then the car died. I was able to
> restart with no problem, and as I was a couple of blocks from a store
> where I had to stop anyway, I found a parking space. Half an hour
> later I was on my way again, but I got the same symptoms 5 or 6 times
> in the remaining 5 miles home. I found that each time I restarted,
> the car would run for at least a little while. This also happened
> under more or less the same circumstances a few weeks ago, but the
> car stalled only twice, and I don't remember if the whine was present.
>
> Suggestions as to what I should check first? Thanks.
>


My vote says either the fuel pump is going, or you've got junk in the tank 
getting sucked into the screen. See the junk will get sucked up to this very 
fine screen on the pump, then starve the pump hence the whine. When you shut 
the key off in order to re-start the pump's suction goes away and the junk 
falls away from the screen back into the tank. After a while the junk ends 
up back on the screen, rinse and repeat.

If you have a spare pump cut the screen off before you install the pump. Yes 
the junk may hurt the pump inards a bit, but I'd be more concered with 
pumping the junk out of the tank and into the fuel filter. If you don't have 
a spare then just pull yours out and cut the screen off and re-install. If 
I'm right (BTDT honestly) then you should be ok.

-Cody Forbes
http://www.5000tq.com
'86 5k noT noQ
'86 5k noT noQ - Parting Out
'87 5ktq
'87 5ktq - Fast. Really Fast.