okay, I swapped a vq35 into a '95 GLE parts car. It was a pretty straightforward swap, but the wiring harness was fuxored, and I had to resolder most of the auto tranny wires, and electrical tape over them. Also, the car had been siiting for months with the gas tank lid open, allowing the gas to evaporate. (I got this car with 1/2 tank of gas, now barely any of it is left).

Here's my dilemma:

When I try to start it, It just cranks and cranks. When the fuel pump was replaced with my own, in started up, but died after 20 seconds. Fuel pressure was SUPER low, and died out whenever I hit the gas. I adjusted the fuel pressure all the way both ways on the FPR going to the return line, and nothing. Same results. When I spray starting fluid in, it starts right up, but then dies from lack of fuel. The MAF works fine, tested it on my car, as are the crank/cam sensors. The car still has low fuel, and the fuel pump filter is a bit dirty, although I cleaned it the best I could. Should I just add lots of fuel to the gas tank and hope the fuel pump builds up pressure that way?

The fuel pump is priming, I can hear it when I turn the car to "ON"
All fuses and relays are in place and in working order.

What's currently missing from the car - radiator, O2 sensors, and catback (running open cattmans for now) I figured I wanted to get the car started first. Would this play a role in the car not starting?


I've been puzzling as to why the car's not working for almost the entire summer, and I would be absolutely floored if someone helped me fix this problem.

Any help and input is appreciated.

Thanks,
-Freddy

 

have you checked the voltage to the pump? maybe its getting low voltage which would in exchange give you low pressure (i would think) does it prime? if it primes, does it keep low pressure upon cranking or just no pressure after prime?

 

yes, it primes, it has no pressure after prime

 

Try adding more fuel to the tank.

 

check the relay. IIRC there is a relay for key on (prime) and then another for running

 

No. There's only 1 fuel pump relay.

 

How old is the gas in the tank ? Could have water in it ? I would drain it out and start with some nice fresh gas. A few gallons of bad gas can do some nasty things.

-matt

 

like matty said drain the tank and refill it with some fresh gas. a couple of gallons of fresh gas should do the trick. lets just hope there wasnt anything in that tank that could plug the injectors.

 

if it was water in the gas there would still be pressure though

 

Fuel can sit unused for months with no appreciable degradation.



And +1 to SonicDust. I'm surprised adding more fuel wasn't the first thing you did.

 

Adding fuel would b a good start come back after and keep up posted

 

i'll try all of your suggestions tomorrow. I'm gonna get this car done this week.

 

OK, i added gas to the car (4 gals premium), but now when i wired the window switches (interior switches were all taken apart), the car doesnt even want to turn on, and if i put the anti-theft fuse in, the car beeps like the alarm went off, doesnt matter if the keys are in it or not.

I want to get to the bottom of this, as this car's trying my patience.

I will pay anyone $200 to help me get this car started. It's that serious.

 

200 plus transportation both ways? jk you really wouldnt want my help. try taking the window switch wiring back apart and see if it will crank again

 

If anyone gives me the winning combo how to get this car started, i'll paypal you 200 bucks.

 

try this also
1.turn the crank by hand with the ignition on.you should here the injectors clicking.
2.when the fuel pump primes itself check the pressure if you can.it should say ~45psi
3.bypass your anti theft
4.check voltage during prime and cranking.
5.check you grounds on the fuel pump
6.post back results

 

-You need to eliminate each one(fuel,spark or compression)first and then continue narrowing down from there. I have seen dampness cause ignition wires to fail among a multitude of others.

-probably a blown fuse to the fuel pump or a bad fuel pump...or more remotely a poor connection between the fuse and the fuse clips...or a leak in the fuel line.

-fuel filter (too dirty)
-Fouled plugs.
-bad ignition switch

In any suggestion since you said these wires were already fuked, I would get the entire wiring diagram and start checking your wiring. Your not working on a car with "oh everything is in its place" kind of thing. Think of before and after, Did this car start and run fine with the VQ30? Did this all happen right after the swap? Give me more time to think about it.

 

the car ran perfectly with the vq30, started every time. I'll check the plugs, and i'm sure the ignition switch is good. I hear the fuel pump priming, but the psi is at 0.

 

UPDATE: the relay for the anti/theft - start was misaligned or dirty. i moved it around, and the car cranks. I pulled out a spark plug, and it was COMPLETELY carbon fouled. Keep in mind these are generally new plugs, so i replaced them with BRAND NEW coppers. I'll start the car a bit later on tonight, as i'm late for a previous engagement. I'll keep you updated.

 

ha told you well sorta but glad you got it started.

now for the fuel pump priming issue check to make sure you have the fpr and fuel line T hooked up correctly.also hardwire the fuel pump so you can turn it off and on independently.

 

I don't believe he got it started...it cranks but does not fire.

 

Go **** yourself K thanks


what did I say about those plugs

 

Hey SMX95...no need to be a syphillitic druid .

