Always start with the easy things first

[usera]

Not that replacing a fuel pump is a hard thing, but after I started to feel like my it was on its way out I ordered one up and knowing I would be swapping it out soon. Went to start the car on morning and.....nothing, I heard the relay click but no pump.

Sure, I could swap the relay or check for voltage at the pump but hey, I know it's the pump. Two hours later after having to finegal the car up on jack stands and swap the pump I turn the key and.....nothing. Pop the hood and see that the relay was out about 1/4 inch.

As Slingblade says, "Ain't got no gas in it."

[gomezoneill]

Originally Posted by usera

Not that replacing a fuel pump is a hard thing, but after I started to feel like my it was on its way out I ordered one up and knowing I would be swapping it out soon. Went to start the car on morning and.....nothing, I heard the relay click but no pump.

Sure, I could swap the relay or check for voltage at the pump but hey, I know it's the pump. Two hours later after having to finegal the car up on jack stands and swap the pump I turn the key and.....nothing. Pop the hood and see that the relay was out about 1/4 inch.

As Slingblade says, "Ain't got no gas in it."

Ain't that the way?

[T77911S]

its not just about doing the easy things first,
its more about actually doing some troubleshooting first.
BUT, start troubleshooting the easy things first.

I see so many on here that just replace parts first then ask questions later.


an example,
my 2.7 would not run good past 4500, lots of spark knock.
even though It took me probably 2 years to fix it (I did not work on it a whole lot and It just made me drive slower).
the ONLY thing it came down to was the fuel distributor. I tested EVERYTHING else. I kept wanting to replace it but I said no, keep troubleshooting.
finally I tested fuel flow and found a restriction in one of the fuel lines to an injector. I replaced the $10 line and it ran like a scaled dog.
in all my testing I also found the cams were advanced 15 degrees.

move on to my 930, I kept thinking the FD was good, even after having it rebuilt.
finally replaced it and that fixed it.

but in the mean time I learned CIS inside and out

[Jeff Higgins]

I've repeated this to my two sons their entire lives, to the point where it has become somewhat of the family mantra: "Start cheap and work towards expensive". And yes, that is the troubleshooting progression, not a blind parts replacement progression. Lots of "$500 relays" driving around out there...

[jlex]

Yeah, had convinced myself that I needed a new starter on my '88 as it wouldn't crank about 20% of the time. After reading I'd have to do a partial engine drop to get at that pesky '88 starter, I decided to do the easy things first to see if I could solve it. Spent $10 on a new ground strap and the car is now cranking 100% of the time. Would have been really ticked if the new starter was acting the same way!

[Mike O'Meara]

Yup, ordered a new starter after getting a "no click", thinking the old starter had given up the ghost. Didn't bother to check it, just ass-umed. While the new starter was on it's way I noticed the 11(?) pin connector in the engine compartment was not quite pushed in all the way....you know the rest. Perfectly good (but 47 year old) starter sent away as core. One of these days I'm gonna learn my lesson. I just hope I have enough days left to get it right.

[T77911S]

my brother brought me his 88 with intermittent no start.
he replaced the ign switch and starter.
took me about 10 minutes to find the bad connection in the aftermarket alarm system.

about the only time I would "shotgun" a problem is no spark. if the CD whines and the coil tests good, I would replace the coil. if that was not it then I would carry the extra coil in the car as a spare, which has saved me. I also carry a spare CD unit.

I see ICV's replaced for hunting idle when they are not bad.

I see volt regs replaced for no charging when not bad. its free to have the charging system tested. I use to rebuild starters and alts and do auto electric work. even I would go have the system tested for free. why waste my time when they have the proper tester. same with a battery. let them test it.

just this past weekend while at the track my brothers car BMW would not start all weekend, I put a meter on the battery and him crank it. volts dropped to 8v. looks like a bad battery.
went to the parts store and I had them test the battery just to make sure. battery tested good!!
they could actually test the starter (don't know how it worked) and it tested bad.
my brother almost dropped $200 or so on a new battery.

cleaning battery and ground connections before replacing starters, or alts.

test and retest before spending $$$$

and yes, start with the easy stuff.

[gsxrken]

This thread hurts more than it should. I know how to troubleshoot and I still sometimes throw parts at it under a stupid rationalization that I have more money than time. Last year my 930 front fuel pump begin to buzz, so I bought a new one with no troubleshooting and put it in, problem solved. This summer my rear fuel pump began to Buzz, so I bought a new one and put it in problem solved... er, for like two days. Call turbokraft back and Chris says they can buzz if the front one is bad so start some troubleshooting on fuel pressures. Enter shoulder surgery so it sits, with $600+ in recent fuel pumps that still buzz and leave me in fear of getting stranded.
I should know better. I actually I do know better. I should DO better.

[RedCoupe]

When I'm trouble shooting, I always check the last repair or last thing that was worked on. It's amazing how often that is the source of the problem! (A hose or connector knocked off, etc.)

[Superman]

Terrible rattling noise. Must be failed transmission or crankshaft. Oh wait....it was a rock under the hubcap.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

Chris says they can buzz if the front one is bad so start some troubleshooting on fuel pressures. .

Did you measure the fuel pressure yet?

I have a fuel pressure gauge I got from AnnWorx.
It that fits on the ball valve on the fuel rail.

With the key turned to Acc position, the fuel pressure was 0.
Once the engine was actually running, the pressure immed. read 32-34 psi.

I can stop by your place if you want to measure out the fuel pressure

[gsxrken]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Did you measure the fuel pressure yet?
I have a fuel pressure gauge I got from AnnWorx.
It that fits on the ball valve on the fuel rail.
I can stop by your place if you want to measure out the fuel pressure

Thanks for the offer! I have a CiS fuel pressure tester and have used infrequently over the years. I haven’t attempted it yet partly because of my arm in a sling, and partly because the test I need to do is different than checking my cold, system, and warm pressures like you suggest. Instead i need to connect a pressure gauge after the 1st pump, before the 2nd pump, probably at the threaded fittings into the rear pump.
Measure the pressure with both pumps running. Factory pumps getting full battery voltage: looking for between 2.0-4.0bar pressure
Too low pressure, and the front pump is bad. Of course, 1 year warranty just expired.
Too high pressure, the rear pump is bad, which would at least be under warranty.

At this point it’s a winter project. I’ll need all sorts of metric fittings and banjo bolt assortments to perform that test at the rear pump. Like I said, I know what to do, I just gambled I didn’t have to do it. Grrr...

[sugarwood]

Well, if you need some help, let me know

[T77911S]

Originally Posted by Superman

Terrible rattling noise. Must be failed transmission or crankshaft. Oh wait....it was a rock under the hubcap.

i bought an 88 BMW 325is for 800. had a rattle at idle. sounded like a TO bearing so I did not think much about it.
my brother talked me into driving it down it down to florida. yes the tranny crapped out on the trip.
I drove it for a few months with only a few gears and one heck of noise coming from it.

LSS, it had NO oil in it.



yes, last thing you worked on.
I try to get that out of people on here when trying to help.
lots of times they don't even say they had done anything to their car only to find out later, "oh yea, I messed with such and such "