88 Trans Am 350 TPI stock.

What's that Hippocratic Oath for doctors? "First, do no harm?" Well....

I was trying to remove the fuel pump relay just to look at the connections inside, and then reattach it, to see if it would make my fuel pump come on with key on. Right now it just clicks a little or is silent. (Car runs anyway).

I pried on the upper 2 tabs, about in the middle of the rectangular relay, and they both snapped off without much force. Nothing came apart except the tabs, luckily.

I then noticed there are 2 more tabs lower down. I assume these are the right ones to pry apart, and that these tabs won't be so brittle. Right?

Also assuming I am messing with the correct relay. There are 3 relays next to each other on the firewall. This one, which I hope is the fuel pump relay, is the one closest to the passenger side.

Another thing, while I'm at it: The wires coming out of the bottom of the relay are covered in some sort of slimy gel. Did this gel leak out of the relay, or is it supposed to be there?

I've never changed this relay before so I think it must be the original. Bought the car used.

 

Your relay harness should look like this.The tab is on the front of the relay itself.
http://tpiparts.net/inc/sdetail/7581
The glue might be a dielectric,



You can also change to the newer style relay if your car has the old flat style one.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...ump-relay.html

 

Doctors have Hippocratic Oath and politicians have Hypocritical Oath (always do harm)

 

LOL!

Just an update here. I finally got the fuel pump relay apart without breaking anything else! Took me about 10 minutes figuring out what screwdriver to use and where to pry, and where to hold the darn thing. Awkward.

Inside were the 5 terminals, all coated in thick black grease. I left it alone and just snapped it back together, then listened for fuel pump noises when I turned the key to 'on'. Sure enough I did hear a slightly louder sound from the fuel pump. Not a groan or whine, but some softer sound. About 2 seconds.

Also heard a loud snap from the relay area about 2 seconds after turning the key to on.

The car still took 2 tries to start though.

I drove it around and it ran well (knock on wood), good power, smooth idle, no dreaded bogging. Been trying to diagnose a bogging on acceleration problem. May have fixed it with a bottle of Techron. One can hope.