We have 2.5L 1987 Celebrity Station Wagon. We put in a new tank, fuel pump and sending unit. We then added about 8 gallons of fuel. We can hear the pump run for a few seconds, then no more and we are not getting fuel from the tank.
This car only has about 60,000 miles on it great grandmas car. Gently used for sure.
Any Ideas
When you first try to start the car, the computer runs the fuel pump for a few seconds to build up fuel pressure as you start it. Once running, the oil pressure safety switch should allow the fuel pump to run continuously once oil pressure is up in the engine. Check the oil pressure switch, and see if it is preventing the fuel pump from running any further. If the switch is fine, check the rest of the safety switch wiring to the fuel pump relay. For a test, the fuel pump relay can be jumped to run the fuel pump continuously to see if that’s where the problem is. I wouldn’t keep the jumper in place, tho, for safety reasons.
I don’t mention a bad relay only because the computer uses it for it’s priming cycle and it’s working.
You don’t mention replacing the fuel filter. If this has not been changed since new, it possibly could be clogged after 22 years of filtering gas that has set in the tank for long periods.
Hope that is it.
I’m the owners father. I replaced the tank, sending unit, and fuel pump and fuel filter. After it was all together I still did not have fuel at engine. Disconnected lines at tank. I hear the pump run and then stop no fuel . I put fuel in throttle body, engine runs but no fuel. Someone posted about a factory prime connector and the only unused connector is by master cylinder and has two prongs. I don’t want to connect to something that might burn up the computer or some sensor. Where would I find the pump relay? This car has 85,000 miles and the parts were purchased on line. Thanks
fuel pump was replaced.
I dunno. I think you might be barking up the wrong tree. You need the factory service manual or Alldata witht he diagnostics, a fuel pressure guage, and test light. Why did you replace the tank and the pump in the first place? The prime connector should be a single spade connector, I believe green. The relay is a small black cube that should be around the firewall. You need to put a fuel pressure tester on the shrader valve of the fuel rail and the test light on the prime connector with the aligator clip to ground. When you turn the key on, the light should go on indicating power to the pump, the pump should run a few seconds, and the pressure guage should show pressure. If the pressure shows zero and the pump runs, you need to cycle the pump a few times to build up pressure. If you have pressure and it doesn’t start, or at least stumble a little trying to start, you probably aren’t getting the injectors to open which would lead you to the computer. The computer is what tells the pump to start again after the engine starts. I think you may be having a computer problem but you need to get the test equipment on it.
Oil pressure switch? I dunno. It should still start or at least stumble because that switch is by passed until the engine starts and pressure is built up. Once running, you can pull the relay and the engine should continue to run off of the oil pressure switch if it is good.
I had insufficient fuel coming out of tank. Tank was leaking and had no reading at gas gauge. I figured the pump was bad. I could not hear it run… Dropped tank and found the hose connecting pump to sending unit was ruptured. Ordered new tank, sending unit and pump on-line. Installed new parts. put in 8 gallons of fuel, gas gauge now works and tank does not leak I can hear pump run (momentarily) but no fuel is coming out. I’m starting got believe I bought a defective pump. Is there a way I can energize the pump and run it to see if it’s pumping or not. If I put fuel down throttle body the engine will run and I look at fuel pipe under car nothing comes out. I’m not looking forward to dropping that tank again. Thanks
When you drop the tank again ( which it sounds like you are going to have to ) after you take the pump off it mount run something like compressed air or wire through the output line to make sure it is clear.Contact the place you bought the pump from and describe why you think it is bad and ask them if they can test it.
Hi Thanks
Before I pulled old tank I had the pipes apart at fuel filter and blew air from throttle body back to filter because I thought there might be a blockage however all was clear. Everything from pump to filter is new unless there was something in the new sending unit. The pump was prewired and had just a plastic connector. Maybe wires were connected to pump incorrectly (just two wires) I suppose when I drop tank I could power up pump and test its output. I even put a new strainer on bottom of pump. Thanks again
Okay, so this is great grandmas car with either 60 or 85 thousand miles on it, and the poster is either the great grandson/daughter or the great great grandparent, or both. Perhaps taking the car to a mechanic might be helpful. The parts are all paid for, you’d just be on the hook for labor. Admint defeat and have someone fix it for you.