Frostyballz

I recently got ahold of a 1991 Trans Am. It's got the 305 TPI and the Service Parts Identifier deems it a Y83. I got it not running. The previous owner had replaced the fuel pump at some point in the last few months. Leading up to the time he gave it to me, he said it took a shot of ether to get it started and said the fuel pressure regulator needed replaced (hasn't been done yet, but I have one). Also, when you turn the key, the fuel pump does not turn on. I can 100% confirm that it never primes because I've had somebody turn the key while I had my ear to the fuel tank, nothing. Furthermore, my battery keeps dying, which I can only assume is being caused by the anti-theft (it's been sitting for about two weeks since I last tried jump starting it).

Here's where I'm at, armed with a Haynes manual for the 1982 thru 1992 Firebird. When attempting to jump start the car, it turns over and starts, but never makes it to idle. It literally tries to start and dies after less than a second of the engine coming to life. Fuel pump makes no noise, etc. The Haynes manual says there is a fuel pump fuse on the right side of the dashboard, but there is no fuse panel over there. It's under the steering wheel and in that box, there is no "Fuel", "FP" or anything relating to a fuel pump label.

Given the information provided, where should I start with this? I'm pretty mechanically savvy, just haven't had much time to toy with it until this coming weekend. Where is the fuel pump fuse? What is the appropriate way to jumper a wire to see if the fuel pump is actually bad? Just a couple questions to start and then I can go from there.

Frostyballz

bump

ChrisC

To jump the fuel pump, run power to terminal G on your ALDL (the code reader hookup). The easiest way to do this is to run power to it from your fuse box. Do this and let us know if you hear your pump prime.

Terminal G should be the bottom left terminal IIRC

Frostyballz

Is there any particular size of wire I must use to accomplish this? I used some speaker wire I had laying around and got nothing out of the fuel pump. It was pretty small wire though. I used jumper cables since the trans am's battery is dead. I went black on the truck to chassis on the Trans Am. Then red on the truck to the wire and had the other end in pin G. From what I can tell, this doesn't necessarily mean the pump is bad. Could be the fuel pump relay. I'd shoot it for continuity, but don't know where it is.

Frostyballz

Upon really getting in there and having a look around, pin G is empty. But the pin above it has something and when jumpered, I can hear a click and a low level whirring sound that lasts about three seconds. But it almost sounds like it is coming from the engine compartment. Trying to find a second person to come over and help point out where that sound is coming from

Frostyballz

Ok, there is definitely nothing in pin G of the ALDL, I don't know what the story is there. I was able to shoot continuity through the relay and from the relay to the fuse. The circuit checked good, just haven't been able to check the circuit to the pump itself. Also, I can't shoot the relay once the internal switch is energized. Sooo I'm thinking of getting the relay at autozone, throwing it in and seeing if it works and if the car still doesn't work, then it is pretty much narrowed down to the pump itself and I will return the relay.