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Help! Spark, 120PSI Compression, Fuel Pump works, no start!

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Old 02-20-09, 12:50 AM
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HI Help! Spark, 120PSI Compression, Fuel Pump works, no start!

I've just about had it...maybe someone can help me out here.

Things I've verified.
-Fuel pump works (I jumpered it via diagnostic box and can hear it running, it is also brand new)
-Spark from all 4 coils
-Grounds correct (even added more to make sure)
-CAS working (white on top, grey on bottom, also tach needle is bouncing.)
-120 PSI compression on both rotors

I unplugged the 3 fuel lines going into the motor to see if the motor was getting fuel, I primed the pump and nothing came out of the lines. So then I:

-Changed fuel filter
-Drained the old gas and put in 5 gallons of new gas
-Looked under the car and saw no fuel leaking.

I now know the problem is fuel, since I have spark and compression. If my fuel pump is working and I dont see any fuel leaking, what would cause fuel to NOT get to the motor? Any help would be greatly appreciated...I've been working on this late into the night and it's getting pretty frustrating...
Old 02-20-09, 05:48 AM
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Have you pulled out your spark plugs to see if the engine is flooded? that would explain why it is not starting even though you have the triangle of fire.
Old 02-20-09, 08:45 AM
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Just because the fuel pump is brand new, and you hear it running, does not mean that it works.
Old 02-20-09, 09:26 AM
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WI

Pull the fuel pump cover off the tank and check if the pump came loose. It may not be seated on the line and just be pumping fuel around in the tank, not into the line....
You did say the pump is new so I assume you just installed it?

Have a Primo, It's Aloha Friday!!
Old 02-20-09, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by NCMontegott
Have you pulled out your spark plugs to see if the engine is flooded? that would explain why it is not starting even though you have the triangle of fire.

Yeah, I pulled them and they were a little wet. I don't understand how that is possible since no fuel was getting to the engine. I also did the deflooding procedure over 5 times and used atf to rule flooding out.
Old 02-20-09, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by ermin277
Pull the fuel pump cover off the tank and check if the pump came loose. It may not be seated on the line and just be pumping fuel around in the tank, not into the line....
You did say the pump is new so I assume you just installed it?

Have a Primo, It's Aloha Friday!!

Ill try that, yeah, it's a walbro and I installed it myself.
Old 02-20-09, 02:16 PM
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Is it possible for the fuel pump to buzz and sound like it is working if its polarity was reversed? Is the FDs fuel system considered a closed circuit fuel system (as in, all fuel lines must be closed in order for the system to work)?
Old 02-20-09, 03:03 PM
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I'd pull the tank cover as mentioned before and inspect the pump assembly. Did you replace the filter on the pump when you replaced it? If you aren't getting fuel in the lines you obviously have narrowed it back to the tank. If you replaced the fuel filter than the only thing that's left is inside the tank. Don't be lazy and just check it already. The FD's have a return type system if I recall.
Old 02-20-09, 03:41 PM
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Im at work but I'll do that as soon as I get home. I did not replace the fuel pump filter when I installed the new Walbro, but I did inspect it and it looked fine. I would also think that even if it was somewhat clogged, I would atleast get drips out of the fuel line when the car is primed, I get nothing at all...
Old 02-20-09, 04:58 PM
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When you turn the ignition on you should hear the fuel pump come on and prime for a sec or two. If not that then you probably have the wiring wired up wrong or something is not hooked on right. Dont forget to check all your fuses cause if you didnt disconnect the battery before doing the fuel pump there is a chance you might have blown a fuse or short circuited something. Also check to see that your fuel pump relay is getting power and that it works. You can test this by using a test light. Unplug the connector that is at the fuel pump cover and turn the ignition on and check to see if you have power up to that point. If you do than you have your fuel pump hooked on wrong. Hope this helps.
Old 02-20-09, 05:18 PM
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I can hear the fuel pump buzz when I turn the ignition on, but to rule it out completely, I will check voltage on the fuel pump connector when I get home.
Old 02-20-09, 05:24 PM
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Chances are if you can hear it, then it's getting voltage. I suspect, like mentioned earlier, that the issue is somewhere inside the tank.

That...OR...if you possibly installed the filter backwards...but I think you said you had the problem before messing with it.
Old 02-20-09, 10:06 PM
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There is a very good fuel system troubleshooting thread on one of the other rotary sites
Old 02-20-09, 10:56 PM
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Do you know if you are getting fuel pressure?

The fuel pump running doesn't necessarily mean that it's getting any pressure. Before when I was installing my Nippondenso, I had a hard time with it because the O-ring wouldn't fit so I just jammed it in there. I thought there were some other problems and it took me 3 hours to find out that if I had put the O-ring on the first time then it wouldn't have been a problem. So you should check out what you did and make sure you didn't half *** the job.
Old 02-20-09, 11:55 PM
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*Update*

-Took out fuel pump, made sure it was hooked up correctly and worked. ( I applied 12v )

-Put fuel pump back in tank and put 12v directly to the connector, fuel came out of the fuel
line in my engine bay, that verifies that there are no kinks or clogs in my fuel lines.

-Put fuel pump assembly back in and tried to prime system, pump DID NOT turn on or prime.

-Checked all fuses in the engine bay for continuity and verified they work.

-Jumped diagnostic box in engine bay and fuel pump DID NOT come on.

What could it be?
Old 02-21-09, 12:20 AM
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I ran into a similar issue with my car that started intermittently and got worse and worse - it happened after I had installed a new fuel pump as well.

Jump the F/P in the diagnostics box so its constantly grounded and then go back to your trunk so you can see the top of the fuel pump enclosure. The problem that I was having with mine was in the wires where the connector was - I simply pressed down on it with my finger and I could hear the fuel pump engage and the fuel pressure gauge confirmed this as well.

Mess around with the wires in the trunk area, press on them and pull on them lightly to see if you can get the fuel pump to engage - it could very well just be a loose connection which was what I had.

The fix for me consisted of just getting some copper wire and wedging it in between the loose connector to help complete the connection -- I feel like I am the only person who has ever had this problem though...
Old 02-21-09, 12:39 AM
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Run 12V back to the pump and see if it primes, then try to crank and see if it'll start. If so, then it's somewhere in your wiring.

Where did you get your Walbro? There are fakes going around and the fake ones are causing problems.
Old 02-21-09, 12:41 AM
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*UPDATE*

Car started!!!!

One problem though, it only started when the fuel pump and ground jumpers were jumped in the diagnostic box.

Any suggestions?
Old 02-21-09, 12:45 AM
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Check your fuel pump relay. (check the voltage at the pump when you turn on the ignition switch)
Old 02-21-09, 12:20 PM
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EFI relay you mean? I jumpered the Fuel Pump Speed relay at the front of the car to rule that one out.
Old 02-21-09, 06:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Trexthe3rd
Check your fuel pump relay. (check the voltage at the pump when you turn on the ignition switch)
-Checked relay, it's working
-No voltage to the fuel pump when the ignition is turned on
-The ONLY time the car will start is when I directly connect 12v to the pump or jump the diag box.

Is it safe to just leave the diagnostic box jumpered? I don't know what else it could be...
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