Hey guys got a question:

I've had some unidentified problems with my car before like: car would die while driving it... and often times When I start the car, it straight dies a second or 2 later, but if I pump the gas it will stay running, then I can let off and it'll run fine from there on.

Problem:

Car wont start. It will crank and crank, but wont turn over. When I turn the ignition i dont hear the fuel pump prime... but i cant remember hearing it before either -l-.

So this brings me to the question: is my fuel pump bad? Has it finally went out? I dont think its ever been replaced and my body has 170k miles. I dont know what it is, i checked the coil pack and spark plugs and that all seems fine. Its done this before and I replaced the spark plugs and it fired up. But that could have been coincidence, and just a faulty pump maybe.

Lemme know any opinions, thanks

do you have any check engine lights? my car did the same thing with the starting and dying 1 second later, except i couldn't give it gas, hooked up a scan tool and found out the MAP sensor was bad

well, i dont have any check engine lights on. We got it started by spraying starter fluid in the intake and primed it- started right up. Then i drove it all around town.

came home, turned it off then restarted it -->and it died 1 sec later. Tried to restart again and it fired right up?

do you have the stock injectors in there, with 170K on them too?

The motor was rebuilt at 50k by prev. owners because the timing belt broke. I doubt they replaced the injectors so they could be...

if you prime it, it'll start and run fine i guess. sound like injectors to you?

What makes you think it's the fuel pump? Do you hear the pump running? CHeck the fuel pressure at the rail. You also might have a clogged fuel filter.

i dont hear the fuel pump when i turn the ignition. Fuel pump is a shot in the dark, thats why im asking the question. It'll start and run though like yesterday I primed it and drove it all around. But today i tried to start it after setting all night and it didnt want to but when i pumped the gas a im trying to start it, it started up and idled fine. So i dunno.

Maybe its dirty injectors or like you said a clog in the fuel filter. I changed it not long ago. But that dont say much if you happen to get alot of dirty gas. Anyways, thoughts, and opinions welcome please

In order to start the car, I gotta spray starting fluid in the intake before it will start, every time. If I drive it around and it is idling, it will die down - and require the prime again before it will start. Whats the deal?

Is it the IAC? I have a Jeep TB- maybe it needs adjusted?

Do you have fuel pressure? Stick a nail in the test port, does it spray?

Originally posted by DarkOne
Do you have fuel pressure? Stick a nail in the test port, does it spray?

Yup! Nearly got my eye, lol; I went up and bought a fuel filter... changed it out, and it fired up. Drove it around, seemed to run fine. Shut it down, and started it back up with no problem. So seemingly it is now fixed! Thanks all

Not fixed. If the car sets for more than 2 days without being driven, it will try to start, but not turn over unless primed (aka spraying starting fluid in the intake).

I thought it done this before because It had set for some time, but i've been driving it more regularly now and it still does it.

I will soon be taking my car in to have my dropzone coilovers swapped for prokits, I plan to have the mechanic try to identify the problem. But I am still having the problem now. So, Any further suggestions until then?

Check the asd relays on the firewall. The one for the fuel pump is in there somewhere.

How will I know if they are bad? they are solid black, right?

my car would almost do the same thing urs is doin, it would start up fine, sometimes, others it will almost stall right away, but catch itself, and sometimes it would just crank and crank, and sprayin starter fluid wouldnt even work, turned out to be the relay, and to drive the car, i had to have a wire from the battery to the pump in order to have the car from stalling, but everytime i was done driving, i had to take off the wire since the pump would constantly run with it being connected to the battery. i believe it was the left relay of the 3 on the firewall, it cost like 15 dollars at a chrysler dealer

hrm... I have a 95 RS, I see 2 relays by the brake fluid...

I called a few mechanics and described the problem to them.

1 told me to take it and have it checked with a computer (eventhough no check engine light is on) that it might be an injector, cant remember what he was callin it, but it didnt sound familiar.

the other told me that the car cannot be checked by a computer if it doesnt have a check engine light on. And he said it sounded to him like it was the Fuel Pressure Regulator. I told him I tested fuel pressure on the fuel rail and it shot out about 3-4 ft. but he said it could still need tested with a gague.

