My neighbor watched your video last night and we followed your advise this morning. Got it started without having to call a tow truck. On behalf of my neighbor and myself, thanks for taking the time to post this video. God Bless
I have learned that if you use a transmission funnel in the fuel fill tube it will magnify the sound so much you can stand at the drivers door and hear it quite well
Another brilliant video, Eric. This actually happened to me while I was on vacation with no tools. The local general mechanic helped me out, spent about 90 minutes figuring out what the problem was, and charged me $20 when it turned out to be a fuse. I think he was feeling a little sheepish when he took so long to come to the diagnosis, but he was such a great guy. Salt of the earth. I did my best to help him out when he came to me years later with a problem in my area.
139 idiots don't know good advice when they see it. Great videos Eric. Thanks from the mechanically challenged. You've helped me through a couple problems already this year.
@07hdflht I like to test them that way myself, in fact I often use my trusty power probe because you are correct that a fuse can look good and still be bad. The idea behind it was to encourage people to check the fuse first as it could be a very simple fix. Thanks for the comment.
Brilliant that banging on the tank really works - sometimes the pump heats up and the car can drive when you first start it in the morning but i ended up getting stranded in all sorts of places - wait a few hours and the car would start - from what i can gather its a worn pump heating up and that snafus the startup. Love the vids Eric - Hoots from Scotland!
Update: I ended up replacing my fuel pump module with sending unit today, before I bought the new AIRTEX unit, I plugged the pump into the harness and cycled the key, and the pump worked, so I figured the circuit was ok just a quirky old pump. The new AIRTEX pump was easy to install and the car once again runs great! This video was a great help! Thank you!
@viggoM35 Not the engineers fault I can tell you that, keep in mind everything you just mentioned costs money and raises the cost of the vehicle as well as production cost.
Step 1) Check the fuel gauge, the Tank could be on "E"... Step 2) Check DLC and see if theirs any trouble codes(could be a faulty Crank Sensor or something related... Step 3) Battery Voltage Check... Step 4) Spark... Step 5) Fuel System(if still haven't found the problem)... Step 6) Compression Test... This is probably the best formula for any No Start Diag Test! I love all your video Eric, keep up the good work. Pretty soon the average joe would know how to diagnose there cars from these RU-vid videos and us Technician would be out of work lol.
Really,,compression test? R U charging customers? If you can't tell compression is not the problem while you're cranking that car you probably shouldn't be diagnosing it
@v7nf Keep in mind the pump will only run for about 3-5 seconds when you turn it to run, if the pressure bleeds off quickly it could be the fuel pump itself as it has a check valve in it to help maintain pressure when the vehicle is off for faster start up. A pressure drop could also be the result of a leaking fuel injector, in fact I think Doge's have an issue with that.
These types of videos probably seem mind-numbing to make and explain but the linear thought, repetition and reviewing makes it easy to understand in diagnosing these issues. Some experts can't avoid telling you EVERYTHING they know in these how-to videos. Thanks for keeping it simple and breaking it down!
Very nice Eric, I would only add to strongly emphasize the re-setting of the engine computer between each attempt in energizing the fuel pump. Many systems need a 10 second off time in-order to get the engine computer to trigger the fuel pump / relay. You know these systems so well little things like this can sneek by the adverage DIY. Great Job !
A great video! I'm glad you selected a GM Vortec because this is going to happen eventually and you might as well be prepared for it. On the way out, the whine of the fuel pump many times will change, both at prime and when the vehicle is running. Also, longer crank times will typically occur when starting the vehicle. But the end result is always the same - a no start condition.
First of all thanks so much for posting this video, I should mention one more thing to check for before replacing the fuel pump, that would be the fuel pump safety switch. Although not all cars are equipped with one, my 2002 Ford Explorer had it right under the glove compartment on the passenger side, all I had to to is hit the reset button on the safety switch and that got me up and running. good luck and thanks again for taking the time to post this video.
Another thing to check is the fuel cutoff or inertia switch which is designed to trip and cutoff power to the fuel pump in the event of an accident. Sometimes they trip or fail with age. Press the reset button down to reset the switch if it should be tripped.
