94zrag

iTrader: (3)

Hi guys, got an odd one here that I need some help with.

I was driving into work the other day and my car just shut off. It would crank but not fire. I just happened to have my fuel pressure tester with me, so I hooked it up and had 0 psi.

After a few minutes of sitting, it fired up and would run for about 10 seconds before dying again. It continued to do this until I got it back home.

Today I went out to make sure it was the pump and not a relay or a bad ground or something, and it runs perfectly. I can't get it to repeat the problem so I can't test anything.

I would still think it was just the pump, but it had one other issue when it was dying. Every time it shut off, the fuel gauge would start going nuts, it would usually end up pointing at the 2-3:00 position. Whenever the car started, the gauge would go back to normal right before it fired.

Am I overthinking this? Is it just a bad pump?

VoyagerCamaro

That is kinda odd! Maybe the pump is on its way out and it's basically cooking itself alive and getting so hot it's shutting down? Just a weird thought... How much gas was in the tank when it happened?

94zrag

iTrader: (3)

I had about 3/4 tank. I also thought it might be getting hot, so I went out for a 1/2 hour drive today with some full throttle runs and it didn't skip a beat.

VoyagerCamaro

Stock pump? How old is the pump on there now?

94zrag

iTrader: (3)

It's a walbro 255. I've probably had it on there about 8-10 years. It's probably due to be replaced, but I hate to throw parts at the car without knowing that's really the problem.

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

I would check your grounds, I have an S-10 that when the ground went bad on the frame near the pump the gauge would jump all over the place and no fuel pressure. cleaned up the poor ground connection and it was fine after that.

VoyagerCamaro

I'd honestly keep driving it until it dies, and truly variety the fuel pump died. It's weird that at one point having 0 pressure, to now you say "not skipping a beat" which I assume means starting and running perfect. I feel if it were on its way out it would show some sort of hard, extended starting or maybe some bogging in the higher RPM's but who knows. If you have the racetronix Hotwire kit I would check your ground first. Check the relays and fuses, and I'd test fuel psi again now that it's running fine to make sure it's spec. Maybe you just had one of those weird one time problems lol

KW Baraka

iTrader: (7)

When this happened to me, it was a blown head gasket, believe it or not.

Blown gasket allowed antifreeze to get into two combustion chambers to such an extent that the cylinders wouldn't fire and the engine would shut off.

Check your oil to ensure it's not contaminated with coolant (foamy and/or looking like chocolate milk). At least you can rule out a blown gasket.

KW

LLLosingit

iTrader: (4)

He had zero fuel pressure, A bad head gasket isn't going to cause that.

94zrag

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I had cleaned off the grounds yesterday just because I couldn't think of anything else. I do have the hotwire kit, I had checked its fuse and the wiring when this first happened, and everything looked good.

I really have no choice but to just drive it and hope it doesn't leave me stranded somewhere.

BTC

Maybe it's wiring or an issue with the sending unit. That may explain the simultaneous issue with the gauge.