Fuel Starvation on 88 XT

[NorthWet]

My 88 XT (MPFI, NA, MT, 4WD, fun) is having fuel starvation problems below 1/4 full (call it 3 gallons and below) and mild cornering and uphill acceleration.

 

For several years I had noticed that it got a little cranky going through a 35mph sweeping right hand curve near me, but having driven an SPFI without the PCV mod, I never really "noticed".  Since an engine change this summer (to deal with a decrepit rod bearing), I have been driving it more and longer.  After a couple months of trying to track down a sudden drop in power, particularly on an uphill freeway onramp after a left-hand turn to enter, I finally figured out that:

1) my fuel gauge was registering a little "differently" (optimistic: E meant E)

2) the low-fuel light was inoperative

and, most important here,

3) my pump sucked air during minor maneuvering below about 3 gallons of fuel.

 

(The onramp was annoying, as it was part of my commute and it took upwards of 2-3 minutes to recover enough to crawl up the incline and get to traffic speed.)

 

One of the first things I did was swap in a known-usable fuel pump.  No change.

 

OK, I hear someone saying, "Duh! Keep more fuel in your tank."  Sound advice, tough to follow for domestic reasons.

 

I have not noticed this behavior in any other of our MPFI/SPFI EA82's  (got a "couple"), all of which should have a similarly baffled tank to my XT.

 

Is this "normal" behavior?  Is the XT tank different in a bad way?  Is it possible that the baffle(s) has(have) come adrift?  Or am I just nuts?

Edited February 15, 2013 by NorthWet

[NorthWet]

Hmmmmm... While tinkering on the XT with the engine running, I heard the fuel pump making unhappy noises:  Probably aeration tpe of noises.  Didn't fell in the mood to crawl under the car just that minute (see aforementioned domestic reasons).  Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better able to handle crawling in the mud.

 

BTW.... bump