fuel pump or opti?
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2008
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fuel pump or opti? how do you know if the fuel pump is going bad as opposed to the opti? i got a fuel gauge reading and it showed low fuel pressure before starting, while starting, and idle....all low...im assuming fuel pump right?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2005
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Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
i forget what it was reading but my buddy said it was low. he knows his **** and says time for a new fuel pump. i bought a pnp pump for 159.00 from nate at nastyperformance.com. i have heard good things about his stuff. anyways, i believe the new filter comes with it. when i turn the key before starting the car, i hear the pump priming. but it is driving like **** and i also have a spark plug arching. i put a new spark plug wire on the one that was damaged and my number 8 plug is still arching i think. it is sporadic too. but the car has trouble starting and i have no horsepower at all. it sputters sometimes until i drive it a while.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 384
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Few thoughts:
1) Regardless of any possible issues with the fuel pump, you cannot expect the car to run well with an arcing wire, so that should be at the top of your list. Further, it's possible that the plugs on the arcing cylinder are now fouled. It makes sense for it to be sporadic -- as electricity follows the path of least resistance -- seeing how varying loads on the engine will affect that resistance, that path may not include the cylinder.
2) In regard to the pump, if you're absolutely positive, then I guess there's nothing more to be said. Most people cut an access panel in the trunk to get to the top of the fuel tank -- you must be careful, as fuel lines run literally millimeters underneath the sheetmetal, but that is the easiest method of replacing the pump. Make sure to disconnect the battery, and be careful with the fuel level float/arm. The factory fuel pump is housed in a plastic bucket, which is glued together -- you'll have to separate it at the seam and reuse the bucket.
(I decided to remove the entire gas tank so that I could clean out any accumulated gunk after 12 years of driving, but it ended up being spotless inside. Royal pain in the you know what!)
1) Regardless of any possible issues with the fuel pump, you cannot expect the car to run well with an arcing wire, so that should be at the top of your list. Further, it's possible that the plugs on the arcing cylinder are now fouled. It makes sense for it to be sporadic -- as electricity follows the path of least resistance -- seeing how varying loads on the engine will affect that resistance, that path may not include the cylinder.
2) In regard to the pump, if you're absolutely positive, then I guess there's nothing more to be said. Most people cut an access panel in the trunk to get to the top of the fuel tank -- you must be careful, as fuel lines run literally millimeters underneath the sheetmetal, but that is the easiest method of replacing the pump. Make sure to disconnect the battery, and be careful with the fuel level float/arm. The factory fuel pump is housed in a plastic bucket, which is glued together -- you'll have to separate it at the seam and reuse the bucket.
(I decided to remove the entire gas tank so that I could clean out any accumulated gunk after 12 years of driving, but it ended up being spotless inside. Royal pain in the you know what!)
