bxtech

Hello all,

I have a 1989 with an intermittent starting problem. Once I start it up, it will run fine. Shut it down and it will start again most of the times. However, sometimes it just cranks and doesn't want to start. I do hear the fuel pump turning on, but it's still not starting.

I knock on both of the relays mounted behind the battery, and it will start right up. I think one is for the fuel pump, but what is the other one for? Pretty sure that "other one" is the culprit. Which one is the fuel pump relay?

Thanks in advance!

caddyboy84

The two relays behind the battery are the MAF sensor and the MAF burn-off. The fuel pump relay is over more , towards the booster. I changed my pump relay because it was intermitting, I actually changed all my relays. The one on the well near the Batt. is the main fan, the one by the radiator is the back-up fan. You will have running or starting problems if the MAF relays are bad, change all 5 so you have no worries.

bxtech

Thanks for the info. That helps a great deal! The MAF sensor and MAF burn-off relays are the same part? They physically look the same. I haven't pulled them out as of yet.

I will take your advice and change all 5, so that I won't have to think about them anymore. Any recommended vendor to order from? Looking quickly online, they are relatively inexpensive, and a number of vendors have them in stock.

caddyboy84

The Maf relays are the same part #, I got all mine fron nappa. I think they ran around $15 to $20 each, it's cheap insurance. My fuel pump relay was working when it wanted too, which I thought was strange, so I said CHANGE THEM ALL esspecially with the heat and not knowing how old they were. Spray clean your MAF real good too, remove it first of course. Start FREEESSSHHHhhhh One more tip, remove the relay with the plug attached, then un-plug it, this will make it less likely you'll break the plug locking tab. They are all brittle from years of heat.

bxtech

Thanks! I will check with NAPA on the relays. Yes, I agree.......probably best to change them all so that I won't have to think about them again. Thanks also for the tip on unplugging the relays.

Thank goodness for this forum! Great info from the experts!