I thought the fuel filter was clogged but...?

[briwayjones]

I drove my '03 Sport the other day after it had sat all winter. It had a weak battery so I jumped it. It was empty so I drove about 2 miles to the gas station and put about 6 gallons of gas in it. Since the battery was weak and did not have time to charge after 2 miles I left it running while I put the gas in it.

I drove to the doctors. When it was time to leave I came out and tried to start it. It sputtered for a few seconds and then died. Cranked it again and it sputtered and then died. Then it wouldn't even sputter. So I unplugged the MAF sensor so it would be less sensitive and tried again. Cranked it and it half ran for about 10 seconds and then die. Did that a few times.

I thought since it had sat all winter the crappy ethanol gas had gummed up, broke lose when I put the fresh gas in it and then clogged the filter.

There was an auto parts store around the corner so I got three bottles of fuel injector cleaner and dumped it in the tank. On the off chance I could pull enough of it through to clear the system out enough to run.

So I cranked it a couple times and it would run badly for about 10 seconds and die. Then it wouldn't even do that anymore. And by that time my battery was too weak again to crank it. So my dad came and hauled me home.

Today I put a new fuel filter on it. When taking the old one off I got about a filters worth of good gas out of it. No junk, crud, sludge or anything that would lead me to believe that it was clogged. I added about 2 more gallons of fresh gas that I had around just for the hay of it. I hooked up my battery to another vehicle and tried to start it. I cranked it, cranked some more, and more, and more and then some more. In between cranking sessions I would try to prime the pump a few times. I could get no life whatsoever. No sputtering, no kick over, no firing, nothing. If the problem is that it's not getting fuel then it's not getting a drop.

So I'm beginning to think that the problem wasn't a clogged filter? And I'm not quite sure where to go from here. What's the best way to check for spark besides pulling plugs? Is there some other fuel check I should be doing? Could a bunch of crud almost instantaneously kill the fuel pump? Also I couldn't hear the fuel pump priming when turning on the switch. But I didn't have the quietist environment today. And there was no one around to assist.

 

[2000StreetRod]

fuel pressure?

I suggest that you check the fuel pressure. After sitting for several months the fuel pump internal electrical connections may have deteriorated.

 

[koda2000]

my best guess would be that your fuel pump has given up the ghost. as suggested, check for fuel pressure at the rail.

 

[briwayjones]

Slight update! There is at least some fuel at the rail. I found the schrader valve and pushed it and got fuel to come out. So something is at least getting there. I don't have a pressure tester to check the pressure while cranking. And don't want to spend the money on one unless I have to. Even if the fuel pump was bad or going bad if there is fuel at the rail shouldn't it try to start, or kick over, or sputter or something? Which it's doing none of. So I'm starting to wonder if spark is the issue.

 

[briwayjones]

It turns out the fuel pump died. I sprayed some starting fluid into the throttle body while cranking it and it fired right up. So in the next few days a new pump will be going in. Thanks for you help guys.

 

[Turdle]

Chances are the pump is dead. However, you might swap the fuel pump and blower relays just for giggles-in the passenger foot area against the firewall is an inertia switch--breaker. Push down on the red thing, if it clicks it was "popped"

And check the fuel pump fuse!