Ok guys this is really weird and has me wondering, so I need some advice from anyone, maybe you had this or know someone who had a similar issue.

Ok 86 camaro, fuel injected, v6 multiport, 5 speed. I used to hear the fuel pump kick on, when the key would turn on, hear it run, kick off, twist the key and fire right up. one day no more fuel pump noise, car has trouble starting, actually the first try it started but no fuel pump noise, ran for a second but died because I didn't give it a little gas to help it warm up. I tried to restart, just cranking. Ok so then one day you go to start, just cranks, next day it starts and runs, idles and runs as long as you want it to. Sometimes it'll restart sometimes it won't. One time battery went dead after it idleing for like 10 mintues, it was going good, shut it off, refire, nothing battery dead, charged it, got it started back, checked the charging system with my tester, alt. shows weak charge like almost 10 or 11 volts I think, in the weak area of my meter. Sometimes you could dump a shot of gas in the throttle body and it fire, other times it wouldn't only sputter out some.

Car has sat for like 2 months, wouldn't start only crank and kinda sputter sputter, crank. Today with dad spraying fuel in the throttle body, while me cranking it finally fired after some trys and some fuel. Ran for 5 minutes, drove it in the carport, shut it off, tried it, started right back up, ran for like 10 minutes then i turned it off. Kinda smokes now, and smells bad, maybe bad gas? I know plugs prolly fouled some from all the shots of gas down the intake, and we ran some spray carb cleaner thru it back in the summer, while running to clean it out.

Now I'm wondering what the heck is wrong with this thing? I wouldn't think a dead fuel pump at least not an electric in tank one would give anything, if it was dead it's like once you get gas in the intake it runs, but has trouble getting it there, new fuel filter in august though. I removed the two fuel lines up underhood, turned on the key, got nothing. That was a couple weeks ago though, so who has any ideas?

Think it's the alt. since it's bad messing up everything without proper voltage and power? or think my fuel pump is going out or is gone? I been trying to sell, with no luck so I'm going to fix then sell, if I can figure it out. I can't spend alot on it, because I don't have it, heck I'm selling it to get money to finish the monte as it is now LOL. If it's fuel pump fine, or alt. that's fine, but I don't want to change both, and more so do not want to change both and it STILL have problems. So right off I know new plugs won't hurt, and probably should have a new alt. since it's reading low. My camaro book was telling my to supply voltage to one dianostic port thing and shoudl hear the pump so I'm going to try that, then try to find the fuel pump relay and check it. ANyone know how to check a relay? Just like a fuse? stab both sides with a test light to insure current on both? Anyone know exactly which one it is? or where? I figure firewall but there's 2 or 3. 2 for sure on the firewall. Any suggestions or solutions?

Thanks very much in advance.

 

Classic bad fuel pump. The stock pumps and OEM replacements don't go all at once. They'll sloooooowly die. One day it works great for 20 miles then strands you. The next it won't even fire up. You probably killed the battery with all the starting attempts and deep discharge/rapid recharging. You might want to look at the water level, but honestly a lead acid battery only has a few deeeep discharge cycles in it before its done. Replace it.

Well if the battery wasn't dead from the repeated starting attempts it most certainly is dead now.

Troubleshoot the alternator ONLY after you have a known good charged battery and you aren't killing it by repeated discharges due to a bad fuel pump.

Fuel pump relay is like $5. Just replace it. Consider it bad. If it wasn't oh well you eliminated it. In order to test you need a multimeter and a +12V source, take it out of the holder, apply +12V to the +12V terminal, ground to the ground terminal and test continuity across the NO connection. When you release the +12V test across the NC connection. Sound complicated enough? You need 4 hands to do it. Screw it and cough up the $5 and be done with it.

 

Ok well NO the battery definately was not dead after setting for 2 months, it's brand new, and had a few trys on a fire up while setting, never started. I don't think it's bad at all, if so it's under warrenty. Alternator was only tested when battery was completely charged. That and when the car was running. I am going to check for voltage and power on the wires, but is that or, will that tell me for sure it's the fuel pump? I'd think so if it gets power.

My starting attempts only last about 5 or 10 seconds, then i stop and leave the key completely off to where it can be removed from the ignition, leave it like that for maybe 30 seconds, and try again, I give up after about 4 or 5 trys. Most of the time only one or two. I do not repeatedly crank it unless it's a have to like today were we were spraying gas into it so it would fire and did.

 

Checking the wires at the fuel pump will tell you either -

A) you aren't getting juice to the pump - check relays, wiring, and the fuse.
B) you are getting juice to the pump - pump = bad.

 

Thanks doward, that's what I was thinking. I already checked the fuse in the fuse block inside the car, it checked out to be good but I changed it anyways with a new one to be sure. I am going to check relay, or replace probably, and check the wires at the tank. I figured the same, no jucie at the pump, bad connection, juice at the pump, crapped out pump.

Thanks for the help guys, if you got anything else for me please let me know.