Hey guys, been awhile since I've had to post something in the Help! section....but I am at a loss here. Sorry for the impending novel...

I recently had to get my car towed home because when I came out from grocery store the car wouldn't start. I knew it was fuel pump related because I wasn't building any pressure on my AFPR while cranking (I have a re-wired Walbro 255)....starter was working, battery was strong, alternator is fine.

Got home, swapped in another known working Walbro pump, put it all back together, only to find out it was my 30A relay that was the trouble. Changed that and car worked fine. Took it to work the next day no issues. Came out at lunch that day and the car wouldn't start again!! WTF!

I took off the access cover to the pump, disconnected the main white plug and the smaller black plug in the vicinity (what is this??), reconnected them both and BAM! Car started so I drove it home and parked it, thankful to avoid another tow.

So last night I went out, re-did all the fuel pump re-wire connections (soldered and taped) and checked all connections up to the in-line fuse and the battery (assuming I just had a bad connection or ground). Tested the fuel pump with ECM Link and it came on and pressurized the system no problem, so I thought it was all good! Welll, it's not.

Went out today after work, it started right up and idled fine. Turned it off and went to start again, no go! Just cranked with the fuel pump not turning on. I disconnected the small black plug next to fuel pump assembly, re-connected and the car started! WWWWWTTTTFFFFFF. Tried it again, no start.

Jaysus, someone please give me a hint what to check here. Basically intermittent fuel pump issue that I figure must be related to either the fuel pump plug on top of sending unit, or the small black plug next to it that I do not know what it is.

PLEASE HELP!! I've been at these cars for 11 years, usually have no problems fixing them, but this one has me pi$$ed right off.

**EDIT** - could this be a sign of a bad MFI/MPI relay? It's intermittent, so maybe it's just starting to go?

Thanks,
Mike

Looking at my fuel sending unit and I only see 1 pigtail to it. What black wire are you talking about?

Is that something for the rewire kit?

Guessing it grounds to the chassis?

The second black plugs (male and female) are just next to the sending unit, not actually connected to the fuel pump at all. Probably doesn't have anything to do with the fuel pump at all, could be the rear lights wiring for all I know!

I am just out in the garage trying to figure out which MFI/MPI relay my '96 has. I have a spare one from my old '95, but it looks like it's different unfortunately, not sure if they are interchangeable or not.

When it doesn't start do you have 12v at the pump?

I doubt it, since if I did I would assume the pump would be running. What would be the easiest way to test that without disconnecting the plug on the top of the sending unit?

Thanks.

Side note, my spare MPI relay is not the same as the one in my '96....god damnit why did they change that part from one year to the next...

Ok, I don't think it's the MPI relay either. I just went out and it wasn't starting. ALL I DID NEXT WAS PUSH IN ON THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR a little bit, and it started right up!

I must have a bad connection within that plug itself, nothing more complicated than that. Anyone have that plug on a harness they want to cut off for me Ha-ha, not likely I know.

I'd like to wire in the new plug, clean up all the connections on the male side, and hopefully be done with it.

The easiest way is to back probe it. But I assume it's weather packed. You could slip a single strand of wire past the weather pack. Also check the ground side. Or you could Voltage drop test it.

Thanks Stephen, but I don't think it's necessary. I know I am getting power as far back as the plug, just have a shoddy connection within the plug itself, which SUCKS.

Need to find one off an old harness and wire it in, which is easier said than done here in Newfoundland!

soft set connection.... you can bend your terminals a wee bit to get a better connection. But you should still re-pin it.

Here's the connector, you can see the squished connection on the top left. It is the ground connection for the pump.

Hoping I can bend it back into shape, but Stephen how difficult is it to re-pin a "soft-set connection" as you said?

Easy if you can find the pins. And crimper.

The other connector is for the ABS sensors if I remember correctly.

Last question. If you zoom in on that top left ground connection, how do you think that needs to be bent?

Do the two pieces of metal need to be basically flat against each other? Or do they need to be separated...

Thanks, this was a long post for a stupid problem!

*Edit* Thanks Jason I had no idea what that was, but good to know it has nothing to do with the pump.

You need to get the round out of it. Looks like someone tried to stick a testlight or the end of their meter lead into it. Novice mistake.....

Stephen, that was caused by me putting the plug back in on a bit of an angle. It doesn't have much clearance against the side of the main fuel line, and it must have missed the proper side of the connector on the way in...a lot of f*cking around for that!

Straighten the one side. You will probably be good.