Intermittent fuel problems when wet

[nightb]

Can someone point me in the right direction here? I have a 1.3l 97 metro (non fuel injected) that appears to have a fuel problem.

I'll be crusing nicly along on the highway, decelerate for a second, and will have NO power when i hit the gas again (as if there was no spark). 3 to 5 gut sinking seconds later power is back. Now that it's warned you, it'll toy with you intermittently. up until a week ago, the problem would 'go away'.

Last week it didn't, sitting on the side of the road, the cvs sameritan pulls up and offered a quick test. Engine has spark and will run if we spray starter fluid in the carb. I eneded up towing it to a service center and got quoted $999 to replace the fuel pump. a few hours later i DROVE it home. and had a local mechanic replace the above for 1/2 the price.

(a week later) tonight, i've been toyed with and stranded in a parking lot. I reseated the connections under the back seat with no luck. I shook the wire harnes to the pump underneith by the psngr rear door, and it ran for about 5 seconds (coincedence?). and I THINK i could hear the pump running an additional few seconds after it stalled out.

I didnt have alot of patience for testing tonight in a dark parking lot, in the rain.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what else could cause my pain? Am i about to run new wires to the pump?

BTW, Check engine light works, but is not lit, so i'm assuming no codes.

[brivers]

Check fuel pump relay.

[Woodie83]

If you're in North America your car is fuel injected, they didn't sell carburated cars here. Sounds like a wiring problem, could be anywhere in the car, not just under the seat. Could be the fuel is under pressure just fine, but the injector isn't firing. These cars are famous for bad grounds and bad connections. Unplug/plug everthing you can find and loosen/tighten every ground bolt and screw.

[nightb]

brivers:
I swapped it with the A/C relay last night, no effect. (only relay is under the hood, right?)

Woodie83:
I addmit I'm only an intermediate mechanic, but even if it is injected, wouldn't it prove the injectors are working fine if pouring fuel down the carb makes it start?


no suprise on a loose ground though. the AM radio has always been almost unusable when you're driving down the highway <scratchy>

[nightb]

aha! i see it now, 1 injector into the center of the carb. throwing gas down the throat effectivly bypasses the injector and it starts up for a few seconds.

the fuel pump sounds normal and you can hear flow. tomorrow I'll try and trace why the injector doesnt appear to be firing.

[halfprice5]

Check the electrical connection on top of the injector. Clean the pin & connector, and bend the connector inward a bit.

[nightb]

Turned out the injector went bad. cleaning the terminals didnt solve.