Car Won't Start - Fuel Pump?

[Lmags629]

Ok, I've searched so many threads, and I'm getting overwhelmed with all of the information, since SOME of the symptoms are what I am experiencing. About a month ago I turned off my car, ran inside for about five minutes, came back out, and out of nowhere, my car would not start. I assumed it was out of gas. After three trips to the gas station (we only had a small gas can), it finally started (after pushing the accelerator A LOT). I didn't give this a second thought. Last summer my car died, put it in the shop, and it turns out my gas gauge is not very accurate and I had just run out of gas. I usually fill up at 1/4 tank but ran a little under this time. No problems for about a week.

About a week later, car won't start again. I tried on and off for about half an hour and then it suddenly started. Again, wasn't TERRIBLY concerned - my brother in law thought he may have poured some watered down gas in my tank my mistake in the previous incident. I did, however, search these forums. I read in a thread that one guy would always turn the key to on, wait for the fuel pump to prime, and then start. I've been doing this ever since with no problems.

Last night, I turned the key to on, and did not hear the hum. My heart dropped, and just as I suspected, the car did not start. I tried and tried until it sounded as if the battery was being drained and never got it started.

Before I see if my brother-in-law will even be able to change the fuel pump, what other things should we be checking? I'm a girl and not at all mechanically inclined, and he is very busy right now, so I'm trying to do some checking for him. I NEED my car and as much as I can help him will help the entire process.

My thoughts so far are that I'm not out of gas, because I would still get a hum, right? And it wouldn't be the fuse, because if the fuse was blown, my problems wouldn't be intermittent - it wouldn't have started until I'd replaced the fuse. I could be way off, but I'm just checking to see if my thoughts are correct.

Are there any other causes for this other than the fuel pump??

I have a 2001 6-cylinder, by the way.

[2K SE]

Is the "security" light on? If it is then it's passlock. And that will keep the pump from running. The procedure is in the owners manual but basically, turn the key to acc or on. wait 10-20 minutes (the security light will go out). then turn key off and try to start car.

[Lmags629]

Thanks for your response. :)

No, the security light is not on, but the service engine light has been on for months. It came on when my temperature gauge stopped working. It started working for a while, and the service engine light went out, but that gauge is out again and the light is back on. No other lights though.

Could this still be the problem even though that light is not on?

[doobiess]

yes its very likely your pump is gone.. since when you run out of gas it will kill the pump since it needs fuel to lubricate itself and in most cases it will die... only way to be certain is get a fuel pressure tester.. and make sure your within spec if not.. change your fuel filter and if the same its your pump.

[Nacho]

yes it is most likely the pump, even if its once you dont hear the pump "hum" replace it, or check the fuel pump relay. Bust most likely its the pump.

[4kQuad]

I have read this in another thread and it works for a short time according to them.

Get a big stick, go behind your car, find the gas tank. make sure you will only hit the metal of the gas tank. whack it with the stick, turn the key and listen for the pump. Some times they jam, and a wack on the tank jars it loose. It will stick again in time, so if it does make it work.....don't trust it.

But you have a nice hint for the guy that will fix the car.

[Lmags629]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

So we went back out to my car tonight, just to check before having it towed. He put a couple of gallons of gas in, I turned the key - no hum.

I tried a second time, got the hum, and it started right up. I went to fill it up, and could only put 6 gallons in, so like we thought, it did have gas. I've turned it off and started it probably 5-6 times since then.

I printed off all of the things I've found on this site to take to my brother-in-law, but of course I forgot to take them home. I mentioned the relay, and he said that makes sense to him. He won't be able to look at it again until later this weekend. :(

He was saying that he didn't think it would be a faulty fuel pump because he said that once it went out, it would be done and I would not have been able to start it again last night. But, the impression I got from the boards is that it could be going out, but just is not completely done yet, so my problems are intermittent.

Anyhow, he asked me to get on here and ask if there is anything else I should be checking. Other than the relay, is there anything else that we should be checking?

Since it did start last night, does this point to a certain cause?

Thanks again!

