WW7

I went for a ride a little while ago, went in the store , and when I came out and turned the key to the on position, I didn't hear the fuel pump prime.....I cranked the motor a few times and all it did was sputter for a second then cut out , I waited a minite in between cranks to see if the fuel pump would activate when I turned the key on , but it didn't...Finally after about 4 trys the car started....When I got home I cranked the motor about 10 times, and each time the relay worked and the fuel pump activated fine.This is the first time this has happened..The fuel pump relay on my car is the original, so it's 26 years old..Does it sound like the relay is going bad.?...WW

playsdixie

i'm thinking relays either work or they don't.....i'd try cleaning the contacts where it plugs in, or the wiring around it....

WW7

One thing I forgot to mention...Usually when I turn the key I hear a audible click from the relay just before the fuel pump comes on...I didn't hear the click from the relay when I turned the key this time...When I got home the click from the relay was there again...Thanks ...WW

1963SS

The contacts on a relay can be intermittent but you should still have heard the solenoid (clicking sound)trying to pull the contacts closed. Check the wiring to the relay and clean the contacts where it plugs in. As a lifelong electrical troubleshooter I can say, with certainty, that intermittent problems are sometimes difficult to find.

Murphy's law says that when it finally fails it will be beside some scarecrow guarding a cornfield on a two lane road in Iowa fifty miles from the nearest auto parts store. Personally I'd change the relay and see if the problem returns. Good luck.

Cliff Harris

Even if the relay fails the oil pressure switch will power the fuel pump. You just need to get the oil pressure up to 4 PSI for it to kick in.

WW7

Cliff, this may be what happened at the end when it did finally start, I cranked on it for about 6 seconds and it finally did start...After I got home the relay was working again...Thanks guys, I'll replace the relay and check the wires at the plug, hopefully the relay or dirt/corrosion is the problem......WW

crowz

Mine has wiring issues at the fuel pump relay. Wires look like crap but again compared to my other cars the wiring on my vettes and my trans am never impressed me much

Anyways sometimes the fuel pump relay works sometimes it doesn't. When it works the car fires off instantly. When it doesn't I have to crank on it long enough for the oil pressure to fire the pump off. I move the wires around on the fuel pump and it seems to help for awhile. Just haven't gotten around to fix it yet so that may be your problem too or a bad relay.

WVZR-1

I have never used the Racetronics "bulkhead" connector but I've certainly seen failures where complete senders have been sold to repair. I believe they do two different packages that service all C4's

I believe they sell the "bulkhead" connector only if you're quite creative.

kg4fku

Relays do go bad. Ask any Jeep TJ owner about relay failures. I have replaced just about every relay on my TJ except maybe the horn (don't care if it woks or not).

Over time they get corroded inside and hang in the intermediate position or they will weld themselves to the opposite contact pad. Usually they will stop working at the most inconvenient time possible.

I carry two relays in the console of my Jeep just for this occasion. You also quickly learn which relays can be swapped in case of emergencies to get you home. If it isn't for me then it to help someone else on the trail.

WW7

What makes me think it's the fuel pump relay and not pump related is the fact that when I turned the key , I didn't hear the distinctive "Click" I usually hear from the relay just before the pump primes the system..When I turned the key to on, there was no sound at all....WW

WW7

I just went out a few minites ago and changed the pump relay with one I had left over from when I changed out the maf relays..There wasn't any thing wrong with the maf relays, but your suppose to change both relays when you change the MAF sensor....I'm lucky because I have 4 relays on my car that are the same part number..I agree with you, I always carry extra parts in my car...If it's not my car that needs a part, sometimes you can help someone else out.......WW

JackDidley

When my relay went out, it stored a code for low voltage at the pump. SES was not on but the code was there. May want to check that.

WW7

Thanks for the suggestion , but one of the first things I did was hook up my scanner and try to get the car to duplicate what had happened, I also checked codes and found nothing..I just got back from a fairly long ride, and stopped at least 4 times to restart the car , and had no problems.I talked to a friend about this, and he said when his car did this same thing it ended up being his ecm... .Time will tell.......thanks WW

crowz

Best way to know if its the relay is to keep cranking on it. If it cranks up after spinning the motor for a bit its the relay aka as soon as oil pressure shows.

TorchTarga94

Anymore updates? Having similar issues with my 94'.

WW7

I replaced the relay and cleaned the contacts..Also looked for any frayed or cut wires...I replaced the relay on the 14th and so far no more problems , I made sure I started the car at least 10-12 times each day and have put on about 100 mile since the relay change...Only time will tell....WW

TorchTarga94

Did your issue only seem to happen after you've driven the car and got it up to temp? My pump would always prime when cool, but after I got the car up to temp and shut it off sometimes the pump would not prime when I went to restart. And when it wouldn't prime, the car would initially start, then cough, and die.

I replaced my relay and checked over all the wiring as well. Have not been able to duplicate it since but still feel there is an underlying issue. Sneaky little ba$tards.

WW7

My issue only happened one time , then I replaced the relay so I can't say if being hot caused it to not work..My relay wasn't making the "click" that it always made to activate the pump..That's why I think mine was the relay......WW

thecatmac

This happened to my 85 last week. Do you have any updates? I put a new relay in, but would not start. I pulled fuel pump out, hooked up a 12v power supply to pump and it worked. Put it back in the car and has started about 20 times straight in garage. Originally, I was driving and the car just died and would not start at all. Had to have it towed home. I am just not sure what I did to make everything work again.

conv90

I had a similar problem sat morning.
After a 2 fulll months non using the car, I tried to start the car.
Turned the key and I have not heard the fuel pump prime.
Tried crank it so many times but nothing. I tried so many times that the oil pressure should had reached the right level to allow the fuel pump to start. BUT nothing.
SO i looked at a gauge I have on the fuel rail and pressure was 0psi.
Damn I tried to energize the G terminal. Nothing.
I opened the fuel door at the back to have acces to the wiring at the pump (the pump is a Racetronix and I never had a problem).
I touched a bit the connector and wires . and I tried to start again the car several times along with touching the wires and the connector alternatively. NOTHING.
During these operations I had a look at the fuel pressure and I saw the needle at about 20 psi. (?? what caused this I really don't know).
Then I started the car and after few seconds it started , the prsessure jumped to around 50psi . So i let it idle . Returning to the back at the gas door i saw the top left hose (looking from top,) ( feed hose) leaking a massive quantity of fuel.
Tweaked the hose the leak seemed to stops, so I moved a bit the hose clamp and I clamped good to stop the leak.
Then I killed the engine.
I allowed the pressure lowering to about 30 psi and tried to crank it again.
This time I heard the fuel pump priming.
WHat can be happened? what cause the fuel pump to work good when the engine is started?

I ask because then, after, when I used the car I noticed that my AFR gauge (wide band installed) was reading really lean during highway route, expecially at lower speed and with light throttle opening. In highway I usually read 15:1 15,5:1 al light loads.
Sathurday I read even 17,5:1. (but the feeling was that the car was slightly rich as usual).

These problems can be related?

I have to add that when I was opening more the throttle going much more faster I had (like it should be) a spike on AFR due to Delta TPS and a lower (richer) reading .
BTW I can say that an all rpm/loads the AFR was more lean than usual.
-Beppe-
P.S.sorry to hijack the thread