Will "Southern" Engineering Work???

Howdy, Y'all!

Now Y'all may think, I'm crazy, an', I may be, but, I figger, a money savin' idea, nowadays, is worth a try. Here's th' problem:

I went to th' service station, a few days ago, an' bought some of this new "Gold Plated Hydrocarbon Molecule" gasoline, that's so expensive, now, an', after payin' fer my gas, My 1994 Astro 4.3Z would not start! Th' engine turns over, but, that's th' only thing happenin'. It was runnin' just fine, when I pulled in th' station, but not a lick, afterward. Well, I suspected some fueltank dirt, t' be th' culprit, so, after gettin' it towed home, I changed th' fuel filter, first thing, with NO results, whatsoever. When I removed th' old filter, there was plenty of gas, there, so, I took a good bath in it, but got it all back together, an', it made NO difference, at all, 'cept, I smelled a little better!!

Well, it seemed like a good indication, that there must be other things, I oughtta check, so, I removed th engine cowling, singlehandedly, which was a feat, in itsef, but I persevered, an' got it done. I checked t' see if it was gettin' fire, an', that looked real good an' strong, so, I proceeded, t' check th' fuses, t' th' engine control module, an', they were both good. Now, after readin' a bunch o' posts, on here, an' talkin' t' several folks, supposedly, in th' know, I decided t' try somethin' really easy, so, I disconnected th' battery, in hopes, that th' computer would reset, an', after a couple o' hours, I hooked it back, an' tried, again. Still, NOTHIN', Nada, Zip, as far a tryin' t' start. I even tried sprayin' some startin' fluid, into th' throttle body, with no indication of startin', whatsoever. Now, I suspect, that it might be a bad fuel pump, an' replacin' one o' those things is gonna be EXPENSIVE, which is a real problem, since I've been laid off, an', money is a scarcity, 'round here.

I've been a thinkin' though, an', I came up with an idea! (Probably, a real danger signal!) My question, t' Y'all is this:

If I install a generic electric fuel pump, in th line, ahead of th' one in th' tank, will it suck, through th' bad pump, in th' tank, an' allow me t' get this thing a runnin', 'til I can afford t' replace th' pump, in th' tank??? I really do LOVE good ol' "Southern" engineerin', an' have always admired those who were good at it!!! So, Will this work??? Can you folks, point me in another direction, that ain't too hard on a feller's wallet, in case it don't???

Danny "Doc" Franklin - Broke down, needin' help, in Texas!!!

It's getting a good spark, but when you spray starter fluid in the throttle body nothing happens? That doesn't sound right. Something should have happened. Did it not try to start at all?
Autozone has a fuel pump for around $35, about as cheap as you will get any elec fuel pump. If that's what's wrong, I'd do it up right with the correct parts.
Ron (AKA Bubba)

if you sprayed starter fluid in air intake it should of started
if you want to ck the pump pull the filter off again
and have someone turn key and hold a bucket infront of filter
if gas gushes out your pump should be ok
I had an 85 dodge daytona fuel injection same problem
turned out to be aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa timing belt had jumped a few teeth
as far as your idea abaut 2cond pump NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Howdy, Liveinusa!

Thanks, fer th' reply! What you say, 'bout th' thing SHOULD have started, makes sense t' me. NOT startin', though, seems t' be all this un's capable of! I will take off th' filter, again, like Ya said, an' check th' flow. Just hafta remember not t' light up a smoke, fer a while after th' bath, I'm sure t' get!

When I think 'bout it, though, Yer right! If an engine's gettin fuel/air, in proper mixture, gettin' spark, is in time, an' has compression, all th' experts agree, that it oughtta run! Do you know, if this engine has a rubber timin' belt, or, is it a steel chain??? From what I can see, changin' it is gonna be, (Fer me, anyway) a MAJOR piece o' work, which I don't look forward to! Hope it don't come t' that, but, from what I can tell, that seems t' be th' most likely deal!!! This engine just turns over WAY too easy, like there ain't no compression!!! I'll bet Yer right!!!

Thanks, fer th' help!

Danny "Doc" Franklin

Oh!! BTW - If th' pump IS bad, please, explain, why a second pump, suckin' through th' first one, wouldn't work! Sounded like a good deal, since I already HAVE a pump!!! LOL!!

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if you sprayed starter fluid in air intake it should of started
if you want to ck the pump pull the filter off again
and have someone turn key and hold a bucket infront of filter
if gas gushes out your pump should be ok
I had an 85 dodge daytona fuel injection same problem
turned out to be aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa timing belt had jumped a few teeth
as far as your idea abaut 2cond pump NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dont' replace anything until you get the computer codes checked. You probably have a Throttle body injection or a Central Multiport injection system instead of a carbureator. In this case the injectors have to get a signal to open and feed gas to the intake or cylinders. With all the computer controls you may have to have fuel pressure at the injectors for the butterfly to open. If the butterfly don't open, even starting fluid won't start it. It is mighty curious that the engine turns over a lot easier, or faster than normal. Makes me think, no compression. With these computerized systems one component can cause a problem that caused another component not to work which causes another and so on. One can of gas equals one stick of dynamite and starting fluid can make a fireball big enough to fill up your van. Good luck, igw.