i know there is a section for fuel pump questions, but i figured i would probably get a faster response here. i went out on sunday night to meet up with some friends and my car started to stutter pretty bad right before i got to the bar. i was able to make it to the bar and parked the car. when i was leaving a couple hours later, the car seemed to drive normal at first. right around the corner from my house it started to stutter. as i made the last turn onto my street, the car died (my street is on somewhat of hill). i tried to restart the car. it would sound like it was going to turn on, but then it would just die. i pushed my car to the side of the street and left it for the night. i woke up in the morning and it started right up.

my question is if this sounds like the fuel pump overheating and starting to go out. i dont have anything to measure the fuel pressure, but im fairly sure its the fuel pump going out. am i right? i looked on craigslist and found a new pump to a camaro years 93-95 that is fairly cheap. i have a 97 trans am. will this pump fit my car? i thought all fuel pumps for these cars were the same. please let me know what u guys think. thanks!

 

sure sounds like your fuel pump

 

have you changed your fuel filter?

 

i changed it once around 2 or 3 years ago. but i figured if it were the filter, than it wouldnt have turned on that morning. do u think its worth a try?

 

well unless the filter is extremly dirty its gota be the pump i had the same symptoms on my old camaro

 

GM says to change your filter at 30k. FYI

 

so i changed out the fuel pump with a pump that i had laying around. the pump that i had laying around had fuel pressure problems at start up when i changed it out before, so of course the car had a little bit of a problem starting. i let the car idle for about 5 minutes while i was cleaning up the tools up, when it began to stutter once again. about after a second or two of stuttering, the car goes from about its normal idle of 1000 rpm, to about 1300 rpm for about 5 or more seconds, then it goes back to about a 1000 rpm. i am hoping it is the fuel filter, although i still do not understand why the problems would start after about 5 minutes of the car being on. if it were the filter wouldnt the problems start as soon as it starts up? i will not be able to change the filter until tomorrow, so if u guys have any ideas or tips, please let me know...thanks!

 

It's not your filter. if it was, your car would not start and idle high. If u drive your car for a while and it seems like the fuel pump is crying louder and louder more than normal, then it's your pump. It's sucking in air if it's doing that. Also throw in some injector cleaner to clean up those injectors.

 

Oh and 1000 isn't normal

 

Who wants to bet its the Optispark?

I assume you did not check the fuel pressure at the rails before you swapped pumps?

 

I forgot all about it. Yeah check that too bro

 

I'm willing to bet it was not the pump at all. Unless you got a fuel pressure gauge to measure the fuel pressure when the car was acting up, you shouldn't have changed the pump at all. Don't blindly change parts hoping to fix a problem. That being said, do you have any codes?

 

I have a fuel pressure gauge, I can check it for you if your local to Santa Ana. Correct pressure range at idle should be around 50-55psi if I'm correct.

Also, just push in the schrader valve on the rails after you prime the pump a couple times. If it drizzles out, rather than sprays out (have a rag handy) than fuel pump failure is likely.