Ok, so today, im driving home from work...not on it at all. come to a red light. as the light turns green and i let off the brake to creep foward, the car dies. i throw it in neutral, try and start it, but nothing. so i push the car off the side of the road, and start inspecting.

i was getting fuel pressure at that point, and i check for spark and got spark, then all of a sudden, car starts right up, and runs fine. so i start going to where i have to be, get no further than a mile from my home, and at about 40mph, the car dies on the roll...

pull it to the side of the road. this time, NO fuel pressure. doesnt seem to be any spark either (altho, must admit, was rushed, so i couldve not been making contact w/ the metal conductors in the wires). call a tow truck (which is a hassle in itself, they dont like cars that are to low to drive normally, let alone pull up on to a tow truck, lol)

get it home, off the truck, and just for shits and giggles, try and start her. and BAM, first time cranking it it turns right over and purrs like normal ?!?!?!?

i was thinking fuel pump relay, or a short somewhere back by the fuel pumps, but was wondering if anyone else had an ideas of other things to check out if the fuel pumps and relays check out OK.

has not happen to me yet... check your relay under the seat make sure its nice and tight... also check to make sure your stock pump is working right...



Michael 99gs
HRC Stage 2
http://www.dreamwater.net/purplebeast

I had a simular problem. Check that your battery terminals arent corroded. Mine didnt shut off while driving but it wouldnt start and then all of the sudden it would start.

brand new battery, terminals are fine.

anyway to check the fuel pump relay, short of hard wiring the pump?

I had the same problem, check the relays up under the hood by the battery. Attached to the firewall i believe...

I just have the same problem a couple of weeks ago. It took me for ever to find the problem, goodthing I have another car. Well, It was my MSD TACH ADAPTER. I know this cause when I took that thing out and just hook up the MSD ignition it starts fine with out any problem but I have CEL though. I'm just waiting for a new one right now but eversince I took that out its been starting without any problem...

Hey Ryan,

All I can think of is getting a voltage tester or a multimeter, and check it out while the power is on. Check it out at the relay points.

That's actually pretty common I think. Did you wire a fat 10 ga. back there? (Corbin has some reqire instructions on his site)

still got the stock wiring to the back pump.

guess i just gotta pull out the backseat and start lookin :/

That exact problem was the camel that broke the straw (or whatever) for me (now I find out VWs are much more notorious for electrical problems. damn brake light switch failed today. great!) Fact is it could be any of the above plus a few other things. One day I might even try and figure out what it is/was.

ok, update:

im only running the stock fuel pump right now (see my pos inline pump post for why)

on the way back to work today, it happened again.

driving the car just cut off. i pulled over to the side. no fuel pressure. car cranks and cranks and cranks but wont turn over.

after like 10min +/-, bam, theres fuel pressure all of a sudden, and the car starts right up

ideas?

im thinking fuel pump relay is on the fritz.

either that, or the stock pump is overheating and shutting off.

i have a new walbro in-tank on the way, so the pump will be replaced soon enough. guess ill go ahead and put in a new relay as well.

is there ANYTHING else it could be? just in case it still happens with new pump and relay...