[Nacho]

I work in the auto service industry and ive seen similar cases like this before, we once had an astro van in that would do the same thing it wouldnt start, then all of a sudden for no reason it would, we eventually replaced the fuel pump and still had the same problems and eventually traced it down to the wiring, but first check the pump and fuel pump relay, neither of them are things that will just brake and thats it, for instance(this has nothing to do with fuel pumps) when i first bought my ga the power door locks would work intermittently, so first i checked the relays found one that had some corrosion so i switched all 3 relays around and it worked, for awhile then it stopped, so i bought a new relay replaced the corroded one, it worked for awhile, so i put the corroded one back in place of another one, it worked for awhile, then i broke down and bought all new relays. so it just goes to show electrical gremlins are the worse because for no rhyme or reason it will or wont work. fuel pumps and relays are exactly the same, but like i said when it doubt about the fuel pumps performance replace it. hope this helps.

as far as checking for other things, once it does start does it run perfectly or does it hesitate and spudder? thats about it, if it runs fine when it does start, my experience says fuel pump, but then again i only have 5 years of doing this stuff, so i could be wrong, but start with the easiest things first, aka relay. then go to the pump and so on.

[4kQuad]

In trying to help sovle this you have created a problem for the fixer. You filled your tank to insure you were not out of gas...good idea....bad effect. As a gallon of gas weights about 6lbs, and the tank holds what 18 gallons. 18 X 6 = 108lbs for him to lower down from under the car.

If nothing else make sure he knows to bring a floor jack to help support the tank.

Don't drive futher than you want to be towed home. You seem to have a flacky electrical part. That works as it whims.

[sktshorty]

i have a 1989 grand am LE 4tech with 143000 miles on it. and i have had bad vibration which they said is the motor mount. and like 2 days ago it go so bad that it felt like it would if you let a clucth out without gas. and today i couldnt get it started and it looks like oil might be coming out the exhaust. whats the problem(s) and how do i fix it??

[4kQuad]

There are too many things at this point to say how to fix it.

The motor mount should not stop it from starting, oil comming out the exhaust very well might.

Does the motor turn over? or just sit there when you turn the key?

If it's turning over and not firing, pull a spark plug or two and check for oil on the end of the plugs. If they are covered in oil, that why it's not starting. It also means its time for a compression test, the rings on a pistion or two may be gone.

If black dust or smoke is comming out, that is another story.

Can you give more info?

[sktshorty]

well at first it was turning over then it would die now it just wont even start. im hoping to have it towed home today so i can take a closer look. but last i checked (about 4 months ago) they were fine. ive never really heard of oil coming out the exhaust and as far as it smoking im not sure as i can get it started. but i will find out today if it is oil from my car.

[knrt03]

check the relays under the hood first before replacing the pump. try swapping out the the f.p relay for the horn or the a/c compressor. had the same problem, had it towed to dealership and they had the car running before it was off the hook.

[Lmags629]

Great, thanks so much! I will have him look at the relay and let you all know what we find out! It's very cold and snowy in Indiana right now - hope he won't have to spend too much time out in the cold...

[Lmags629]

Bumping it up...

It was ok, and we've been busy, so I never got it looked at. I got stranded the other night. He took the horn relay and put it in the fuel pump relay. Nothing. Still no hum. Whacked the fuel tank with a golf club. Still nothing. Any last thoughts before he drops the tank and changes out the fuel pump? He's sick and it's been raining cats and dogs....

If not, any tips for him on how to change it out? I searched and found a thread on changing out fuel filter, but nothign on fuel pump.

2001, 2 door, 6 cylinder

Thanks!!

[Lmags629]

I forgot a couple things...

When I'm driving on the interstate, many times my car feels like it does not want to go even though my foot is steady on the gas. When it does this, I push the gas to the floor to kind of rev it, and then it is fine.

Also, the button on my stereo that changes the tracks on the cd's was not lit up a few nights ago. Then it was fine. The next night, it was the am/fm button not lit up but everything else was. Now everything lights up.

Didn't know if either of these things could be connected or not...

Thanks again!

[carlover626]

How are your Battery connections? Are they clean/tight/and shiney bright?
Your Automatic transmission uses A LOT of power from your battery, and it you have a charging problem it could make your tranny do weird things, not to mention your stereo.