Anyways, still looking for answers. I'll look into the relay and FPR or injectors. Maybe hooking it up to a computer will give an answer

there should be 3 relays by the brake fluid, left one is fuel pump relay, middle is sumthin weird, and right one is the mfi (multiport fuel injection) i believe thats how they go, just go to a chrysler dealer, get the part put it in, and see what happens, the fuel pump relay was only 15 dollars so its not that big of a deal, and may be ur problem

I have had this problem in the past and never got an answer. Basically every once in a while (seems like when my tank was at 1/4 full). My car would be a bitch and have starting problems for a couple days. Then it would go away and not come back for anywhere from 1-4 weeks. Basically the fuel pump doesn't prime. You have to turn key off, then on, then off, then on. Sometimes this doesn't work for MANY tries. Other times it will start up and run really crappy then die out. I still have yet to figure out what it is since it is entirely random. I thought it was bad gas but I don't see how that would not make the fuel prime.

I think its a relay. I have a honda and there is a consistant problem with the accord's main relay. Never had a problem with it on my 2gnt, but for hondas, one of the things it gives power to is the fuel pump, which would explain why your fuel pump isnt priming. And when the relay starts to go out, the car will start tempermentally (if that is a real word). Next time it does that, try tapping on the relay slightly(with the key turned), and it should start up assuming that the it is the relay, and theres still a little bit of life in it. Just a thought.

mine would do that to, keep turnin the key on and off, spent almost an hour the one day after work doin it, til someone else got it started, its a pain in the ass, just changed the fuel pump relay, like he said, the relay is what tells the pump to send fuel, and if its broke, the pump aint gonna do anything, which means u aint goin anywhere. 10-15 dollars at chrysler dealer

You jinx'd my baby. She started doing that again really bad today even though she hadn't in over a month. I guess it is time to get a new relay?

bryan, get a light relay from napa they are 8 dollars. then do the fuel pump rewire mod. It is sooo worth it. My FP relay went out a couple of weeks ago and I had to do this.

off topic but how is sheena and the baby?

I would think it would just GO OUT. This has been an off and on ordeal for about 4 months now? Also it is only like every couple weeks it happens for like 3 days... I will read up on it. Sheena and baby (7 weeks growning. still looks like a kling-on i guess) are fine. we went through some trouble the past couple days but everything is better now. I wanna drop Lily before the baby comes though. REALLY BAD. My wheel gap is just... yeah...

I only have 2 relays, if I tap it and try to start - it does nothing. I have not done the fuel pump rewire mod (not that it would help the problme) but I might do that soon.

After it has set longer the past few days it still does the same thing, so it will never start unless starting fluid is used.

Very weird problem... hope I can pin-point it. Eventhough my check engine light isnt on, can I still have it hooked up to a computer --> try to start it and be able to see any errors or warnings from the ECU?

hey guys, tapped on the relay while trying to start the car, and BOOM, it kicked over! so by what you guys indicate, its the relay. I checked the book and I have 2 relays; the mcf relay and fuel pump relay next to each other, i tapped on the mcf relay (the one to the far left) so I will replace that one from the dealer. Thanks for the info. Will + points when sober. thanks

Note: have someone tap while you try to start is how i got it to work. if you tap on it, then go to start it, didnt work. anyways, thanks again hopefully after I replace this, it might fix bucking as well.

let us know if replacing it fixed the problem, since i had the same one, and replacing it fixed mine

hrm, well looks like I have to buy the "relay kit" that has the mfi and fuel pump relay for $32 - oh well though, might as well replace both. Will ship by friday they say

seems to have fixed the problem. wouldnt start --> installed new relays --> started.

congrats, im glad to have helped you out with your problem

I'm having the same problems. My car just shut off one day. I tried starting fluid in the throttle body while cranking it over and nothing. I just went out and tapped the relays and nothing. I pushed the valve on the fuel rail and some gas came out, not much and it only shot out about an inch. I can hear and feel my fuel pump running a few seconds after I start cranking the car over and a couple seconds after I stop cranking it over.
The cars been sitting for about 6 months now. I would love to get it running before winter.
What do you guys think ?