 

lets be nice and get back on topic. which is waiting for him to post back results

 

ok, i did a little checklist as to what the problem could be.

Here's what I did today:

checked spark plugs (they were carbon fouled BADLY, so i replaced them with new coppers)
rtv'd any place i thought would have a vacuum leak
made sure the car had gas.

The fuel pump primed, but did nothing more than that. i checked by cranking the car, and NOTHING came out of the fuel pump.

There are no kinked lines to the fuel pump, so i think it's the wiring. i'm going to wire it directly to the battery tomorrow, and see if i get constant fuel pressure. Where is the fuel pump relay? I can't seem to find it. I know there's a control module in the trunk, but I dont know where the actual relay is. I suspect there's a problem with it.

Any thoughts?

 

on a 5th gen, relay is located in drivers side fuse box on the left of the rear window defogger relay, im guessing those are the only two relays in that junction. should be in the bottom left of that fuse box if its the same place

 

well, i thought i found the culprit: The fuel line to the pump was damaged.




and I temporarily replaced it with the one from my car (my car has no fuel pump in it now), but still nothing, then it occurred to me, the ECU gets a 1* signal from the crank pos sensor to get the fuel pump going. Then i checked the crank pos sensor, and what do you know, it was disconnected. I reconnected it, and the car fired up, BUT the fuel pressure was VERY low. like 25 psi low. Does the entire tank need to be pressurized for the fuel system to work? (the fuel tank is opened right now, as I was testing every component).

The car starts, but then dies out after a few seconds. Maybe too low of fuel pressure? The timing seems to be good, the fuel just isnt getting there.

Here's a vid of it starting (particularly long, i might add), and the smoke is from the open headers.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZRFSg88bM-A

 

also, this rent a cop comes along when i'm working and tells me that auto repair is prohibited in a residence, and gives me his card. He says the only way you can do something is if it's an emergnecy, and if it's your car. I tell him it is my car, and it doesn't start. He tells me to get it started, and dont do repairs. Total BS, considering no one said sh*t when I did my manual swap, my 3.5 swap that I worked on through the night (in my driveway), and the countless times i've done oil changes and mods to my car. Keep in mind this car is covered at all times, I only take the cover off to work. It's funny, my neighbors all work on their cars, and one neighbor asked to borrow my cherry picker to put an engine in his ford bronco. I'm guessing I should take this warning with a grain of salt.

 

If its in your driveway then you can do what you want.

 

just as I thought, when i was doing my 2 swaps, cops drove down my block, looked at me, but didnt do jack ****.

 

But back on the subject, does the fuel pump lid have to be sealed and closed for the system to build pressure?

 

That is not true. If you live in a subdivision then the association can implement covenants. Every neighborhood in metro Atlanta prohibits auto work too. You have to do it in your garage with the garage closed.

 

Ok, i've done lots of work on cars in plain view around my neighborhood to about half a dozen cars, never got any heat about it. And i wasnt doing rim changes, it was more along the lines of engine and tranny swaps.

i just looked at the card the guy gave me, it has POLICE written NOWHERE on it.

 

F da police, we handle it ourselves, even if we bleed to death, we dont need no motherfing help, At least u found the problem. Just keep working dont listen to cops

 

My statements weren't towards you Tav. They were to Sonic. And mostly likely it is the case that cops happened to be strolling by or someone reported you anonymously. My neighborhood prohibits it, but I do it anyway and I see others rebuilding cars too. No usually makes a stink about it.

 

I work on my car garage door open or closed, in my drive way or not. Its a shame to own a home and not get to do what you want in your own driveway/garage.


I think it would still function with it open, but I wouldnt take the risk. Its just the three bolts.

 

actually, i think it makes more sense with it closed. You have to open the gas cap to relieve fuel pressure, so the tank should be pressurized. Also, it's not just the 2 bolts. it's the 8 or 9 8mm bolts holding the lid on (that opens to the tank)

 

it would seem if fuel pressure is at the level you said, then that is probably why it wont run, when you crank it for a while, the gas goes in but doesnt really come out. so you are building up gas , essentially flooding it, which results in the engine getting enough gas finally and starting for a short period of time. bolt the lid closed, put on the gas cap and try it again

 

ok, it turns out the issue was the fuel pump lid and IDLE. I didn't even think of turning the adjuster screw. Now it starts up, and RUNS. It idles fine, and revs nicely as well. I think I could use a new fpr though, the ebay one I have is kind of shady.

Here are some pics of the car:

*remember, car still has no O2's, radiator, or cooling system installed.





And the carbon fuxxored spark plugs:


I hope to have this car done by the weekend, should be driving by then.

 

why is it that you can see straight the floor? What is the name of the part that normally conceals that area?

A better way to directly ask is why can you basically run you hand down the headers straight to the Y-pipe? Is it cause the radiator is removed or is there a bottom panel removed?