UPDATES - Help! Possible fuel pump woes...'87 5KCSQT

[David Balbirona]

Hey all,

Updates:

Inserting a jumper (read 30amp fuse) into the fuel pump relay allows me to 
read battery level voltage (>12.5V) at the fuel pump harness connector.

- There is still no noise at the fuel pump.  Previously when the car was 
running normally, I could hear the pump running over the engine noise at 20 
feet.  Per the Bentley, I should still pull the pump and check continuity at 
the pump itself.  Wouldn't this be redundant as no voltage is getting to the 
pump?

- It seems like the remaining test (fuel delivery rate) has no real purpose 
here since there is no voltage to the fuel pump itself.

- Is there another way to check the integrity of the relay without using a 
test light?  Still need to pick one of these up today.

Thanks in advance for any additional insights.

--David Balbirona
Lake Stevens, WA


>From: "David Balbirona" <dbalbirona at hotmail.com>
>To: quattro at audifans.com
>CC: dbalbirona at hotmail.com
>Subject: Help! Possible fuel pump woes...'87 5KCSQT
>Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 08:00:02 +0000
>
>Hey everyone,
>
>This is somewhat long in the description but covers all the investigative 
>work thus far.
>
>I currently have a car in a no start scenario after a sputter at 50 mph and 
>roll to a stop today (Sunday afternoon, 8/22) about 3 miles from home.  
>Verified the following in the parking lot and later again at home after a 
>tow from a friend:
>
>- charged battery
>- spark at the plugs & coil
>- engine cranks over easily
>- 1/4-ish tank of gas
>- no gas coming out of the out-bound side of the fuel filter
>- no gas going to the inbound side of the filter
>- fuel pump no longer making obnoxious buzzing noise when engine was 
>running briefly after stall
>- no fuel pump noise at all even when key & ignition is turned on as if 
>starting car
>- fuse #13 OK
>- unable to get any voltage reading at fuel pump sending unit harness 
>connector on terminals 1 & 4 (green & brown wires)
>
>The Bentley says to check the relay.  What's the deal with the space for a 
>fuse on top of this relay?  What goes here?  I haven't seen anything in 
>this spot before.
>
>I don't have the remote control VW 1348/3A.  Is this necessary?  Can it be 
>by-passed somehow with an equivalent test?
>
>I do get a light on my test light with terminal 46 and ground (had to 
>jury-rig this by inserting a thin safety pin and touching the test light to 
>it).
>
>No definitive answer of flickering light with my jury-rigged test light on 
>terminals 50 & 51 or 46 & 52.
>
>Supposedly a lack of positive test light indicates a wiring problem.  The 
>lack of light _may_ be due to my lame test light.  Maybe not...   If it 
>*IS* wiring, where are the likely suspects?  Where can I get a better test 
>light as shown in the Bentley?  Do I really need that remote VW tool?  
>Anyone know the rough cost of the fuel pump relay?  Is this likely just a 
>dead fuel pump and I just need to yank the old one out and replace it?  If 
>so, any gotchas?
>
>Last weird thing - after the first stall I was able to get car started 
>momentarily (ran smooth for about 45 seconds)  after it sat for a few hours 
>and drove like a demon to get a *BIT* closer to home.  The car stalled once 
>again and that's when the tow home started.  Started one last time and the 
>car ran VERY rough for about 15 seconds and hasn't started since.  
>Currently charging battery from the drain of all the starting.
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
>--David Balbirona
>Lake Stevens, WA
>

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