I have an 88 Firebird and last night i was driving and doing about 40mph when I saw the check engine light flashing on and off quickly.....a few seconds later the car died and now it will crank but wont start....It has spark so i think its a fuel problem. Does this sound like a bad fuel pump? Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

Pull the codes out of it then tell us what they are.

 

The check engine light didnt stay on the light just flashed and then went off.

 

Since the light went on then off, it means you have an intermitten fault. If it had stayed on you would have a hard fault. As long *** you dont diconnect the battery, you can scann the ECM and pull the code. The computer will also reset itself after a set amount of starts.

Try attaching a fuel pressure gage to the schrader valve on the fuel rail. Disconnect the vacume line from the FPR and start the car. See what the pressure is. Fuel pressures varried throughout the model years, but you should have over 40 psi at idle. Mine is 46 at idle with vacume disconnected. You can re-attach the vacume line to the regulator, and with a long enough hose, tape the gage to your windshield. If the car starts acting up again, document your fuel pressure. If its low it could be your pump.

When you turn your key to "on", you should hear the fuel pump activate for a 2 second prime.

By the way....what size engine and what model year?

Hope this get you in the right direction.

Frat

 

I have an 88 Firebird Formula with a 355 and a HSR. The car cranks but will not start. With the key on I don't hear the fuel pump priming and im not getting any fuel pressure. When the car was running I had the fuel pressure set at about 46PSI at idle. Could this be just the relay or is it probably the pump.

 

quick tip that saved my *** a few times with a bad fuel pump. if that is your problem, what you can do is crawl under the back of the car and look up where the gas tank is. look for the wires going to the fuel pump and bang rite next to it with a wrench or a hammer. dont bust throught it, but give it some nice solid hits, if it doesn't start its probly not ur pump. (worked for me with alotta diffrent cars)

 

will try thatt..just messed around with it a little and with the key on there isnt any power going to the relay..when i give it power you can hear the pump but there still isnt any fuel pressure.....im stumped

 

is it possable for a fuel pump to get that cloged?? hows you fuel pressure regulater??

 

Your ECM provides switched 12v to the relay. It should be a green/white wire.

 

You supplied power to the fuel pump relay.
You heard the fuel pump run.
Assume the lines are not clogged.
You're not stumped, you just have a bad pump.

 

my pump did sumthing wired.. it works but doesnt work when i turn the car on. iv changed teh relays and had the ecm(or whatever) checked and its not threwin any fuel codes.. so i just hotwired it.. work fine for me..


if u have a hanyes or sumthing like that . they show u this one test that u can try and see if the pump is bad or its just the wireing

 

well i finally figured out what was going on. First of all the fuse in the fusable link next to the battery that i believe is in the fuel pump wiring circuit was blown and a smaller wire that was hooked up to the positive battery terminal fell off so that explains no power going to the relay. Hooked it back up and replaced the fuse.....started rite up and runs greatttt.

 

Right on!!

Happy to here everything worked out for you.

Frat