cranks, but won't start

[beerly]

I've scoured the posts about no start situations, but haven't found much on Gen III solutions. My wife was driving the car yesterday when all of the sudden, while idleing, the car sputtered a little, then died. From then on, it will crank but not start. I can't smell any fuel either in the engine bay or coming from the exhaust. This leads me to believe I'm not getting any fuel at all. I just had two new Walbros installed in the tank. I don't think its the alarm, because I can arm/disarm and when armed I can set it off by opening the hood or trunk. Short of having it towed, is there anything I can do to check if there is fuel coming from the tank? I've disconnected the battery and reconnected. All fuses and relays are good and getting power. I'm stuck. the only thing I haven't been able to do is reset the alarm. The instructions for the older models do not work on Gen III's. and it seems that people are secretive about posting how to reset the alarm on a Gen III. If someone can help me, please do. The car is parked dead at me folk's house.

thanks in advance.

 

[LifeIsGood]

I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but is there gas in the tank? How about the fuel pump relay?

 

[beerly]

plenty of gas. relays is fine.

 

[bluesrt]

Hit the fuelrail tap n c if fuel spirts out

 

[beerly]

i have a pressure sensor attached to it. it was there when i bought the car. could I just remove it then test. The tap is like a valve stem on a tire, right?

 

[ulllose]

Beerly---if you have a pressure sensor on the fuel rail whats it say? If i remember correctly stock gen 3 should be around 50psi at the rail. cycle the key a few times and look at the gauge. What year car? I had a cam sensor go bad on mine which was the same symptoms you describe. If it ends up being the cam sensor make sure you GAUGE the sensor when you install it or you will have a huge issue. (from experience)

 

[beerly]

the gauge is digital and reads 0 or "---" when the ignition is on and while cranking. it's an '04. I read about cam sensor issues too. It seem to me to be a pump issue, but the pumps are new (3 months). is there a way to get to the pumps and check if they are getting power?

 

[bluesrt]

At the pump..pull up the carpet in back hatch i think

 

[Tom Sessions]

Do you hear the fuel pumps come on when you first turn the key? You should hear them run for a few seconds then turn off.
I

 

[beerly]

I checked today and the pumps are running when the ignition is turned on. So they are getting power. could it be the fuel filter? Would a bad/clogged filter cause such an abrupt stall? So fuel pressure reads "0", I can't smell burnt fuel coming from the exhaust while cranking, but the pumps are working. Relays are fine, fuses are fine. Alarm is working. No fuel leaking anywhere. Just stalled in the middle of the road. I'm lost. this *****

 

[bluesrt]

if pumps run and you have 0 pressure, the tube may have come off the pumps in the tank pumping fuel through the sender, get to the pumps and see, even with a plugged filter you will have decent pressure

 

[treesnake]

Not to ignore the obvious but.....

Do you show a service engine light? If so, what codes?

 

[beerly]

the engine light goes off once I start cranking and stays off. I'll check DTC's tomorrow. and I'll check the pumps too. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll post results...

 

[malcoll]

You might want to pull the digital gauge and put an analog gauge just to make sure the gauge is not defective.... and verify for certain no pressure.......I have seen soem of those digital gauges go bad..........I am not sure the difficulting in getting to the pumps in the tank to check, but I'd check every "easy" item before I went to pulling the pumps........

 

[beerly]

I'll try that first. Thanks

 

[bluesrt]

just push in on the rail port and see if fuel spirts, check for fire at the spark plug, ect... see if you have any fault codes.. it should at least run if you spirt fuel at the rail

 

[VIPER R]

You use the term I just had new walbros installed, if everything was fine before this I think you have a starting point.

 

[bluesrt]

You use the term I just had new walbros installed, if everything was fine before this I think you have a starting point.

bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[beerly]

they've been in for about 3 or 4 months with no problem. I had them installed at A.R.T., so I'm confident in the installation. And they've been helpful in troubleshooting. I'd just take it in but they're an hour away and I don't have a trailer. I'm going to check the pressure at the rail and pull the codes tonight. I'll also check the connections at the pumps.

 

[beerly]

Ok here's the latest

the only code its throwing is P1282 Fuel Pump/System Relay Control Circuit, so its a fuel problem, no pressure at the rail, I even pulled the fuel line at the pump and no fuel is coming out of the tank. I am getting power to the pumps and they are priming when I turn the ignition on, so I am pretty sure the problem is in the tank. could the pumps be cavitating or somehow losing vacuum so that no fuel is getting out of the tank? I topped the tank off to take care of the obvious. If I pulled the fuel line at the ****** on the top of the pump, normally, fuel should spew out, right? I don't have a spanner wrench or a replacement seal for the pump assembly yet so I haven't pulled the pumps. I know I need to get it back to the shop that did the fuel system but I have no easy way of getting the car there.

Its obviously at the tank, what am I missing? I've said it once already...this *****

 

[bluesrt]

Probably the line came off in the tank at the pump

 

[beerly]

I thought about that. Is there another line inside the tank that connects the pump to the plastic ****** on the outside of the tank where the fuel line attaches? I can pull the pumps, but once I pull the unit do I need to replace the rubber seal?

 

[bluesrt]

Yes there is another line from pump to ****** outside.no you dont have to replace rubber seal..re usable

 

[beerly]

any ideas on how to get the lock ring off without a spanner wrench or the "special" mopar tool?

 

[bluesrt]

Ease it with a screwdriver and small hammer. Or punch ect.. Is it a lock ring or does it spin on..spin on or lock ring iv done both ways

 

[beerly]

Im pretty sure it spins on threads

 

[bluesrt]

Should b able to go get a belt wrench from autoparts or sears

 

[VIPER R]

Check your battery cable connections, especially the ground.

 

[beerly]

SUCCESS!!! Pulled the fuel pump module and the line from the pumps at the "Y" connector was disconnected. Don't know how this happened unless it wasn't connected well or the clamp was not tight enough when the new pumps were installed, but I hope it doesn't happen again, it's a pain to get to. I made sure the line was pushed all the way onto the connector and that the clamp was good and tight. Put everything back into the tank. Went and cycled the ignition and got 3 psi for fuel pressure, (I was ecstatic), each time I cycled the ignition the pressure went higher and higher until I got 55 psi, then I cranked it, what a great sound!!!Thanks to all for your troubleshooting tips and ideas. Thanks bluesrt for the last tip, I didn't want to get into the tank unless I knew there was something that might be disconnected in there. Went on a good long drive and she runs like a champ.