Today my t/a (tbi, 90k, intake, intake manifold, msd) started behaving very oddly.

I was driving normally when I noticed a lack of power when I gave it gas. It felt a lot like the tranny slipping (but it isn't). Occasionally, it would pick back up and start accelerating again. When I had got into town and near home, the idle started jumping from 1500 to 200rpm, about 3 times. I tried to save it by giving it gas, but that wasn't working. It soon died at the light.

I cranked the car over twice, and when it finally started, I limped it the last 3/4 mile slowly. It kept wanting to die, I would have to put the engine in Neutral and give it a steady 2000rpm when I had to stop. The engine was still running when I pulled in to my driveway. But while I was under the hood checking for pinched wires and loose connections, it died. I tried to crank it over again, but it wouldn't turn over.

The fuses in the driver side are all okay, my wires from the ecu to the dizzy are in good shape and tightly connected. I cleaned the connections for good measure. Grounds are secure, and the injectors themselves are barely a year old. The fuel pump does NOT prime. There is spark. The ECM/Fuel fuse in the fender is fine. I replaced it anyway.

I did some reading from the other 2 "car wont start" posts, but the suggestions haven't helped.
Could my fuel pump be dead? Where is the fuel pump relay?

 

Pulled the relay, here is what I'm looking at. Is it shot?






Is it blown?

 

I am not sure myself...but I had all my connections to my AC look like that....the wires on my AC which were all red with a gray connection were completely brown...so all I can say is...I think its fried...the relays fried..because you said the fuses are fine....mine werent AND....AND the connections were burnt. Good luck and I am sure someone will ring in.

 

Thanks for the confirmation that I might have a burnt one. I ordered a relay from Napa, if it doesn't work I'm going to have go get a damned fuel pump...

 

t/a

What you have here is an overheated connector due to contact oxidation or contamination. Over time, contact pairs may become susceptible to galvanic metal migration. In case of a fuel pump relay you have lots of current and repeated moisture exposure. As a result contact resistance will increase over time (years) until dissipated heat loses melt the plastic away.
Just replacing relay may not solve this problem. You must remove carbon buildup from socket contacts which is a royal PIA. Failure to remove carbon buildup will simply postpone socket melt down. The only sure way to fix this problem is to replace socket and contacts - this requires proper crimping tool and pins and a new socket body. It is not too difficult, but requires correct tools.

Increased contact resistance reduces FP working voltage which may explain fuel starvation effects. You can also verify how much current your FP is drawing by connecting bypass pig tail (if equiped, NC contact pair) through a fused 10Amp ampmeter (DVM) to a positive batterey terminal. I do not have FP current specs. Prehaps some one can shed that info.

//RF

 

Thanks RF. I searched for the socket and plug (picked up both at Pep Boys and the random clips, sauter, and pins at Lowes) replaced them both via a friend who does electrical work on the side who was kind enough to fix me up. Had essentially the same explanation as you. The job was A1, but not enough.

Unfortunatly, the pump still doesn't prime. My neighbor is a seasoned ASE mechanic as well as an avid thirdgenner. He came by this evening and hes 90% sure its the pump itself.

Goody. Looks like I'll be dropping the tank!!!

 

Fuel pump is confirmed shot.
Thanks for the help!!

 

Sounds like you've already got it figured out but it looked to me like your pump was wearing out. It started dragging a little bit and started pulling more current than normal, which melted your relay. Sound about right? Have fun with the pump!

 

^^ Yup, sounds about right. I made it pull soooo much extra current by holding it at 2000rpm so it wouldn't die on the last mile home.

 

Same thing happened with my electric cooling fan. The motor started going out so it would draw lots of current, especially as it was first turned on. Eventually the relay (same relay as the FP) smoked, and after smoking about 7 relays there was a lot of buildup around the connector from it melting and whatnot. More buildup = more resistance so therefore even more current drawn, and another smoked relay. I ended up installing a new fan motor, and soldering in a new connector and using a relay from the GM dealer. Its been a few months now and I haven't had a problem.

You have to fix the source of the problem, which in this case is the fuel pump, before you fix that relay connector.

 

make sure that when you have the tank down to do a resistance test on the pump ground circuit. lots of people forget to check the ground circuit.