You are amazing eric. You do a great job of explaining everything in detail but you do it in an easy to understand way. I have learned so much from you and am still learning more. Thank you for your great videos and your great effort. Appreciate you.
Often times (and one thing that wasn't specifically covered in this video), especially GM vehicles, the ignition switch directs current to the fuel pump. If you have a crank no start, your ignition switch could be the culprit (more often than you may think). This may explain your intermittent start and shut downs. Wiggle your key until you hear the fuel pump prime.. if you can.. prob time to change the switch... or check for brown outs where the harness connects.
@Ericthecarguy - Ive been working on cars since I was a teen and I must say every time I watch one of your videos I learn at least something about anything GREAT JOB!!
Hi Eric thank you for your channel. I would like to suggest that it would be helpful for DYI like myself to also see and hear what does work in addition to what doesn't. For example, when you said when cycling the key we should hear the pump hum or buzz. In this video, we don't hear the sound. Using a different car, it may be helpful to show what the sound would sound like if the pump did hum or buzz. Another example is when you use the pressure gauge and this example has no pressure; it helps people like me that need info slow (lol) to see what a good pressure looks like. Anyway, just an idea. Thanks for the channel. David.
Thanks for the video. This will prove helpful. For me step #1 was to check my fuel cutoff switch since the car died and refused to start back up after experiencing a front drivers side blowout. I haven't tried any of your steps yet, but I'm praying it's the fuse or relay. I drive an '89 Ford Bronco 351 Windsor.
One trick is to swap the relay with one of the same ones. AC relay for example. Could get you back on the road if it was bad until you could replace it.
excellent point, William G!!!!!!!!! they are identical on my pathfinder. and in the video he says to check fuel pressure. if the pump isn't running, which was confirmed in the beginning then there is no way you're going to have fuel.lol pressure so why bother checking the pressure until you know the pump is active.lol
if it cranks but does not start and you suspect the fuel pump you can get somone in the car cranking and you can hit the bottom of the tank with a rubber mallet or similar item as they crank , if this makes the car start the pump is bad . Hitting the tank jars the pump and allows it to make contact and spin . Saves a ton of time on diagnosis , and I've done it tons of times and it always works .
Love your work Eric. Also, check the inertia switch. Like almost all my car problems, my pump works sometimes and sometimes no. 98 ford Explorer, I hate to drop the tank, but at 180,000, would not hurt to do it anyway. Might be a dead squirrel in there or something.
These are quality videos, just to make sure the pump is faulty, the last step would be to check the voltage of live and resistance to ground before taking it apart.
If a relay clicks that doesn't mean it's good. Could have high contact resistance that would cause low voltage to the pump. On my suburban the horn relay is the same part number. I swapped them around for a quick test. Better test is with a bench power supply (12v) and a multimeter set to lowest setting. Contacts should read less than 1 ohm. Sometimes your leads will read .2 .3 ohms.
@@EB-wi4bt in case you haven't fixed your car check your air filter isn't blocked and your spark plugs. If that doesn't work then it might be the pistons losing pressure or the timing belt. But if you aren't sure about what you are doing always have someone who knows to help you
Nice good professional instructional video, but you failed to mention a couple things. Checking for voltage at the fuel pump electrical connectors, and checking the fuel shut-off inertia switch usually in the trunk in Ford vehicles. I am convinced the fuel pump in my 2001 crown vic interceptor has failed. Not looking forward to pulling the tank to get to it. Why do they put the pump in the tank?
Had a no start issue with an F-150...Turned the ignition to "On" and went under the hood, removed the Schrader valve cap on the fuel rail, then inserted a small tool and very lightly pressed the pin and no fuel sprayed out. That's my way without the pressure gauges.
Well Delphi is 200+. I cut a hole to gain access and now I'm waiting till Tom to get my 50$ airtex pump..even if it dies 6 months..I can buy a few..drop em In and still not pay 200+ on parts labor
my 99 Tahoe died at wife work today..No sound from fuel pump...replaced relay, no luck..It did fire right up after introducing starter fluid, so that told me definite fuel supply problem. I did not know about that other fuse.Will try again this evening, wish me luck. Replacing the fuel pump looks like a pain unless you have a lift etc. Thanks for the video.
