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'99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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Versa09
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May 27, 2021, 2:22 PM
Post #1 of 20
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'99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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'99 Pontiac Grand Am SE
2.4L, 130K miles, 100% stock
First, apologies for double-posting this to the Pontiac forums also, but I'm kinda working against the clock on this one...
My trusty old Grand Am stranded me at the grocery store earlier in the week. It cranked just fine but never even tried to start. After waiting several minutes it did finally start. No trouble codes were thrown and my mechanic said it had to be a fuel pump so he replaced the fuel pump yesterday, after which the car wouldn't start. They fussed with it a bit and got it to start, but it stranded me 20 minutes later. Happily, they'd shown me how to prime whatever serves for a carb on this engine so I hit the intake with some starter fluid, got it running, and drove it back to the shop.
The mechanic said the pump wasn't producing enough pressure so he ordered another brand and installed a second pump today (the car started fine today). After the pump was replaced, I had exactly the same situation... got stranded, got it running with starter fluid, drove back to the shop and the mechanic said the pumps weren't producing enough pressure to start the car and apparently, no other pumps (including genuine GM) are available due to the age of the vehicle (22 yrs)... also because Covid apparently wrecked the aftermarket market. Anyhoo...
I trust this mechanic but nobody can know everything... does this situation sound familiar to anyone? It seems more than odd that two different aftermarket fuel pumps would fail to start this car. It also seems odd that the two new aftermarket fuel pumps are having exactly the same problem that the original pump had in the first place, i.e. cranks, but no start.
Anyone have any thoughts for me?
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2011 Dodge Nitro SXT
SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI)
Odometer: 100,800 miles
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Versa09
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May 27, 2021, 5:32 PM
Post #5 of 20
(903 views)
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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10-4. Thanks Hammer Time!
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2011 Dodge Nitro SXT
SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI)
Odometer: 100,800 miles
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Versa09
User
Jun 14, 2021, 9:49 AM
Post #6 of 20
(814 views)
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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... You already know it is a fuel supply problem. You just haven't found the actual reason. A tech with some electrical knowledge should be able to isolate the problem. The mechanic refunded the fuel pump last week and I'm pondering my next step. Being a single retiree in a rural area means there aren't a lot of great choices for engine work (beyond a couple of GM dealerships) and having little cash and no nearby friends to call on for rides, etc., I want to do my homework before deciding on a course of action. One thing I want to research is his statement that the available fuel pumps don't provide enough pressure for my car (they provide 48-50 psi). He says there are two versions of my engine ('99 Pontiac 2.4L) and that with an EGR, 48-50 psi is adequate). My engine version apparently doesn't have an EGR and requires ~55 psi, but he was unable to find a 55psi pump for my engine, saying that the only pumps available only provide 48-50 psi. Does anyone know if that's true about there being two versions of my engine and different fuel pumps for each version? If so, how would I go about finding the part number and researching the availability of the fuel pump I need? - 2011 Dodge Nitro SXT SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI) Odometer: 100,800 miles
(This post was edited by Versa09 on Jun 14, 2021, 9:53 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jun 14, 2021, 10:01 AM
Post #7 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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There is a difference in the fuel pressure for two situations but they would still use the same pump, just different regulators. The pressure is read with key on, engine off. When you start the engine, the pressure will drop some due to the regulator. The pump is capable of far more than the running pressure. Even if it only had 48-50, it should not cause the problems you are having.
FUEL PUMP PRESSURE
With the ignition switch "ON" and the fuel pump "RUNNING", the fuel pressure indicated by the fuel pressure gage should be:
With EGR .................... 284-325 kPa (41-47 psi).
Without EGR .................... 358-405 kPa (52-58 psi).
I assume you have already replaced the fuel filter.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Jun 14, 2021, 10:12 AM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 14, 2021, 3:29 PM
Post #9 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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You will likely need a special tool to remove the line on the filter.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 14, 2021, 3:59 PM
Post #11 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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Yes, that's one of the types. Not sure which type fitting you will have.
Posting pictures is not hard.
http://autoforums.carjunky.com/...LOAD_PHOTOS_P151389/
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 14, 2021, 4:04 PM
Post #12 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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Looks like you may not need a tool for this one.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Versa09
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Jun 14, 2021, 4:52 PM
Post #13 of 20
(764 views)
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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Thanks for that. The site was hanging on the 3rd signup step so I thought it wasn't going through, but I eventually got a welcome mail from the image hosting site so I'm good to go for images now!
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2011 Dodge Nitro SXT
SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI)
Odometer: 100,800 miles
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Versa09
User
Jun 28, 2021, 5:46 AM
Post #14 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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HT, I finally got my Pontiac into the shop to have that fuel filter replaced and once they got under the car, they said it already had a new filter. New fuel lines too, apparently. I have no idea why that wasn't shown on the fuel pump invoice from the original mechanic, but the car's 22 years old, I've been driving it for eight years and have definitely never replaced the fuel filter so if it's shiny enough to look brand new, I expect it was replaced when they did the fuel pump a month ago.
I wanted to do a fuel pressure check but there's no service port on the rail on my car, so I'd have to use an inline gauge which they said was best done under the car back by the fuel filter.
They said they could do some troubleshooting for me so unless you think there's more troubleshooting I could do without a fuel pressure gauge, I'll probably take it back to the new shop in a couple weeks and let them have a go.
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2011 Dodge Nitro SXT
SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI)
Odometer: 100,800 miles
(This post was edited by Versa09 on Jun 28, 2021, 5:48 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 28, 2021, 6:12 AM
Post #15 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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? Still at this. Now you want to test fuel pressure with no port for it. A better kit would have it see if rentable or toss the filter yourself, looking new isn't good enough. It could have plugged right away or quickly?
Many I think OE would use 5/8th and 11/16th flare nut wrenches (check) or can't know if fuel line was replaced those underside filters will lock flare nuts to line if not lubed or done a lot. I forget many have a cover strap need a 5/16th socket or 8mm is same as that.
Other trick: Go get a new one and a short bit of line that will fit outlet of that. Now you can use rubber and clamps to get to whatever pressure device is appropriate.
Last: A kit to fix line may not have worked out well? It needed checking again,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 28, 2021, 8:52 AM
Post #16 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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You don't have to go under the car. You can "T" into it at the engine.
There is an adapter you can use.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jun 28, 2021, 10:40 AM
Post #19 of 20
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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The line coming from the regulator is always the return line. Most of the newer car are returnless now anyway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Versa09
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Jun 28, 2021, 4:06 PM
Post #20 of 20
(629 views)
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Re: '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE 2.4L New Fuel Pump Won't Start Car
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Cheers for that, HT.
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2011 Dodge Nitro SXT
SUV 4D (3.7L V6 SMPI)
Odometer: 100,800 miles
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