Urgent-95 won't turn over-PLEASE HELP!

[Crazygirl]

I am moving in a few days, so my options for getting my 95 Contour are not great. 4 cyl engine, year is 1995, and one day last week it took 3 or 4 tries to start, as it would crank, but not catch. It did after a few minutes, and I have not had any trouble starting it since (other than I can only start it by holding on to a jury-rigged kill switch as I crank it).
This afternoon, my daughter started it with no problem, backed it on to the street from our driveway, and turned it off. A short time later, she went to move the car, and no start. I have tried it, too, and it cranks, but won't catch.
My stepfather suggested maybe a faulty fuel pump, and told me to listen to the gas tank as someone tries to turn it over. If there is no sound coming out, he told me to tap the tank with a rubber mallet. Well, as you can imagine, I heard nothing from the fuel pump, tapped it with the mallet, and nothing. He also said it could be the module, since it is a computer engine.
According to the repair shop we deal with, it would be about $400 to drop the gas tank and replace the pump. Here's the sitch-I have sunk all of my savings into moving, and don't HAVE $400.
I HAVE to get the car running before Saturday, May 31, since that's when I'm moving. Does anyone have any recommendations for me, other than tapping something with a rubber mallet?
***Extra info-there may be a hole at the top of my gas tank, as if I fill the tank up, and then keep pumping gas to hit the even mark on the pump, gasoline comes pouring out of the tank (not from the fuel entry door). So, I no longer fill it to even out the cost, as soon as the gas pump switch clicks off, I stop filling. Plus, the gas cap is not the original for my car. The one with the car was completely broken by the previous owner, so my hubby got one from a similar junkyard car. Don't know if this info helps or not.***

[pre98zetec]

You don't need to drop a gas tank to replace the fuel pump, it's located under the rear seat, pop the seat up, pop the plastic grommet off and its right there.

[Crazygirl]

Thank you! Finally, some good news. I'm going to price fuel pumps today, and we'll try to install it ourselves. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[pre98zetec]

It shouldn't be hard to install at all, If you have a haynes book it should be easier. If you run into trouble along the way check out www.contour.org and look on the forums. Lots of great information there.

[beyondloadedSE]

DIY. You will need some tin snips, screw driver and hammer (to break the retaining ring loose).

Just follow along on the How-to on Contour.org. It is for the people who want to upgrade to the svt focus fuel pump, but the installation is the same.

http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=5023

[Crazygirl]

Wow, that was really detailed. That is going to help out tremendously. Thanks!

[beyondloadedSE]

Originally Posted by Crazygirl

Wow, that was really detailed. That is going to help out tremendously. Thanks!

Actually, here's the better of the two. Your car is a return fuel pump, but again, installation is the same.

http://contour.org/mods/mods.php?s=howto&displayid=39