Fuel pump in Aspire dead or is it FP relay?

[FeistyFesti]

Today my wife drove the car with the gas gauge way under the red empty mark and luckily got to her friends house. She told me I need to fill it up because it was empty. I tried to start it and it ran like crap and kept cutting out. So I went to get 4 gallons of gas and put it in the tank. It just kept cranking but would not catch.

Inertia switch is depressed and I also removed fuel line from fuel filter and turned key on, no fuel flow at all. This leads me to believe the fuel pump is bad. But, I don't hear anything under the dash, ie: relay clicking when I turn the key on or cranking. So, it makes me think it may also be a bad relay. But because it ran earlier and kept dying, it makes me thinks its the fuel pump and not the relay. Haven't had a chance to check for voltage at relay yet.


I read in a post that Festyboy said, on Festivas, the pump doesn't energize when the key is on, only when cranking so I'm thinking its the same on Aspires. I ordered a pump with lifetime warranty from the Egay because the car does have 163,000 miles on it and it wouldn't hurt to replace the fuel pump since its only $22.

So, does everybody think its more likely the relay or fuel pump?

[georgeb]

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=38550 Read post # 5 about jumping the pump.

[FestYboy]

you likely sucked debris into the pump and it froze. have someone crank for you and smack the tank with a rubber mallet to see if you can free it up.

[nitrofarm]

you likely sucked debris into the pump and it froze. have someone crank for you and smack the tank with a rubber mallet to see if you can free it up.

Second that thought-

[FeistyFesti]

Ok, today I got a paper clip and jumped the FP and GND on the diagnostic connector, got in the car and cranked it and she started right up. Left it running, got out and removed the paper clip and she still kept running. Got inside and turned it off and restarted three times, each time it started right up. Took it for a test drive down the street and back. Shut it off and cranked again, started right up.

Then I had to go back to work but I told my wife to start it up again in two hours and it did. Three hours later, she drove it home from our friend's house where she baby sits our son and another kid. I guess its fixed, so I'm thinking the relay was not giving 12 volts to fuel pump.