New here - Astro still not starting, even after new fuelpump

[DxC]

Hey all, I'm glad to have found a good forum for the Astro van! I have a 2000 AWD Astro.

So I bought a van with a faulty fuel gauge. i ran out of gas on the highway and then wouldnt start ... i figured it was the fuel pump.

after getting it towed home, i got an ACDelco pump and put it in the car (what a bulky tank!) but when i tried to start it, still no start. it has a fresh new battery and crank sounds healthy, just no start .... the tank was empty so i ran to the gas station and put ~3 gallons in it ... still no start

any ideas? is it a DOA fuel pump? or did something else break and i replaced the fuel pump for no good reason? anything i should check for or look into?

thanks for your help!

[astro355]

Hello, welcome to the site,

Did you check the fuel pressure?

Did you change the fuel filter?

Can you hear the fuel pump running?

[Gary]

Check the part number on the box they gave you.If you where sold a TBI pump,the van won't start.It happened to me on my 1994 LT.Fun times when I had to do the job twice.The parts guy that sold me the wrong part had a bad day that day I took back the wrong pump.

[Big_kid]

Could you still have air in the line from running out/opening the system? Did you bleed it out?

[moneymaker]

Welcome! If you don't hear the pump turning on, check the relay. I always change the relay when I change the pump. And I don't know if 3gallons is enough with these tanks. Does it start if you keep cranking and the oil pressure builds up?

[Mr_Bowtie]

^I too am wondering if you don't need more gas in the tank.....especially if you can hear the pump running. I had a little Kia recently that wouldn't start until I got 1.5 gallons of gas in its little 10 gallon gas tank.

[DxC]

hey guys thanks for the great tips. im new to the astro, but decently mechanically inclined.

i dont hear the fuel pump priming when the key is in the on position, which i find odd ... ill check fuses and relays, then check rail pressure in that shrader valve under the center panel ... and also power to the fuel pump, as well as the box to check P/Ns ... i think its the correct pump as it looks 100% identical to the old one

[DxC]

hey guys, i just got back from another unsuccessful round of messing with the astro van...

i checked the schrader valve on the engine and it is getting NO fuel pressure at all...

i swapped the fuel pump relays and nothing happened ... i also tested pin 30 on the relay to make sure it had 12v power... then i jumpered it to the middle pin on the other side (87) to jumper the pump so its always on ... i then dropped the tank again to make sure everything was connected, which it was ... i dont know which wires are which on the pump ... i dont even know which connector is for the pump, and which is for the fuel level. does anyone know which wire is which there so i can check to see if 12v is getting where it needs to?


im starting to suspect the pump i bought was DOA?! is that possible/probable?! its an AC Delco pump ...

I am also starting to second guess myself - is this even a dead fuel pump issue?!?! i did run out of gas, and the car died... symptoms do seem like a dead fuel pump.

thanks for your help/input

[DxC]

after some trouble shooting ive found that its a completely clogged fuel filter... wow i didnt think a filter would get clogged to a point where it wouldnt flow!

for the archives, while troubleshooting, i found that the ground wire in the harness near the tank was pretty corroded, so i filed that clean... i then found that the van would feed 5v to the fuel pump connector (the one with 3 pins wires were green, black w white stripe, and grey w black stripe).

also people mention checking the ECM-B and ECM-I fuses, as well as the fuel pump relay... as well as pressure on the rail - very good advice. thanks

[DxC]

OMG IM AT MY WITS END!!! WHAT CAN IT BE?!!!

i am getting no pressure at the rail after changing the pump and filter. i can hear the pump turn on when i turn the key slightly ... i changed to a new fuel filter, i even filled up the gas more to have ~6 gallons in the tank.

any other ideas?!?! no pressure at the rail stilL?!?

[Rmvr53]

OMG IM AT MY WITS END!!! WHAT CAN IT BE?!!!

i am getting no pressure at the rail after changing the pump and filter. i can hear the pump turn on when i turn the key slightly ... i changed to a new fuel filter, i even filled up the gas more to have ~6 gallons in the tank.

any other ideas?!?! no pressure at the rail stilL?!?

I'm in the exact same boat if anyone has ideas.
Goin down the road van just died. Got it home and had spark, had power to the pump but no sound from down under. Replaced the pump and filter. Now, you can hear the pump run during crank and 3-4 seconds post), but there is no pressure on the rail. 7 gallons gas in the tank.

Bill

[Big_kid]

Filter? Regulator?

Welcome aboard

[Rmvr53]

Filter? Regulator?

Welcome aboard

filter with the pump...haven't found the regulator yet. Did confirm it will start on carb cleaner so it is fuel related. On the pressure side of things, depress the schreder valve and fuel "oozes" out...no pressure

Bill

[Astroplane]

Can you 'hear' fuel flowing through the lines at the test port? The regulator is under the intake plenum. Can you smell fuel? Plugs wet fouled?

[Leeann_93]

Clean, tight ground? Tested fuel pump relay?

[astro355]

Filter? Regulator?

Welcome aboard

filter with the pump...haven't found the regulator yet. Did confirm it will start on carb cleaner so it is fuel related. On the pressure side of things, depress the schreder valve and fuel "oozes" out...no pressure

Bill

Block off the return line going back to the fuel tank and retest for fuel pressure.

[sfeaver]

I think someone else had this problem on a 95 before, i think he had the lines mixed up above the tank. There should be a thread on here with a picture that shows how they should be routed.

Just a thought..
Scott

[Rmvr53]

Amazing how much better things are when they give you the right parts! I did a little checking of the part number on the pump box and found it was for a "Z" engine. Correct pump installed and fired right up!

thanks all

Bill

[Leeann_93]

Happened to someone else on here - it's a lesson!

I always check the part number before I go to the parts house...

[astro355]

I think someone else had this problem on a 95 before, i think he had the lines mixed up above the tank. There should be a thread on here with a picture that shows how they should be routed.

Just a thought..
Scott

Well, that's possible but the supply line is 3/8" diameter while the return line is 5/16" diameter.

But good idea checking that part number.