Won't start... fuel pump???

[monkeycb]

Well I haven't had a problem with my car for over 6 months and then today happened. I'm heading to a store with a friend and my low gas beep and light come on. No big deal. I drive a few more miles and begin to slow down as the person in front of me slows down. Then as she speeds back up, I try to do the same. Nothing happens. I look at my tach and the engine is off. Luckily I am in the fast lane and have enough forward momentum to carry me on to the grass in the median.
At first I thought I must have ran out of gas. Knowing deep down this wasnt the case, I went to buy a gas can and some gas. A half hour later I put the gas in my car and try to start it. It cranks and turns over, but the rev's are erratic under 1000 RPM and gassing it does nothing... I continue to try to start the car for a while and slowly the car wants to turn over less and less, until it just cranks.
About 3 hours and a dozen phone calls later, a tow truck comes to bring my car to the Chevy dealership (The only close place I knew of) and a little later some friends come to pick me up... I have no idea what could be wrong. My only guess would be a fuel pump??? I know cars decently, but am by no means a mechanic. Any ideas or suggestions as to what I should do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[burly]

My first guess would actually be the fuel filter, and then the injectors. Electric fuel pumps these days are pretty durable and under normal usage (read: clean gas - no crap in the tank) last over 100k with Ease. However, fuel filters clog much more rapidly, especially if low quality gas is run through the tank. Similar effect with the injectors. Without proper detergent levels in the gas, the injectors can clog and lower the output of fuel into the engine. So while its totally possible that the fuel pump is bad, I would check the fuel filter and injectors first. The next thing I would check are the spark plugs and wires.

[monkeycb]

it was the fuel pump. i managed to get the dealer to lower the price by $100 too. They wanted $650 and they lowered it to $550 after I bitched at them for a while. Still getting screwed, but a little less now.

[burly]

Wow that is pretty steep. I do know that it is fairly involved, usually requirign the tank to be drained and removed, since the fuel pump is in-tank. If you haven't changed your fuel filter since you bought it, it would recommend changing it now since you just had a new pump put in. Clogged fuel filters cause poor performance and sputtery engines.