You can also have a fuel pump on its last leg, but it still works. I had that problem. I had some hard starts and also poor acceleration. a shop said they measured the fuel pressure but it was good. Since I had about 175K miles, and I wanted to keep the car indefinitely, I thought it was worth replacing--plus I just had a gut feeling it was a bad fuel pump. Don't forget to drive off most of the fuel to like 1/8th of a tank.
I was going to ask the same question / make the same point. If you listen for the pump first and you don't hear the pump, then there's no point in checking the fuel pressure. Its only if you hear the pump and its still not starting then maybe check the pressure. If the pump is silent then check the electrical. They also didn't mention checking for power at the pump harness connector by the tank. Usually you can do that before pulling the tank, in case its a broken wire or bad connector.
It is worth noting some vehicles have both a low pressure pump and a high pressure fuel pump. If the high pressure pump is bad the symptoms are easily mistaken for those of a bad EGR valve/system. The car will start and run on level ground at speeds of 25 MPH all day and offer no symptoms. However, when the engine is warm and accelerating to highway speeds (70 MPH in this area) the problem of insufficient fuel suddenly occurs.
Hi Eric, In some cases you have to crank the car to check fuel pump running, week ago i had an old Audi A4 witch the fuel pump was running, only if you crank the car. Greetings Apo
Thats a good suggestion jjprit, but in this example, you saw that power was coming through the fuel pump relay that was clicking (actually they didn't verify the relay was electrically good, just that it was clicking), but the fact the relay is triggering on key-on position means that the pump is being sent a power on signal from the ignition key. If the alarm was interrupting this, the relay would not click at all most likely. They didn't show the next part on this test(voltage at the pump)
+SG rcelo Just some little humor to brighten your day. No kidding as this happened to my neighbor once. He could not get his car started so he changed the coils and plugs and fuel filter. He dropped about 300 bucks total then he called me. I went over and very soon found he was out of gas. Fuel gauge read 1/4 tank but put in a gallon and a half then it started and ran fine. moral of this is make sure you got gas.
My car didn't work when i installed the fuel pump, so i just give up and called a mechanic. The mechanic came into my house to check the car and it took him an 1hr and a half to find the problem. He went back to the fuel pump and disassembled it, then put on some lubricant to the parts and cleaned it thoroughly. And it worked like a charm..
oh my god you are right...i have a friend with a fiesel car that not star....he remove the fuel injection pump...verigi everiting...and than he look....and the fuel gage broke =)))))))))
After checking that the relay is functioning and, indeed, working would it not be prudent to probe into the wire feeding power to the pump? Rather the dropping the tank or removing all kinds of connections this test may save several hours. If there is no power to the pump it may be a bruised or damaged wire or possibly a fault in the connector to the pump but a probe would not be the proper procedure. A visual inspection would be better or a contiuity test.
Some times relays can go bad and still click. You can also tip the bed instead of dropping the tank, take the bed bolts out of the dr side loosen the bolts on the pass side and tip the bed with a board on hand to hold it up. Tipping the bed is a better way if you don't have a lift or don't want to be on the ground alot.
@@zmarssojourner7435 I think he just means lifting up the drivers side of bed and propping it up with a board or something and the other side stays attached but bolts r loose so it'll move like a hinge kinda but still stay attached to hold that side
my 1996 Corolla the engine went on for 1 second and then it turned off. Turn it on for the 2nd time and it did the same thing. The third time i pressed the accelator for a couple of seconds and it stayed on. Could it be a faulty fuel pump?
Good video..however you failed to mention how to identify theinline schrader valve to hook the fuel pressure gauge to. For the novice, it would be easy to make a mistake and hook the gauge to an a/c line On older vehicles.
Ok, here you go. The schrader valve is on the fuel rail and looks like a tire valve. The a/c line runs from the compressor and can not be connected to a fuel gauge, it is much larger. If you confuse these two valves stop what you are doing and tow your car to a repair shop.
