30 minutes of drive time before 'running out of gas'
What is your question?
1999 Mazda Protégé, about 180k miles.
Recently had the catalytic converter replaced, EGR valve and new spark plugs, whole tune up. AC works but I won't use it due to fuel consumption. It was 112 degrees yesterday so it might have worked harder and used more fuel?
I can drive for about 30 minutes before the car acts like it's out of gas. I only use premium fuel or the engine knocks and it's always a full tank. Some told me it sounds like I'm using whatever fuel is currently in the line and then it's 'out of gas' until I turn it off for an hour or so then the line fills up again. Does this make sense? No overheating, no performance issues other than that.
I've been told it might be a fuel pump, might be a fuel relay, might be some other part I can't recall. Has anyone experienced this? I can post more details if it helps.
What makes this problem better or worse?
Nothing makes it better or worse, about 30 minute drive time
How long has your 1999 Mazda Protege had this problem?
I would drive it for 30 minutes with a fuel pressure gauge hooked up and and oscilliscope on the fuel pump B+ & ground circuits. If the pressure takes a dive when the symptoms occur, see if you still have good voltage & ground signals. test at the both the relay & the pump if necessary. If you lose signal, use the divide & conquer method of electrical tracing to trace the wiring back to the component, wire, or connection at fault. Don't forget to test the energizing side of the relay also.
If the pressure stays ok, then it's not a fuel supply problem at all, and you would have to start testing other systems, such as ignition, PCM, etc.
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