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Fuel Delivery Issue, Replaced Fuel Filter

10K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Rodents 
#1 ·
I have a 2000 Malibu LS 3.1l V6. Went outside one morning to find my car not starting after I had driven the night before. Messed around and found out it was a fuel issue due to it starting with starter fluid sprayed in the intake. Changed filter. I can hear the pump running it's cycle but still not starting.I lack the funds to just replace everything it could be, from what I know and what i've been told I've reduced it to probably being the Fuel Pump, Injectors, or FPR. Any suggestions on what to do next? Like I said...I want to try to figure out exactly what it is without spending any money if at all possible.
 
#2 ·
Okay, you know it's fuel related, good. Without a fuel pressure gauge, it's hard to diagnose. Probably a fuel pump. If you have a noid light you can verify injector pulse but since you have spark, you should have injector pulse. Injectors should be powered up, as the same fuse that feeds the fuel pump also feeds the injectors. PCM grounds the injectors. Fuel pressure regulator would have to be stuck wide open to bleed off all the fuel coming from the pump. Even if the FPR is partially stuck open, a good fuel pump will deliver sufficient volume to build required pressure. There is fuel in the tank, correct? Some of that generation Malibu had issues with the fuel level sensors and the gauge could indicate say a 1/4 tank but in reality it was bone dry. More likely than anything else, it's the pump. Would be nice to double check that there's a full 12 volts being sent to the pump, ignition switches go bad, pretty common. Not much more to offer with the info you provided.


I could really use some help here guys. Where's the love!?
Really?!?!?! First post was after 3 this afternoon. Expectations a wee bit high are they?
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the advice Rodents, I most likely will be playing with it all day tomorrow. And yeah, I got a little impatient..haha, not used to "forum" pace. I actually do only have about 1/8th of a tank, however the gauge seems to have been working properly as I usually am very attentive to how much is put in, and how much is used and it seems to always check out. I didn't want to put more gas in in case I decided to pull the tank, and I don't want to pull the tank if all it is is extremely low gas. What would you recommend doing first? Or is any guess as good as mine?
 
#4 ·
Put one gallon in. If it then starts and runs, go fill it up.

If it doesn't help, one gallon doesn't weigh that much more.

I don't know where you are, but AutoZone / Advance Auto / O'Reilly's will do a "tool loan" (i.e., you buy a special version or brand of a tool, but they give 100% back if you return it with certain constraints) of a fuel pressure gauge.

I'd have to look, but IIRC, under 44 to 46 pounds you won't get start and/or run.

And the pump motor may be running with the pump not pumping.

RwP
 
#5 ·
I'm really leaning towards the pump running and not pumping. I've just been avoiding dropping the tank. I have all three stores within 10 miles of my home, an autozone within 3. I'm going to try to get over there and check to see if I'm even getting any fuel to the rails, if so i'll get the pressure gauge, if not..I suppose I can jump straight to the fuel pump?
 
#6 ·
Okay, so say you go get a gauge and hook it up and there's 20 psi at the rail and it holds after the pump shuts off, if the pump strainer isn't in fuel far enough it won't build pressure or it may build very slowly. Like Ralph said, a gallon of gas doesn't weigh much. Put a gallon in and see what happens. If you hook up a gauge the pressure should rise rapidly, if it doesn't that's not good. Spec is 52 - 59 psi KOEO and pump running. May start and run just under spec but if there's 40 psi or less, it isn't enough. When the pump stops running the fuel pressure will vary a bit but should hold steady after a few seconds. If it drops right to zero, it's either a bad check valve in the pump or a bad FPR.
 
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