I need some help. I drove to a resturaunt today and the car was fine. When I came out and started it, it ran rough for about 20 feet and died. It won't start now. Tries to, but it only catches a little every 5 or 10 turns. About a week ago, while driving slow down a road, the car died so I coasted to a stop, turned it off, turned it back on and it started right up and ran fine till today. I recently (4 months and about 1000 miles ago) did a complete head gasket, ignition coil and cap, spark plug and water pump replacement and have had no trouble at all.

Any ideas? I really need a list of things to check.

 

I'd check fuel pressure first then check for spark.

 

first check that your FP is healthy, and if it checks out OK, next check for spark....could be a bad ECM....

 

Im thinking loose connection and/or bad ground

You really need a service manual

 

Checked the spark....good to go. Bought a fuel pressure guage and it reads zero. Shouldn't it read something as soon as you turn the key on or at least when you turn the engine over?

The fuel gauge reads like 80% full but I am going to put a gallon in it just to make sure. If it isn't out of gas, how do I tell if the fuel pump works?

 

Basics first
Have you checked for any stored codes ??

 

Yes, you should have fuel pressure as soon as you turn the key on, about 40psi give or take a bit. Check your fuses and relays next.

 

I have the FSM but I can't figure out where exactly the fuel pump fuse is. It says that it is in a harness.......where in the harness?

And how do you tell if it is the fuel pump or a relay?

 

The Fuel Pump Fuse is 10 amps. and is located inside the fuse box when you open the passenger side door. It's marked FP and is in the bottom row far right.

If you look under the hood, on the side of the power brake booster (the side towards the engine) on the fire wall is mounted a relay. That's the fuel pump relay.

Pull the relay out of its socket. On the relay socket you'll see a heavy gauge Orange wire which is 12 volts and is hot at all times (if no 12 volts, the fusible link could be blown) and a heavy gauge Red wire which goes to the Fuel Pump 10 amp. fuse.

Bypass the relay by using a paper clip or wire the same gauge or bigger than the Red and Orange wire. Push the wire into the relay socket so the Red and Orange wire are shorted together. This will apply 12 volts to the Fuel Pump (assuming the FP fuse is good) and you should hear the pump run. (Another method to get the fuel pump to run is to apply 12 volts to Pin G on the diag. test connector located above the drivers right knee area).

If you remove the rubber boot around the gas filler area you should see a Tan/White wire. That's the 12 volts going to the pump from the FP fuse.

If the pump doesn't run, you need to measure if the Tan/White wire has 12 volts. If it does and the pump doesn't run, either the pump is bad or bad contacts at the pump assembly.

To test the pump, remove it from the vehicle and apply 12 volts direct to it. Disconnect the negative battery terminal if you decide to pull the pump assembly so there is no chance of any electrical sparks.

 

Just in case, my fuel pump is marked "FR" even though my manual says it's marked "FP"