[chris j.]

hey guys , haven't been here in a while, trying to move,again. anyway have a new problem to ask about. three days ago, i left the house and pulled up to a stop light about a 1/2 mile from home. gn shut off. she started right back up. went another 2 miles to get fuel and turned her off , fueled up and she would not start. couldn't hear fuel pump running and gauge only showed 20 psi.. i checked the pump connector, looked fine. i then pulled the ecm fuse (on the top right side of the block), was good. i pulled the injector fuel fuse looked fine. turned the key and pump ran and she started. made it to work. has been fine past three days. tonight i stopped at speedway and went back out and again she refused to start and again no pump to be heard. i did the same routine and nothing this time. i noticed another fuse,on the bottom left of block that also has ecm on it along with ignition. i pulled that one, i got a fuel pump when i replaced it. it started and died. i did it again and it ran and i am home! what the hell? has anyone been down this path before? i don't know what to think. in case your wondering fuel pressure is reading as it should along with boost and all that great stuff. shes all i got and i don't know what to think. thanks for any input.
chris

 

[JohnLarkin]

I am going to guess the fuel pump relay is goofy or you have a loose ground wire at the pump. I don't think it is the fuse that is the issue since they were all good. It may be that something is heating up and the time spent checking fuses is enough for that item to cool off and work. I will stick with my guess of the relay.

 

[chris j.]

i'll try a new one and see what happens. thanks for reply.

 

[Steve Wood]

if the car has the idiot lite sender still in place, it is not the relay. If it has been removed, it might be the relay.

It may be a pump getting tired as well.

 

[chris j.]

steve,i would suppose you are reffering to the oil sender and the idiot light, yes they are still in place, i never thought of that either. that will cut the fuel pump off? i had read on the board about the sender not letting the car start if enough oil pres. wasn't seen but i didn't know how it did it's job. am i understanding this correctly ?
thanks
chris

 

[Steve Wood]

yes, and no

The sender acts as a back up to the relay. If the relay is bad, and you start cranking the engine over, when the oil pressure hits four pounds, then the sender completes the circuit to the pump and the car will start. It will keep running until you turn the key off, or the pressure goes below four pounds.

Therefore, you can have a bad relay and continue to start and drive the car altho it will take a bit more initial cranking to build up the oil pressure.

Assuming yours is working correctly, that would eliminate the fuel pump relay as a problem.

Next time it happens, immediately open the hood and connect the pump test lead to the wire for the hood light. If the pump runs, then that would most likely eliminate the fuel pump as a problem.

 

[chris j.]

EXCELLENT IDEA STEVE, WILL DO AND THANKS, sorry 'bout caps! just for the hell of it where is the oil sender located? and thanks again.
chris
i got a relay here already

 

[Steve Wood]

down near the oil filter...

 

[Just a Six??]

Oil sender is front of engine, pass side about 1/2 way down with the big black rubber boot & 3 wires.

 

[chris j.]

thanks guys appreciate it. i will see about that teat lead idea and see what happens next time. thanks again for support.
] chris