Ok, my car died when it was idling in the driveway one day and now I'm trying to figure out whats wrong with it. I've looked at the boards and consulted the shop manual and here is what I've gotten after testing. If I take the breather cover off and dribble a little gas down the TBI and hit the key it fires right up and runs for a second or two, not an ignition problem, must be fuel.

When I hit the key I can hear the pump like it is priming, but I have read where it will sometimes act like it is priming even if shot. So, I unplugged the pump relay, unscrewed the fuel feed line in the engine bay and jumperd the connector to make the pump run constant....nothing comes out of the line.

I can hear it whining in the back like it is running. Tomorrow morning when its day out I'm going to unhook the fuel line right before the filter and retest. Is it possible for the pump to be running but actually be shot? I mean I guess it could be. Also I noticed the fuel gauge is showing way past full but I know that is impossible. Think its time to get a new pump?

 

You are good to do the test before the filter as well.
If nothing still comes out once fuel pump is priming, time to pull the tank. get a new sending unit too.
and dont come back saying you were just on empty.

 

Lol, no its not empty. Thats the first thing I checked :P

 

Well, turns out the pump wasn't realy shot per-se...everything else in there was. The rubber connector between the pump and the sending unit had all but completely disolved away. As i was pulling it out of the tank i said to myself "its getting hung on the damn pump floping aroudn..wait the pump shouldnt be floping around..." So it very well could have been pumping when i was hearing it, it was just making a little fuel fountian in the tank. And the wire that connects for the gauge in there was completely corroded off the unit as well. So, new pump and sending unit in place and all is well now. Was kinf of a PITA getting the crud out of the tank tho.

 

good job, gratz on doing it properly.

 

Well, I think I still might have a problem. Its all back together and still wont start unless i put fuel in the TBI itself. Guess I need to take the line off where it actually hits the TBI and check there to make sure its flowing. Guess i could also put a meter on the injector connectors and see if its getting power when i crank on it. And i was hoping for a relaxing vacation lol.

 

Well, its getting fuel all the way into the TBI. Checked voltage at each injector plug, had dad hit the key and voltage increased at both. Took top off of TBI and hit key, gas fountain. Now me wonders if there isnt something wrong with the injectors, the car hasn't been run in a few years so I guess that is a posiblity.

 

ITS ALIVE!!! I rant to Oreillys and got a fuel pressure regulator rebuild and lo and behold that was the last thing keeping it from starting. Now to finish putting the new exhaust on it and getting it street legal again. Then I'll start worrying about the looks....needs painted terribad. But after putting +/- $500 into the car over the last few days I dont know what im gonna do about that. $50 paint job? LOL