I have a 1997 cavalier that stalls or will not take gas when accelerator is pushed. I had it diagnosed at a dealer and they thought maybe fuel pump. It is $900.00 for pump which is an expensive guess. Any other pssibilities.
First, replace the fuel filter, especially if it hasn’t been replaced in the last 3 years or so.
Second, replace the dealer with an independent shop…that is way too much for a fuel pump replacement if it is needed.
A few thoughts:
“maybe” is not a diagnosis, it’s a guess. There are parts that are cheaper and easier to just change than to diagnose definitively, like a thermostat. You can test a T-stat with a thermocouple, a flask, and a hotplate, but it isn’t usually worth the labor. A fuel pump is not one of those parts. Fuel pressure from the pump can be measured and should be before quoting you that kind of a bill.
Since the dealer is telling you this, I doubt of they’ve checked the filter as VDC suggested. You can change this yourself, but get a manual and follow the directions. The fuel line on a fuel injected car stays pressurized when you shut the engine off and if you don’t depressurize it you just may get sprayed with gas. You may also need a special tool, which the manual will tell you, to do the job successfully.
There is another possibility, the throttle position sensor. Did they do any actual diagnosis? Read any codes?
That price would be way too high foor a fuel pump replacement on a Cavalier.