I need HELP. My car won't start

**blackcar** · 05-14-2012, 07:05 PM

The car has been sitting for months, and I just got finished with a header install. Also did motor mounts, pulgs and wires. See>http://www.ls1.com/forums/f35/my-200...87/index2.html

Got everything done and was really looking forward to that open header sound, but the car won't start. I think the fuel pump is not kicking on.

I tried to start it and it would turn over but not fire. After trying a few times I pushed the button on the preasure relief valve under the hood and got one quick squirt of gas. Tried a few more times and still wouldn't start. Pushed the relief valve and nothing came out. I unhooked the fuel filter on the tank side. Probably a cup of gas ran out. Turned the key on and nothing came out the hose.

**0rion** · 05-14-2012, 07:09 PM

you should be able to hear that pump prime. If you can't hear it priming the first thing I would do is check for 12v getting back there. The harness is right above the rear axle on the drivers side. I believe the grey will be your hot wire and black is the ground but I would have to dig the schematic out to be certain. If you have 12v there then I'd say the pump is done. If you don't then I would look at the fuse or relay first.

**pajeff02** · 05-14-2012, 07:17 PM

^^ Agree. Check your fuses and swap out the fuel pump relay with another in the box as an attempt at a quick fix.

**blackcar** · 05-14-2012, 07:51 PM

Fuses was the first thing I checked. Thanks for the idea about the harness. I'll check that. Is there anyway to check a relay other than swapping it out with another? Is there any relay that would keep the fuel pump from coming on other than the one for the pump?

After doing some searching on here and finding out about how they will be intermittent. I'm hoping it is a relay. There were a couple of times right before I parked it, it didn't start. Especially if it sat for a few days. I thought it was the battery going out. Put the charge on it and the next day it would start.

**pajeff02** · 05-15-2012, 02:51 AM

You can jump the relay with a short piece of wire to power the pump directly. You can also apply power and ground to the relay upon which you should hear/feel an audible click as the coil is energized and the contacts are pulled in -- if you need schematics, let me know.

**0rion** · 05-15-2012, 04:09 AM

sorry to say but the fuel pumps in these cars fail way more often than the relay. I would almost bet it's your pump but you should still trouble shoot it correctly instead of throwing parts at it.....might save you a lot of money. If you do replace the pump I would recommend the racetronix set up.....very nice set up and much cheaper than a stock replacement module.

**2002ssslp** · 05-15-2012, 04:53 AM

No power to the pump then trace it back to the power source. If you have power check the ground first then the connection. If it still does not work then replace the pump. Good Luck.

**LLCMan** · 05-15-2012, 08:20 AM

i would recommend getting triple A, they can get any car going

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 02:00 PM

I put a jumper in on the fuel pump relay and the pump kicked on. Tried to start the car with the jumper in and no go. Where I put the jumper should have been the constant hot and the one that goes to the pump. The other two pins should be ground and the signal, right?? Both of them read 0 with the key off, but read 8 volts with the key on.

BTW when I had the key on for while the ignition relay is getting warm so I would guess it was getting power.

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 02:28 PM

Checked where the ignition relay goes. It is getting 12 volts to the signal wire. Why would the fuel pump relay only get 8??

**pajeff02** · 05-15-2012, 02:46 PM

That's odd -- is the battery fully charged? Our cars can act downright odd when the battery starts to go south.

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 03:16 PM

I let the battery charge over night. I'm getting a little over 12 volts at the battery with the key on. According to my 5 year old little girl it dropped to 11 volts while trying to start it.

But even before all this I was thinking the battery was starting to take a dive. Could it still be the battery???

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 03:29 PM

I hooked the battery charger back up and put it on 35 amps. I was reading 14 volts at the constent hot for the pump relay. Turned the key on and the ground and the signal are reading 10 and 12, not sure which is which.

But even if I jump the relay and can hear the pump working it still won't start!!!

**0rion** · 05-15-2012, 04:05 PM

put a fuel pressure gauge on the rail.....make sure you're making 58psi at the rail.

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 04:22 PM

About to head to radio shack. Gonna try the vats bypass. May grab a preasure gauge while I'm out.

**0rion** · 05-15-2012, 05:20 PM

if it were vats though your starter wouldn't turn over....vats disables the starter AND the fuel pump.

**pajeff02** · 05-15-2012, 06:11 PM

There is fuel in the tank, right?

**blackcar** · 05-15-2012, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

if it were vats though your starter wouldn't turn over....vats disables the starter AND the fuel pump.

That's what I thougth but I was running out of ideas. And I wasn't getting a ohm reading at the white wires with the key in. But it didn't fix, but at least now I have the right resistors on hand if I ever get it running again.

Originally Posted by pajeff02

There is fuel in the tank, right?

Yes. The gauge is not working at all right now. Before this happened it would quit every now and then but always come back. I couldn't remember how much gas was in it so I went and filled my gas can. Got about 4 gallons in and it started over flowing. Later when I was trying to start it I noticed the tripometer said 23 miles. I always reset it after I fill up.

After I jumped out the pump I pushed in the gas valve in the drivers side fuel rail. I had a towel there but gas shot all the way to the front bumper.

Also I had an old timing light. I only had time to check one wire, but I'm not getting a spark.

**pajeff02** · 05-16-2012, 03:42 AM

Maybe time to check VATS then. Do you have a spare key you can try in the ignition, or maybe clean the contacts on the one you are using?

**blackcar** · 05-16-2012, 06:05 AM

No spare key. I got the resistor I needed yesterday and stuck it in. Still wouldn't start. It was dark and I was in a hurry, so I will try it again.

I bought HPTuners years ago with the intent of learning how to use it and tuning on my first Camaro. Hooked it up one time and changed the fan settings and long story short got busy with life and never used it again. I guess it is time to dig it out and learn how to use it. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

It will probably be this weekend before I can get back out there to it.