New fuel pump, filter, in-tank sock- No start.

Do the following test. You will need to listen to or feel the system/fuel relay.

Turn key to ON, system relay portion should click. When you crank the engine in an attempt to start, the relay should click a second time. This is the fuel portion of the relay.

If no first click, system fuse or wiring. No second click a bit more complicated. Second click depends upon a signal that the engine is rotating. No engine rotation, no fuel pumps. I think in 87's signal for engine rotation is from distributor Hall sensor. A test for spark while cranking engine will verify.

There is also a radio supression relay somewhere under the hood that will stop a 700 dead. I do not know where it is since I'm most familiar with the

200 series. Engines and controls swap between, not all wiring.

Duane

The buzz is the main pump running, so it sounds like that part is fine. Where did you get the new pump? They're a lot cheaper online than at the dealer. It's time to narrow things down a bit. Pull the low pressure hose off the main pump and turn the key, verify fuel squirts out of this hose. If it doesn't, then the problem is somewhere between that and the sock in the tank. If it does, pull the return hose off the fuel pressure regulator at the engine, turn the key, fuel should squirt out the regulator, if it doesn't, then look at the main pump and hose. You can also check for voltage at the connectors of the pumps to see if they're receiving power when the engine cranks. There's just not many components in this area, it should be pretty easy to diagnose.

Autozone happened to have the pump, and I usually don't like to buy these type things from them - I had exposed gas tanks and fumes I wanted to hurry up and seal.

Today I will do a complete check. A few things coming to mind are:

1- recheck the wiring to the pump. 2- I never checked to see of the line was clear from where the in-tank pump connects, through the sender. When I pulled this sender out of the parts car, it had no sock. I could easily blow through the pump - but never checked to see of the lines through the sender were clear. Maybe fuel is not getting through the sender. 3- I want to check the line from the tank to the main pump. When I disconnected the fuel lines to the main filter and pump - fuel poured out of the engine side under pressure, but only trickled a bit from the tank.

If I redo the wiring and still get no start, I am thinking definite fuel starvation. Remember - this car ran perfectly before I swapped sending units. The only problem it had was sputtering and stalling on turns with less than 1/4 tank.

Something changed when I added the 1988 model, used sending unit. Possibly some obstruction, otherwise there is something funny about a

1988 model that makes it NOT like a 1987 car that it wasn't designed for.

OK:

I rewired the fuel pump. Purple wire to positive, black to negative. Nothing. I pulled the fuel line from the tank off the pump - no gas. I blew hard into the line, then I got some return fuel at a good pour. I reconnected -- nothing.

I disconnected the in-tank electrical wires, except the ground. Nothing.

Car turns over, but no firing.

Swapped fuel pump relays with some spares - nothing.

jamie

Do you have voltage at the pre-pump? It sounds like that pump is either dead or not getting power. You can check at the connector. It may be helpful to make a jumper out of a couple of male spade connectors and a short piece of wire to fit in the relay socket and bypass the pumps on for testing. Also make sure you didn't wire the pre-pump backwards, you could be sucking fuel back into the tank.

Not sure if I have voltage at the pre pump. Wiring - there are 3 wires, plus a ground. The pump is wired using only the purple wire from the car, it grounds through the black wire. The brown and grey/ white wires run the gauge. I disconnected the pre-pump to see if I could start the car. No start.

I want to re-check the Fuel Pump relay. I swapped 3 used ones, but never checked for clicking (1st and 2nd).

So let's think - I do nothing but replace the sender unit and the car runs crappy. I drive to the gas station and add just under 1/2 tank of gas. The car is now barely running, so I limp home.

I undo and redo the ground wire for the sender unit, and the car starts right up and idles great. I take the car for a test drive, get

4 blocks and it is dead. No start.

I replace the fuel pump, main fuel filter, and sock on the sender. No change.

What could a replacement sender from the parts yard have done to cause such a failure? Now, even with the replacement sender disconnected - no start.

OK, still no change other than I need to charge my battery from cranking.

Today , here was what I did:

1- Pulled main fuel line off fuel rail. No fuel there. 2- Pulled return line off valve and blew - air got to tank. 3- Cranked engine - no fuel from main fuel line coming out. 4- Removed entire fuel pump rack and disassembled. Nothing clogged. 5- Tested fuel pump - it works, even sputtered out a bit of gas. 6- Checked fuel pump relay -- two clicks. 7- Disconnected lines from in-tank sender. I can easily blow air through main fuel line to pump. (No obstruction) 8- I can blow air from return line at tank to engine. (No obstruction) 9- I can blow into both metal tubes for sending unit - fuel returns from both tubes. No obstructions 10- I can blow through fuel filter - (No obstructions) 11- All fuel filter/pump connections had no obstructions.

So, as far as I can tell, the relay works. The pump is getting power. I have just under 1/2 tank of gas. No lines seemed clogged or pinched.

Why would you think no fuel is making it to the engine? The pump operates and the lines are clear.

Thanks, Jamie

After much thought, I am convinced that the only thing different that caused problems was the new sending unit. I am wondering, could there be cracks or something allowing AIR into the system, so when the pump runs, it sucks air and not fuel?????

My bet right now is that the pre-pump is wired backward and is blowing fuel back into the tank against the suction of the main pump or the pre-pump is bad. Without fuel in the line already the main pump is probably not able to prime the system in a reasonable amount of time. You still haven't said whether you pulled the hose off the input of the main pump to see if you have fuel flow there.

Yes, I have fuel flow all the way to the main pump. From there I can't get it to the rail. Now, when I disconnect the line at the pump, no gas comes out. So I blow into the return line at the rail to force gas to the pump. From there, I can't get it to the rail. I get air pressure when I release the inlet line at the rail.

I'm trying to see how I could reverse wire the pre-pump. I ran purple to the pump line, then gray/white to gray/white and brown to brown for the gauge. Is this wrong?

Yes, I have fuel flow all the way to the main pump. From there I can't get it to the rail. Now, when I disconnect the line at the pump, no gas comes out. So I blow into the return line at the rail to force gas to the pump. From there, I can't get it to the rail. I get air pressure when I release the inlet line at the rail.

I'm trying to see how I could reverse wire the pre-pump. I ran purple to the pump line, then gray/white to gray/white and brown to brown for the gauge. Is this wrong?

Yes, I have fuel flow all the way to the main pump. From there I can't get it to the rail. Now, when I disconnect the line at the pump, no gas comes out. So I blow into the return line at the rail to force gas to the pump. From there, I can't get it to the rail. I get air pressure when I release the inlet line at the rail.

I'm trying to see how I could reverse wire the pre-pump. I ran purple to the pump line, then gray/white to gray/white and brown to brown for the gauge. Is this wrong?

Well if you have fuel flow to the main pump but no fuel at the rail then the pre pump is operating and either the main pump is defective, not receiving power, or there's a kink or clog in the line. Loosen the banjo bolt at the filter output and see if fuel sprays. I know it's a new pump but it could be defective.