ronnie johhhnnn Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 A few days ago when I started my car, it was idling really rough. When I tried to give it gas, it would jsut sputter and stall. After starting it a few more times and having the same results, it randomly started running fine. I drove it around with no problems until I had to start it again. It did the same thing, only this time it stopped even sputtering. It just cranked and cranked and cranked until I killed the battery. I replaced the fuel pump thinking that was the culprit. I had to jump it to get it to crank, and when it did, it started right up. Whe I got home, I decided to try and start it again, and I got the same problem. It started rough, and would die if I gave it any gas. Again, it stopped sputtering and would just crank and crank until the battery died. I took the fuel pump out again to kind-of double check my work, put it back in, and it started right up?!?!! Then, once again, when I shut it off and tried to start it again, SAME PROBLEM. It almost seems like the fuel pump only want to work once for each hook up. When I try to start it a second time, it seems like fuel pump doesn't even come on. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 It could be a few things, but a common cause can be the engine coolant temp sensor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 To verify it is a fuel problem you could try using some starter fluid sprayed into the intake to see if that helps fire the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sube dude Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Did you replace the fuel filter with the pump? Does the "Check engine lite" come on? Fuel may be blocked at the filter. The previous (one and only) owner of my '95 Leggy never changed the filter - it quit after about ten years and 160 k miles! You might say he was oblivious to things automotive. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronnie johhhnnn Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 I got some starter fluid and sprayed it in the air box and it started right up. It then proceeded to sputter and die as to be expected. I just changed the fuel filter about 2 months ago so I don't think that the problem lies there. I think something is telling the fuel pump to not turn on. Could the engine coolant temp sensor cause that? I am also getting no codes. Does anyone know if there is any resistance on the voltage going to the pump? I would like to try and run a wire directly from the battery to it and see if it would run like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 The coolant sensor will have no affect on the pump action but ignition pulses do and you have that so you are good there. The next best bet if voltage is not getting to the pump is the fuel pump relay. To see if voltage is getting to the pump properly you can place a voltmeter across the pump leads and measure it. If the voltage is ok then the problem may be with the pump itself. Check the fuel pressure if the voltage is ok. The other possible problem may be the injector. Edit After rereading the posts on this again I see you did replace the pump but make no mention of the fuel filter being replaced. If you didn't do that then I recommend you get a new one and install it. This kind of trouble has been resolved a number of times with just installing a new filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? If not you may be able to borrow one from autozone or a place like that. Very easy to put inline after the fuel filter on the Suby's. Then tape that thing to the windshield so you can see it and see what you're getting. The deal with the coolant temp sensor is sometimes when they go flaky, they read a high temperature even though the temp is low. So warm starts = OK. But on cold startup it thinks the temp is higher than it is and makes the a/f ratio too lean. And the ECU doesn't yet have the luxury of the o2 sensor being hot to be able to use for a/f ratio control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 I vote for Cougar's test. Rare for a fuel filter to get totally plugged. The FPR (Fuel Pump Relay) provide the positive battery to the FP anytime the ignition is on. The ECU then, when cranking or running completes the circuit to ground and the pump runs. If you test for the positive voltage at the connector you find above the pump and it ain't happenin'.... The FPR (or the power to it) must be the culprit. (There is no resistance in the power feed to the pump - it runs on battery voltage) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronnie johhhnnn Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Just to give a follow up to my problem, it ended up being the fuel pump relay. The connectors had a lot of green corrosion on them as did the wires leading up to the plug. Had the relay and the connectors replaced and it starts right up. I'm trying to get this thing to 300,000 miles. I'm thinking about painting it flat black when it gets there but I might just do at a quarter million. I'm only 6,000 shy of that now:banana:. We'll see what happens. Thanks for all of your help and I hope this thread helps someone out in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks for the update RJ. Glad you got it fixed. I assume the fuel pump relay is under the hood area for it to get damaged like that. My info says it's in the joint box where ever that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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