Fuel Pump Fuse or Relay - Help Please

[DrumrBoy]

Strange occurrence. Drove the car (1998 GTS) about 50 miles from home, ran fine. Shut it off and upon startup noticed that the fuel pump didn't prime when the key was turned. Must not work because the starter turns the engine but it won't start.

Looked at the underhood fuse box and nothing is labelled "fuel pump" or anything that seems like it would be on the same circuit. I'm away from home and don't have my manual handy. Does anybody out there in radio-land happen to know where the fuel pump relay and fuel pump fuse is? I have extra fuses but can't seem to locate it without the manual.

Sorry if I'm an idiot and overlooked it somehow, but please let me know if its in a strange place. Never went out before.

Thanks

 

[ViperJohn]

The fuel pump relay is in the truck. There is another fuse panel in the back. The fuel pump has a relay that is labelled. Good luck.

 

[DrumrBoy]

The fuel pump relay is in the truck. There is another fuse panel in the back. The fuel pump has a relay that is labelled. Good luck.

Thanks John. I'll change it out and hope its not the pump itself!

 

[Steve-Indy]

As Sean Roe posted many years back,
try pulling the fuel pump relay out and re-seating it a time or two...it MAY work.

 

[Jack B]

Trying trading the ASD relay with another relay and see what happens. It is in the under-the-hood fuse/relay termainal box.

 

[DrumrBoy]

Thanks a bunch folks. I reseated it and It works (enough to get me home). I might replace it since the reseat strategy may not be a permanent fix (though
it may be In the connection more than It Is In the relay Itself.....)

 

[ViperJohn]

Glad you made it back home. Getting a new relay would be cheap insurance.

 

[DrumrBoy]

OK, so now I'm trying to buy a fuel pump relay as insurance against this happening again. The local Dodge idiots say the part is discontinued.....and that I should try Oreillyy's. The nitwit has no subsequent/alternate part number or anything. God, I hate stealerships. I actually asked the guy if all '92-02 Vipers were junk when the relay went out and he said, "Iguess so". What idiots.

Does anyone know the right way to ask an idiot for the relay replacement part?

 

[speedracervr4]

search the VA forum. A guy had the same issue and posted up the part # of a relay that works. He did have to modify it to work since the prongs are a little different.

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

I posted this on the Alley- hope it helps!

• Just use any standard name brand relay. You only need a 4 prong, not a 5 prong (although you could use a 5).
• The center prong is unused.
• Just trim pin #86 with a wire stripper to match the small prong on the old relay.
• You're Done! It's that simple!

Good Luck!
Doug Levin

 

[DrumrBoy]

Thanks Doug. I found the part numbers (one is for VW Jettas believe it or not) but they are unavailable in the US. NOBODY can get them, they're apparently on back order with no due date in sight. The route you suggest is the best.

Thanks again.

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

Thanks Doug. I found the part numbers (one is for VW Jettas believe it or not) but they are unavailable in the US. NOBODY can get them, they're apparently on back order with no due date in sight. The route you suggest is the best.

Thanks again.

The older these cars become the more diversified we need to be to find our way around discontinued parts. Hope I was able to help and you're very welcome - good luck!! Doug

 

[DrumrBoy]

Hey Doug! is the #86 pin in the new (to be modified) relay or in the car? I used one from another GTS but it too has failed so I'm gonna go get a few of em and modify them as you recommend.

 

[JohnnyBravo]

Drumr, you need to trim the #86 pin on the new relay. If you look at the new relay, and look at where the relay is supposed to plug in, you'll see that pin #86 on the relay itself is too fat to go in the slot. You just need to trim it and thin it down a little so that you can plug the relay in. Only takes a few seconds with a pair of wire strippers or tin snips.

 

[DrumrBoy]

Got It. Thanks. I'm out of town right now but will buy a couple new ones this weekend.....now I'm prepared to do battle with the relay demons.

 

[DrumrBoy]

Just one more bit of guidance needed. I have a couple of relays and see pin 86 so I can trim it down. Question is, how much does it need to be trimmed? The 86 pin on the generic relays has a hole in the center which is unfortunately lined up with where the really thin pin on the Viper relay is. If I trim it down to the exact dimensions of the Viper pin, the hole will cause the top of the pin to be gone (or at least held by very thin bits) so I'm wondering if I need to trim it all the way to the thinness of the Viper relay?

I tried to look at the receiving point to tell but I cant see it well enough to know. If you guys have had the experience, let me know if I can leave a little more "meat" on the 86 pin than the Viper relay seems to have. Otherwise I'll cut it down in increments till I find the biggest it can be and still fit the receptacle.

Thanks for the counsel, this trick will save people from the headache of trying to find these things!



Oh, and one more question. If this continues to blow, would you think fuel filter or fuel pump is the culprit?

 

[DrumrBoy]

OK, spoke too soon. O'Reillys has generic relays that have the 86 pin offset enough to allow just cutting that pin in half......so the hole doesn'r matter. That's easy.

The question about why I end up blowing them is still of interest. I blew the original one (presumably from 1998) and replaced it with a "known good" from a 1998 wreck. It blew too. I could be just very unlucky with two 1998 relays going out in short order OR it could be a systemic issue. I would think that the fuse would blow if the pump overloaded but the fuse is OK.....just the relay goes. Anyone have a theory?

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

OK, spoke too soon. O'Reillys has generic relays that have the 86 pin offset enough to allow just cutting that pin in half......so the hole doesn'r matter. That's easy.

The question about why I end up blowing them is still of interest. I blew the original one (presumably from 1998) and replaced it with a "known good" from a 1998 wreck. It blew too. I could be just very unlucky with two 1998 relays going out in short order OR it could be a systemic issue. I would think that the fuse would blow if the pump overloaded but the fuse is OK.....just the relay goes. Anyone have a theory?

DrumrBoy,

If you would like PM me (or email [email protected]) your number and I WILL call you today /Sunday.

Best regards,
Doug

 

[whatthe]

MY fuel pump relay went out on my 1994 and a direct replacement fit is BWD part S4907 it shows as a starter relay but it works don't know if it would fit later models

 

[DrumrBoy]

Thx whatthe, I'll check that out too!