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No Start/Intermittent Fuel Pump


scorpion_x9

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OK, I let the car sit for about 24 hours. (No time to work on it...) I go out and start tinkering with it and attached the negative wire back on the battery. I first jump the fuel pump primer line for a few seconds. It works, I have some sort of fuel pressure. I depress the schrader valve and fuel sprays out. So I put the coil packs on (I thought it might have been a bad ignition module, due to it not starting when hot) and try to jump the fuel pump again, and nothing. So, I get in the car and turn the key to on and nothing, of course. But after turning it on and off a few times(not the engine, just the on position), eventually it will kick on. Then I turn it on and off a few times again, and eventually it will kick on again. The fuel pump sound like a dull, very very quiet creaking/groaning strut.(that's the best i can decribe it) It doesn't whirr like it's supposed to. I'm guessing it may be a fuel pump or the relay.

 

I need to get this running ASAP, so any advice on this topic will do. I fear I might have to drop the gas tank and replace the fuel pump...

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I THINK you are experiencing normal operation. I can't really decipher your post. But, when you hit the key, the pump will not cycle EVERY time. If the rail is pressurized, it doesn't need to go further. It will only re-pressurize when the pressure drops below a certain point. As far as the test port. I don't know, but would suspect that it operates under the same premis. I have never used the test port, my conclusion is just a guess.

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Ok, this is a little weird. But I found some things out with this problem, and hopefully someone can help me out, since I have my story straight now. :)

 

I let that car sit for a couple of days with that battery unplugged. I go out today to tinker with it some more. I reconnect the battery. I didn't start it up at all. I see if I can use the fuel pump primer wire and that works all the time now and will pressurize the fuel system. I get in the car and it starts right up with no problem and I let it run for about 5 minutes or so and turn it off. So I wait for a few seconds, then I try to start it again then it just uses what fuel is left in the fuel rails and dies. Now I can't pressurize the fuel system using the fuel pump primer wire anymore, and it doesn't pressurize at all. I pop the relay out and it will switch like it's supposed to when I apply voltage to it.

 

This is baffling to me, but it appears that relay and fuel pump are good. I'm just stumped on what would not let the fuel system work after it has been running, other than the PCM. I'm pretty sure I get spark, just not fuel.

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Sounds exactly like what I experienced on my wife's Lumina last summer. After replacing the fuel pump to no avail, I tinkered around some more and found I could get the car to start if I tapped on the fuel pump relay lightly with the handle of a screwdriver. I took out the relay and sanded down the terminals and bent them out slightly. The problem hasn't returned since then...

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Sounds exactly like what I experienced on my wife's Lumina last summer. After replacing the fuel pump to no avail, I tinkered around some more and found I could get the car to start if I tapped on the fuel pump relay lightly with the handle of a screwdriver. I took out the relay and sanded down the terminals and bent them out slightly. The problem hasn't returned since then...

 

I wish it were that easy... I tried that and it still does the same thing. :guns: (Grand Prix) When I first went out to it today, I could start it up and it would run. Then after that, of course it wouldn't, but strange enough, I disconnect the battery for a while. I re-connect it and boom, it starts right up, so I take it for a drive and doesn't seem to lack power at all. It just stumps me as to why it does this. :evil: I might as well wire in a manual fuel pump switch with the way things are going...

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Ok, I think I hopefully found the problem. I found this link while searching via google. http://www.misterfixit.com/fuelrlay.htm

I've seen this in the electrical wiring diagram for my engine and did figure it may have played a role in my problem, but after reading that I think it's worth a shot.

 

But the big question is... Were's this Fuel Pump Switch/Oil Pressure Sensor on the 3100?

 

edit: I found it... I got it confused because it's next to the knock sensor...

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Ok, just to give an update. I replaced the fuel pump and that fixed everything! :D All I can say is that I never want to have to do that again!

 

Thanks for all the advice! Mission complete! :)

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