In between your diagnostic steps is a fuel pump control module that is sometimes referred to by slight other words. The ECM sends a message to the FPCM that ignition is on. The FPCM working properly will then close a ground to the fuel pump. No power or initial pressure without that. Check power at the FPCM on terminal 13 before replacing fuel pump. If there is no power there, it is your ECM. If there is power and proper connections test the ground connection interruption to the fuel pump by the FPCM and also a direct grounding wire to chassis from the fuel pump . These are not tested by a fuel pressure gauge showing zero and will not excite a code but can be truthed easily with a VOM. Don't blame the pump so fast. It's a helluva job. If you find any power to the actual pump, all above are working. The pump should be drawing high amps if stalled with ignition on. Infinity requires back-tracing through connection and the above. On a fuel pressure test - if there is any pressure at all, all connections are tight. Your final suspects are restricted fuel filter, FPCM (a variable voltage dispenser controlled by the ECM) then finally whittled down to the booger-of-a job, fuel pump which also has a disintegrating filter at the pick-up tube. BE calm, be diligent, you might save a thousand dollars. Three out of four under 150K are not the pump. They just don't tell you that they found the "whoops" later when the pump was not the problem. Check GM Bulletin14515B Jan 2015 covering approx "99 - 13' on the hazard recall of the FPCM. Call in your VIN to GM or any dealer to see if your vehicle was done before entering into any fuel delivery related repairs.
on the first step, what if you do hear the fuel pump when turning the key? does that say its not the fuel pump? is it possible that the fuel pump turns on but does not have enough pressure in the output? thanks
Turned out the pump was running, but not steady enough to start the truck. I turned the key to engage the pump without starting it. I did that a couple times before trying to start just to get more pressure in the lines and got it to start right up.
Some GM models have poppet valves rather than fuel injectors. This system needs higher pressure to open and operate the poppets. Typically 60 to 65 psi. The pump may operate but not be able to provide ample pressure. OEM or similar is the better option when purchasing or replacing.
That's absolutely right, i have seen relays, the high ampere contacts come in contacts when it engages yet not electrically make a connection, something to do with dielectric carbon build up i think which isolates the metal surfaces on their contacts.
Great video; this saved me 60-150 in diagnosis that even as an IT (meaning technical) girl, I could do this! Although I need a second person to turn the key.
Eric, this addresses an issue I’m dealing with right now, I subscribed a good while back, but I’m thankful to have come across this video today. And as a head injury survivor, your method of asking “what’s the first thing to do...and the next we should do is...” and then review the steps, isEXACTLY what I needed because I have trouble following a lot of information at once. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
that is SO true! i have ordered expensive replacement parts because the relay was clicking so i thought it was good, but in fact it was dropping 2 volts or so under load.. not enough for proper motor operation!
you shouldn't make a habit of checking a fuse visually. fuses can get hairline fractures in them from faulty production and can be impossible to see by eye. a multimeter check for continuity across the suspected fuse is the correct course.
hm. that is a neat trick. sometimes you'll still need to know what PSI you're running, but for a quick check to see if you have ANY pressure, i like that. thanks.
My wife bought a new Audi Avante. After a year, the fuel pump got noisy enough to hear while sitting in the car. I told her to take the car to the dealer and tell them the fuel pump was going bad. I told her to tell the mechanic that it sounded like an electric razor on a countertop. She did and he agreed it was a fuel pump. They never changed the pump and one week later, it failed and she had to be towed home. She was pissed. The car was fixed under warranty but the kinked a line from the tank, which build up pressure. You could hear the pressure leaking from the fuel cap. She took it back and instead, replaced the fuel filter. I told her to drive the car and the line may unkink. she did and it did. I don't really trust mechanics anymore......
Hi, there Eric. My '95 honda civic esi acted up (again). The engine was just cranking but won't start. First suspect was failing distributor but was eventually ruled out after testing showed there were sufficient sparks on all four sparkplugs. Went for the fuel pump after seeing this (5.32 min.) video. First found that the "click" sound that is usually heard 2 to 3 seconds after putting the ignirion key on was missing. I replaced the old pump with a Denso pump assy (part #195130-2181, if ever this matters to you). I had a good start and my engine is off running. This however, was good for 2 to 3 days only. Now, i'm back to the same problem of just engine cracking but no start. Watched some other videos and did the suggested manual pumping using a bicycle pump on the gasoline lines, with postive results each time. Problem is, the no start condition comes back again. The "clicking sound" is not audible most of the times, and result to no engine run, but comes on sometimes and i give me an engine run. Did i buy a faulty new fuel pump assy, or there is/are some other places i should look for the problem? Thanks very much and am hoping you could have time for the reply soonest. Keep safe!
