# 99 Astro driving me to desparation

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 7, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759 "2008-11-07T01:24:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ddavis111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@ddavis111](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ddavis111)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759/1 "2008-11-07T01:24:22Z")

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I’ve got a 1999 Astro van with about 125K with a split personality. On a good day it fires up immediately and drives perfect all day. On a bad day it turns over but will never fire up. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern as to what is causing a good day or bad day (for example does not appear to be consistently affected either way by temp or moisture).  
  
  
  
 I took it to a garage and they said I might need a new fuel sending unit and that would cost $700 to replace but could not guarantee that would fix it. They asked me if I wanted to spend thousands of dollars in repairs because they said it could be so many different problems.  
  
  
  
 I changed the fuel sending unit myself and also changed the fuel filter. That provided entertainment in the driveway for a couple weekends - didn’t make a difference. I removed the console and engine shield and tested a spark plug and it was sparking when I turned the engine over. I tried removing the wire of the top the coil and reseating it - no difference.  
  
  
  
 How can the van sometimes be incapable of starting when it sometimes starts up immediately and perfectly???

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759/2 "2008-11-07T01:43:08Z")

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Perhaps there is a loose wire to the fuel pump or a bad ground.

The next time the engine will turn over but not fire up, spray a little starting fluid into the air intake.

If it fires up then quits, you’ll have found a fuel delivery fault.

It MAY be a bad fuel pressure regulator.

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759/3 "2008-11-07T03:00:21Z")

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All that work to change the sending unit and you didn’t change the pump?

That job should take 3hrs and the pump/sending unit what $100.00 (and I am being generous giving 3hrs.)

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**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/99-astro-driving-me-to-desparation/21759/4 "2008-11-07T04:19:24Z")

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It looks like it’s up to you to narrow the possibilities. When it doesn’t start, spray a Starting Fluid into the intake tube. If it then starts, the problem is fuel (supply, or fuel injectors). If it doesn’t start, it’s ignition/spark. You, then, troubleshoot that system more closely.