I have a ’90 Camaro RS in which I have swapped an LS1 with high flow heads/cam and everything is installed, including the wiring harness, etc. The car has the Racetronix hotwire kit installed with the brand new LS1 fuel pump. It has a new Corvette LS1 fuel filter/regulator also. For various circumstances, the car sat for 3-4 years before the install was complete, but the gas tank was cleaned out prior and there was just a trace of fuel in the lines, which mostly were replaced. For the startup, I placed 5 gallons of fuel in the tank.

I just had the car tuned for the first time with this swap and the car will not start. The starter turns over but the engine does not crank. The tuner said the crankshaft sensor is good and the VATS was disabled, and I also jumpered the two large wires on the starter relay to bypass VATS.

When I turn the key “ON”, you can hear the Racetronix hotwire relay click, but the fuel pump does not prime, which I was told I would distinctly be able to hear. Here are the diagnostics I have tried so far:

Fuel Pump Relay:
I directly connected 87 (battery) to 30 (fuel pump control) and the relay clicks but no fuel pump prime. I checked 30 and 85 (my ground) and I get 12V when the key turns “on” for the few seconds. The relay wiring seems to be okay?

Rear Wiring:
I checked the disconnected the connector coming out of the cabin in the rear and I get 12V upon turning the key to “on” at the grey (fuel pump control) and black (ground) wires. As I mentioned can hear the Racetronix relay click when I turn the key "on" or jumper. The wiring to the back seems to be okay?

I also connected the fuel pump connector (coming out of the fuel tank) to the connector (coming form the rear cabin) and tried to start…to no avail. I believe these connectors were originally connected together from the factory.

Does anyone have any other suggestions that I can check before removing the fuel tank? I have done much research, and it seems there may be some type of corrosion or such in the wiring in the fuel tank? Or for some reason the new fuel pump is bad?

- Ryan

 

if you put 12v directly to the power wire on the sending unit to the pump does it turn on?

 

Well the condition of a no start is always a tough spot to be in. I read your post and one sentence doesn't make a ton of sense to me "The starter turns over but the engine does not crank". Just want to make sure when you turn the key will the engine "crank". Also have you attached a mechanical fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail to verify whether you have adequate fuel pressure or not? If you have no pressure then the path you are on is correct. If no pressure then verify you have adequate power and ground. Don't just check voltage verify amperage is good. You can achieve an amperage check with a high wattage light bulb. Should be able to light the bulb fairly bright. If you don't have sufficient amperage then chase down your wiring. If voltage and amperage is good and the fuel pump still doesn't come on then you have deemed the pump faulty. Companies manufacture new defective parts all the time. If fuel pressure happens to be good and the engine cranks then check for injector pulse. You can do this with a "noid light" or you can use a 194 light bulb (just bend the wires). If there is no injector pulse the check pids on scan tool for fuel enable status and check for crank reference. Hopefully this might provide some direction. post your results or any other questions you may have.

 

as other have said,

apply power and ground directly to the fuel pump wires to see if the pump is wired correctly from the top or not

Sounds like the wiring inside the fuel tank (on the actual fuel pump) may have come loose or pulled out (Which I have seen recently enough to be on my mind)

 

Got it running today! It turned out to be a bad fuel pump, even though it was new.

 

brand?