ok so I drive my car to school at 6:00 leave it idling and all of a sudden the car turns off. I go to start it and it starts right up. I get out of school at 10:00 and drive about 6 miles before it sputters and then dies while I am driving. At this point my service engine light comes on and my battery light comes on. I have to roll it down the road into a parking lot so it isn't in the road. So as it turns out my alternator (god rest its soul) was finished. So yesterday I get a new ac delco alternator from the dealer and new belt as well. I install those and it cranks right up. I get about 5 miles down the road. I'm was getting very bad throttle response. It felt like when I was in a lower rpm that it felt like it was going to shut off. I checked everything I knew how. Got the battery tested, the alternator was putting out right, checked all the fuses, I cleaned the battery terminals because the positive seemed to be a little coroded but the negative terminal was completely clean. I scrubbed them down with a wire brush and put no-oxidizer on it. Now it will only turn over but it won't actually crank. So then I took off the intake turned it over and sprayed very little starter fluid in the port and it act like it wanted to crank. So another hour goes by and I crank it. It starts right up and I drive it from the part store to my house about 5 mile where it dies again on my street. Any ideas what to do? Fuel pump? Fuel pump relay?(and where is it) Fuel filter? Any help is appreciated!!!THANKS

 

What code/s came up with the Service Engine Soon light?

How does it run if you floor it?

How does it run when its first started stone cold?

Does this only happen in closed loop or does it run bad in both open and closed loop?

 

I agree with Case. Codes would be helpful.

When you say the battery was tested do you mean in a parts store on a real battery tester that does load testing?
The battery needs to provide enough juice to turn the engine over and give you at least 11 volts for the computer while starting.

When you turn the key to run, (not to start just to run), do you hear the fuel pump run for one second then shut off?

Fuel, spark, air, rotation, and compression are what we need.

You have rotation and I don't think you could lose so much compression in the time from when it was running until now to make a difference. Air is easy to make sure of.

So let's focus on fuel and spark. Pull a plug wire that is an easy reach and make sure you have spark while someone turns the engine over for you.

As far as testing for fuel, you should be able to get a couple of seconds running off of a squirt of starter spray. Follow the instructions on the can.

 

The service engine light will go on and go out whenever it pleases. When I floor it, it ran funny the first time like a half second delay until it gassed up. Then after it sat at the part store I started it up and the throttle response was much much better felt as usual. It starts up fine if u leave it alone for a little while then go crank it. I don't understand what u r saying about an opened or closed loop? Thanks for any help.

 

I just replaced the spark plugs not even 2 months ago with bosch platinum fusion plugs and new bosch plug wires. Does anyone know where the fuel pump relay is located at on a 92?

 

Open loop means that the car is timed and such without the aid of its sensors. This is done so you can start the car.

Closed loop means that the car is environmentally friendly and Al Gore is happy. The car is reading its sensors and adjusting fuel and spark with the computer.

 

Pull the ECM codes. That'll help us narrow things down.

 

closed loop in that case. battery was tested at a part store. When I try to turn over the engine the voltage is at 12.4 volts. Then it will sit at about 13.5 volts then while driving it will go up to 14.3 volts.

 

Its not the fuel pump relay, as long as you have 4 pounds of oil pressure you dont need the fuel pump relay once the engine is running.

If the SES light is going on and off as it likes, you must have some codes in there that we need in order to help you properly, have a look here: http://www.c4guru.com/articles/CCMCodePull.pdf for the procedure on the code retrieval.

If it hessitates when you go WOT (flooring it) and then goes hard as usual after 1 or 2 seconds, it could be running abit rich. It might think its lean and adding fuel for any number of reasons.

The EGR can cause it to hessitate if its not completely shut when it is meant to be.

The AIR system can cause it if its allowing fresh air into the exhaust stream and past the O2 sensors.

The exhaust system its self can cause it if its allowing air into the exhaust stream before the O2 sensors.

A vacuum leak can cause it, the lower vacuum in the manifold can cause the computer to add more fuel to suit the VE table where the MAP reading and RPM meet.

A buggered fuel pressure regulator could do it if it was allowing full pressure at lower RPM, or if the internals have failed and its allowing fuel to enter the intake manifold via the vacuum line.

A clogged fuel filter will do the opposite, if you go WOT and the filter is clogged, it wouldnt recover too well from the hesitation, and would probably get worse as long as you had the boot into it. If it will run strong at high RPM then id doubt you have a "lack of fuel delivery issue". It should easily pull hard to 5,000rpm +.

 

One more thing to eyeball would be the ground strap from the left (drivers side) frame rail to the block. Make sure that it is making good electrical contact. The rail side should be accessable with just the hood raised the block side may be easier to see from under the car.

 

I was going to replace the fuel pump relay I just need to know where it is exactly. Some are saying on the firewall. Others say under the dash on passenger side where the aux fuses are. And I was also going to replace the fuel filter as well. Think this could solve the problem?

 

No, the fuel pump relay will not be the issue here.

 

You are taking the wrong approach guessing at what part to replace, as Casey said you need to check for codes, check fuel pressure etc.

 

I'll check the codes.....

 

Good idea, ill grab another scotch and have a cigarette...