Fuel Pump? Maybe?

[Jay7779]

So a couple days ago, I was on my lunch break so i go to the gas station because I knew I was moments away from running dry, problem was, apparently, all the petro-canada's are out of gas and i havent watched the news for a week. But anyways, I turn around, go to the station a mile or so away and my car just up and dies, so i just push my clutch in, and use my momentum to get me off the road and into a parking lot. Im just out of gas so i grab my gas can out of the trunk and continue down the road, grab some gas, and come back and pour it in. I turn the key, the engine turns over, starts for a second, dies. Try again, it doesnt start for a second this time..

 

So I pop the hood, look at the engine as if I have any idea what would cause it, stand around scratching my head and losing my mind for a good half hour before i think to look in the fuse box, and realize I blew another fuel pump fuse, so i replace it. Try starting, it starts fine!...Until i apply the tiniest bit of gas and the fuse burns again. So i repeat this step a bunch of times with every non-essiencial 10A fuse i have with the same result, and at this point i just want to get it home so i can figure out whats going on with it, so i put in a 20A fuses because i know its not going to blow that (Not a good idea I know, but it got me home).

 

So heres where it gets interesting.

 

On my way home i got some more gas, and picked up some more fuses to replace the ones i borrowed from, and thought i'd give the 10A another go (The gas station only had 20 packs of 10A so what do i have to lose) and it starts up, I apply gas and it doesnt die! in fact i get all the rest of the way home and it doesnt die! I leave my home, go to safeway and it doesnt die! I come back home, and guess what! it dies. There is something that i cant remember if its odd or not though, my car was basically silent the entire time it idled, and came up as about 400-500 on the tachometer (I just cant remember if thats wierd or not, what are you guys running at?).

 

 

Anyhow, i just didnt drive it for a couple days, and today i started it up, and it seems to be back to normal, it sounds almost the same, maybe a little louder than usual, and its idling at about 800rpm, and no matter what i do to it it doesnt burn the fuse (i've driven about 200KM today with no problems).

 

So anyways, my major questions for you are:

What should I be idling at/what are you idling at?

Is the fuel pump accessable without dropping the fuel tank?

If i did run out of gas, and it wasnt the fuse burning, would the air in the fuel line cause problems like this?

Any insight you might have?

 

PS: Its a 1993 XE

 

thanks!

[Nismojunky]

750rpm-800rpm

 

No you have to drop the gas tank i think (dont quote me)

and no its fuel inkection just turn the key so the ingintion is on and left it for a min or two then will cause the fuel pump to start up and push gas through your lines.

 

as for the fuse poping check your grounds, and check the fuse holder its self take it out and look at the back for chared wires

[nige]

there is a hatch in the rear cargo area that allows you access to the top of the tank where the pump is. you have to lift up the carpet. it's in the middle

 

like nismojunky said, you should be able to hear the whirring noise of the pump when you turn the key to on. if you can't hear it, have a friend turn the key while you are closer to the tank listening. then you will know if it's at least getting power.

[Simon]

9 times out of 10, it's the wiring on the sending unit causing the issue. I've had to replace/repair wiring 3 times on mine. The design is horrible, and lets the wires corrode in the little cap on the sending unit.

[Jay7779]

So it died again, so I took the opportunity to take a look at the top of the fuel pump through that access panel (I probably should have checked it out before i broken down on the side of the highway, but i have a very "If it aint broke dont fix it" Mentality). But anyways i found that the top of one of the little white caps was broken off and the wire was disconnected so i patched it up with electrical tape to get it home. But now i need a permanant solution..

 

First off, does anybody know what those white caps are called? Or the product #? Also, is there a trick to removing them/installing them?

 

Boy, my pathy would've been a junker so many times if it wasnt for this site

[Jay7779]

Also, do you guys think its safe to soder the wire in place?