Oh i change the throttle body sensor with a cheap one lol , before it would not start then started one time with alot of dark smoke and a back fire flow back in the air filter box , I had code reading P0122 and P0101 but after cleaning the maf with the appropriate cleaner the code went away
Usually unless it's really plugged up (which is rare) you'll still be able to have the engine running but it would die at higher rpm due to low pressure
good suggestion, usually these cars with security systems will flash the parking lights or a security lamp on the dash if the factory anti-theft is triggered. Is that what you noticed on the Oldsmobile Alero? Some cars you can disable the factory anti-theft by putting the key into the driver side door lock and unlocking the door from there. I seen this on Nissan Maxima, Infinity i30, Mazda Rx7s and a few other japanese cars. Usually if the fuel pump relay is clicking, alarm not the issue
I had to check the video to see. You're totally right the Airtex guy shows you the fuse box cover and points out where the fuel pump relay is in the diagram, but misinterprets it and points to the starter relay lol.
Old Post here, but you guys gotta know someone from these companies is not going to know much. I knew that about him as soon as he said remove gas cap to listen for fuel pump.
1998 Ford ranger: first check the relays in the distribution box. Next check the smaller fuse in the relay box. Next Google inertia safety switch for this particular truck. If the switch is engaged that means the fuel pump will not turn on. Next look at driver side plate right at the bottom left of the door and pull the harnesses back and see if the negative bolt to the frame is sturdy. (This usually is not a problem) Find where you can hook up a compression test to the fuel rail. It is a spout that comes out to the right of the cap that says 5 W 30 oil and it looks like a bicycle tire stem_ON THE FUEL LINE STEM . In my case I knew I had zero pressure so I just used the ends of one plier on the psi spout. NO GAS SHOT UP. Next engage the key on if you hear a click that means the relay is working if you put your ear to an open gas tank and hear the fuel pump turn on that means that shouldn't be your issue. (Fuel pump) Next change the fuel filter to see if fuel is being blocked. NEXT: IT IS YOUR FUEL PUMP. OR A ELECTRICAL GROUND PROBLEM. HOPE THIS HELPS
Thanks a lot guys, my car crapped out on me on the highway last night, gave it gas and it wasn't accelerating. Cranks fine but won't start now. I'm pretty sure it's the pump but I'll def check everything else first and keep my fingers crossed!
A clicking relay doesn't necessarily mean it is good. The contacts could be shot...burnt / pitted....supplying low..or no..voltage. Eric has a video showing how to bench test a relay. It is a great video that 100% determines if the relay is shot or not.
sounds like some electrical short under the dash may have melted some wires or perhaps a component burned out. If your pump comes on and wont start, and you still have fuel pressure at the fuel injection rail, you probably have an ignition problem. Are your dash lights behaving strangely still or was that just momentary? If your check engine light is staying on, read your engine diagnostic codes, that might help point you in the right direction
Oh snap I just bought an Airtex blower motor resistor a day ago and I didnt know what kinda brand Airtex was until now. Thanks! keep making these videos, I went to automotive engineering and was a mechanic for a few years but changed professions however these videos are the best in keeping my mind fresh for my own repairs!
No wonder Airtex Fuel pumps are so crappy. The dude can't even bother to read the bottom of the cover on relay center. Because if he would have read it. And read it CORRECTLY he would have know that he has Brake lamp relay and NOT the fuel pump relay. The fuel pump relay is the black 5 pin relay on top left corner when facing the relay center from the driver fender. I have had such bad luck with Airtex fuel pumps in GM'S replacing them 2 and 3 and 4 times in a month or 2 month period. Hell I have had em not work right out of the box. Bottom line. By an AC Delco or Delphi pump and you won't be sorry.
