HELP!!!

[weberje]

Okay, well here's the scoop:

In Marine Corps and been away for training for a year. Left my 98 Trans Am garaged at house. Had a friend start it occassionally and drove it for a week straight a few months ago. He had the oil changed and replaced the battery for me. I just got back this past weekend and drove with no problems. However, yesterday afternoon it starts giving me problems-
When I go to start it, it cranks but won't turn over for quite some time (5-10 minutes of trying), then it will miraculously start. So I imagine it's the fuel system since it sat for so long. Once started tho, it runs great which is the part that's slayin me b/c if the fuel pump is bad, then how is it getting fuel to run? I can hear the fuel pump priming when I first key the ignition. I figure since it's turning, it's not a starter/alternator problem.
I've ran thru a full tank since this weekend (enjoyed having my car again) and today at the advice of my friend, I dropped a bottle of isopropyl alcohol when I filled the tank. I'm putting it up on a lift tomorrow and will be changing the fuel filter (oil and oil filter since I've got it up there) and will crack that open to investigate. I'd like to change the fuel pump, but not in stock locally so would have to order.

That's it, I spent.
Advice, experience, directions requested. Help please...

[muteki]

Sound slike fuel pump to me. That is what I am thinking is wrong with my car. It wants to turn over, just wont turn on the first try, always starts on the second though. Anyways, the best one I found so far for $139.99 was the 99-02 Walbro DIRECT Fit Fuel Pump.

[Too Fast]

Hey, thanks for your military service!!!!!

Yes, your car does sound like a fuel pump issue, get a direct fit as suggested. Not sure where, but you can do a search on this site to find out how to make an access panel inside your car to get to the pump, or you can take out the gas tank to change the pump. Still, it's hard to figure out what is really happening with the car, but your description sounds like a fuel pump issue. It may not quite have enough pressure to start the car, but will run on slightly low psi.

[dr_ws6_00]

Could be the fuel pump. But I would start with the fuel filter first and see if that cures it. Filter is a lot cheaper and easy to change. If that dont cure it then maby start looking at the pump. There is a way to test the pump to see if it is building enough pressure...but I'm not sure how much you should have.

[weberje]

Okay, just got back from shop with the car. I replaced the fuel filter and changed oil and oil filter. I cut open the fuel filter and nothing seemed wrong. I put a test gauge on the fuel rail and it was within 55-60 psi. I also pulled the boot from the spark plug and checked it for a spark. I have not yet pulled any plugs to look at them. I hooked up an OBD and pulled codes that would have resulted from putting in my LT headers (133,135,153,155,405,410) for O2's, EGR, and AIR. Could it be anything involving that or even the security system? I am at a loss here and extremely frustrated.

[1998 T/A]

I had the same problem could never figure it out...id get the fuel pump replaced then a couple months later start doin the same thing, pissed me off on a daily basis

[c5z28]

If you do decide to go after the pump have a friend or 2. I think the earlier f-bodies had a metal gas neck so they are a little harder to flex to get out from the car. You need to remove the catback (first obviously). When the tank is out it is a little hard to screw the top off to get to the pump, we ended up using a hammer and a flat head to coax it to turn. Biggest bitch about the whole thing was trying to get the gas tank back in, two guys under a car one holding the tank while I was trying to find the damn hole(story of my life) and get the bolt started so the tank wouldn't fall back on us.

If you have any questions on the mess I wrote above feel free to ask.

[SOMbitch]

If you are going to replace the pump do the trapdoor mod and get it from the top. Sooooo much easier.....

[Dabom75]

Could it be his injectors are kinda clogged?

[Benner]

Check your ingnition relay. Had the same problem for a while. Car wouldn't start for a few minutes, then all the sudden it'd satrt like there was no problem at all.

[ratrod910]

I had a bad relay on my 98 TA a while back and it gave the same problems, replaced it and havent had a problem since !!

[weberje]

Ah-HA! Replaced the starter and ignition relays this morning. I did this after I first attempted to start and it would just crank. Then, after replacing relays, I started it without any problem 10 times. Drove it around the block, came back, shut it off. Re-started again a few more times. Been driving all day and I think we got her fixed. Thanks alot guys! I totally would've just skipped to the starter.

[Benner]

Glad to hear it's fixed. Had this problem with the relay for about 6 months. couldn't figure it out for the longest time and Finally one day drove it till it did it and pulled it into the shop and started diagnosing.