Car is in sig. Ok, I am at a loss. Today on the way to work, my car just shut off. Wouldnt restart. I found the fuse with the Oragne/blk wires blown. 20 amp. This is the fuse up by the passanger fender near where the battery is. I put another fuse in, and it blew it. I then unplugged the orange wire from the connector that is just a foot or so away from the fuse holder, and put another fuse in the holder. I plugged back in the connector, and it blew the fuse. Next I checked inside the fuse holder, and all is well. No corrosion, and the dielectric grease is still in it, and its clean. So this time I unplugged the fuel pump relay, put another new fuse in, and plugged back in the relay. Fuse didn't blow, and the car started. It acted as if it was having a hard time ideling on occasion, and also hesitated under acceleration. The SES light also flashed like 2 times while driving it home. I went to pull the codes out, and there are none stored. What do you guys suggest? I am still learning all this wiring stuff. I know the basics. HELP!

P.S. Is it plausible that my oil/fuel pump switch or fuel pump relay stuck closed sending too much power through the system, hence causeing the fuses not to blow once I disconnected it? Maybe my oil/fuel pump switch stuck closed? HELP!

 

Is the connector that goes into the relay all burnt up looking? If it is, then the wires may be shorting aganst each other.
Also, if the oil press switch was stuck closed, all that would do is leave the pump running when the ignition is on.

 

They do have alot of dielectric grease in them, I will clean them out later and look at them. I will get back with you on this.

One other note, all my relays connectors seem to be not right. I can plug in a connector and then I can grab anyone of the wires at the bottom of the connector and then move the wire up and down, feeling it slide around on the connector. In other words it feels as if the wires and terminals have too much play up and down. Is that how they all are?

 

Nope, they should be in there nice and tight when plugged in. Whilc unplgged , there should be a little play but not too much. I personally would replace that relay and pigtail from one of the newer cars since they have much better connections on them and are weather tight.

I'd do the same for the fan relay(s) as well since they are prone to the same thing.

 

Orange and red, maybe dirty red, should be near the battery is the MAF fuse. A short in the MAF wiring or bad MAF, is probably the problem. Running like you said, it's probably a bad MAF...

 

HUH ? Where is there a MAF fuse ??? BTW he said the ORANGE and BLACK Near the battery on the passenger side Which is the fuel pump fuse.

The pump could be shorting out or the relay could be taking a crap. Put a 25 or 30 amp fuse in. If it blows, it's most likely a short.

 

Yeah its the orange and black fuse. 20 amp. It hasnt blown again since i unplugged the fuel pump relay. Conincidence or not i dont know. Car still runs like crap. Im gonna hook up a fuel pressure gauge later today.

Oh and the MAF sensor is new anyway just replaced a week ago.

 

Ok guys, heres the latest. I hooked up my fuel pressure gauge, and turned the key in the on position. It built pressure quickly, holding at about 38psi. Then after i turned off the key, it started dropping at a rather quick pace. Clear down to about 22 psi. Now I do realize this is not good. Pressure shouldnt drop no more than what, 5 psi over say several hrs? So, I checked the resistance in all my injectors. They all Ohmed out at 16.4-16.6. So that tells me that my injectors are good as far as that goes. However, I am down to thinking my injectors need a round trip up to the boys at Cruzin Performance for a sonic cleaning and rebuild. The car also stumbles when I give it gas, and the fuel pressure actually increases up to 50psi suggesting I got me some clogged injectors. AM I CORRRECT IN MY ASSUMPTION? I have a bottle of Sea Foam that I am gonna wait and see if you guys think I should try it. I also bought a new fuel pump relay at work today. AC Delco.

P.S. I work in a dealership, and when I first got the car I put top engine cleaner in it, and already tried to clean the injectors. And I can't make that fuse blow again, so I dont know what the deal with that is.

 

I'd pull the fuel rail and place cups under the injectors. Pressurize the system and let it sit for at least an hour. Then see if there's any fuel in the cups. Also, try pinching off the return line and see if you still lose pressure.

 

Sorry, I was thinking of my '86 2.8L, which was located there and orange and red...on the V8 it's the fuel pump fuse, both are 20 amp.
If there's a short, the fuse is protecting the wiring, adding a larger fuse might melt a wire or damage the pump.

 

Ok guys, heres the latest. I hooked up my fuel pressure gauge, and turned the key in the on position. It built pressure quickly, holding at about 38psi. If your pump is going bad, or there's a short in the wiring it'll cause hesitation on acceleration.
Fuel pressure drop can also be saying the fuel pump's check valve is failing, or the pressure regulator is going bad or leaking injectors...
You can pinch off the rubber return line, if it holds pressure, the regulator is going bad.
If you pinch off the feed line and it holds pressure, the fuel pump check valve is going bad.
If you get a huge puff of "Black" smoke on start up, then I'd say injectors are leaking.
Fuel pressure increases on acceleration b/c of a drop in engine vaccum @ the hose connected to the pressure regulator...you can disconnect this hose and observe the same increase in fuel pressure.

 

Thanks for the info, I was gonna go do some of these test today anyway. Ill post back later with results!

 

Ok I went out and the first thing I decided to do was verify the fuel pressure readings one more time. This time I hooked up my gauge, and hit the key. Pump primed, however the pressure built up slowly this time and stopped at 21 psi. I tried starting the car, and it idled with a intermittent miss. I pulled open the throttle some, and it bogged and would then increase in RPM and the fuel gauge barely went up. I am thinking fuel pump. 95% sure of it now. What do you guys think of this? I'm still gonna send my injectors out for sonic cleaning and flow testing to Cruzin Performance though anyway. I imagine the car could definitely use it regaurdless. 95k on it, and it sat in a barn for 6 years. LOL.

 

Took the fuel pump out today gonna get the new one tomarrow at work (AC Delco of course) and install it. I did the hole in the trunk pan deal. Im doing it nice though so it wont rust out and leak either.

 

You should upgrade the pump to walbro while you have it out if you can wait a few days, or have it overnighted and have it Tuesday.

Good luck with the hole in the floorpan. I swear it takes me only 3 hours or so to do the pump the right way. It is not a primary car, so I don't care if it takes a few days.....I am just not hip on cutting the floor. Lots of guys do it with good success though....