+Robert Blaricom Correct I have worked partime at a parts store and the airtex pumps are pure shit. About 60 % of those pumps are returned under warranty after initial sell
Hi, I had low fuel pump pressure, only 5 psi. I found the fuel filter was almost plugged with small black particles. I dropped the fuel tank and replaced the pump and filter after cleaning out the tank. That cured the problem. I opened the old fuel pump like a tin can to find the impeller was loose on the motor shaft. The flat on the impeller was warn off which preventing it to spin at top speed of the electric pump motor. The vehicle is a 96 Chevy Lumina sedan.
Funny thing is, on mk3 and below volkswagen vehicles, the pump didn't actually prime with key on, it primed when spun over and solely relied on the check valve in the pump and the pressure regulator to hold the pressure as it was building when cranking the motor. So for all you VW boys out there with older volkswagens, don't automatically assume you have a bad fuel pump because you can't hear a prime.
When my grandfather died we inherited his 2000 Ford Ranger that had 254,000 miles and I thought it had a bad fuel pump because it had a hard time starting wound up being a bad motor but I took it to a guy who ran a tire shop/mechanic shop apparently more tire than mechanic work and without thinking took the cap off with the engine hot no rag around it full fuel pressure everything it blew the cap probably 10 feet in the air the guy then turned and looked at me and said shit it blew the entire cap off ! havent let them work on any of my cars since then.
One thing I'd suggest is to verify the contacts in the relay are good and making connection. Just because the relay clicks doesn't mean the contacts are good. You can pull the relay out and apply 12 volts to the coil side of the relay and ohm out the contacts to verify the relay is really good.
My damn fuel pump relay....smh all I had to do was unplug/plug back to start my truck to get it replaced. But instead, I had it towed to my house first. Always think electrical, before mechanical. Thats the $90 lesson I learned this 11th day of Sep 21' great video. Just wished I saw it sooner before the expense lol
sounds like your ignition coils or pickup coil is getting hot and losing spark and when it sits it allows it to cool off again and start working, when it quits running have some sort of way to check your spark so you can test it when it quits running, and be kind of quick about testing it when it quits running so it doesnt cool down and start working again
Sometimes pumps can be misleading. I have a 1990 Integra (kinda like ETCG has) that the pump went out on. Shortly afterwards, it wasn't getting fuel. Once it started, it ran fine, but if I didn't give it gas when it started, it died and wouldn't start again for a while. Then I got tranny codes which confused me. Then I lost all my spark. Turns out it was my distributor the whole time. Just goes to show, cars really have a mind of their own!
i have also seen cases where a relay would click but still be bad due to burnt contact points, and some vehicles wont start pumping fuel until you actually turn the key over and crank it, i have ran across that situation before,
you may have a leak in your fuel regulator located inside the air intake, the fuel regulator is the hoses thats connected the your fuel injectors inside your engine that might be the problem or the hoses running to the regulator hope that helps
Great video guys except you forgot one VERY IMPORTANT explanation. What if you hear your pump noise when you turn the key? Would that indicate that the pump is getting power and is pressurizing but still there is no gas coming through the line. Does that mean your pump is definitely the problem and not the relay fuse or electrical system? Again you didn't specify and in fact another video i believe was implying that if your pump is not pumping gas then it still could ne a relay stopping your gas flow. Your thoughts?
Guys your making it more work then it needs ... check the fuse and relay then use starting fluid to see it the engine fires that then will tell you the fuel pumps out .
In my experience with those type of chevys it’s usually not a dead fuel pump as much as it’s a fuel pump that runs like crap… motor shaking, stalling on acceleration, acting like it really needs a tune up. Usually people don’t find out till they’ve changed every sensor and filter in the thing and run out of reasons why it’s idling/ running so cruddy lol
This is at an advanced stage of pump problem. (It's dead.) I need to diagnosis a recurring problem of vehicle stalling as I am driving. I believe it is the fuel pump, but would like to be sure before spending money and time replacing it. (2007 Buick Rendezvous)
BriansMobile1 did a video on a Corvette where he wasn't getting fuel delivered to the engine and it ended up being a cloged fuel filter. There was no fuel pressure test though.
