Is it my fuel pump or fuel pump relay?

Question

I have a 93 Buick Roadmaster. I parked my car on a slight hill and left it running. It was on the last line before going into the orange for being "on e". After about 10 or 15 minutes, it just sputtered off. Its never done this before. I immediately tried to crank it and crunk up about 2 or 3 time and immediately went back off. Now all it does is turn over but it just wont catch. Now we've taken off the breather and the Fuel injected carb. is completely dry. No gas getting to it at all. I changed the fuel filter about 7 months ago, so I dont think its that. Also, I have a auto start alarm. Usually in the mornings or when the car has been off for a while, it takes 2 attempts for the car to crank up. I noticed yesterday that it took 3. That was weird to me. Now Im just trying to figure out if this is caused by the relay going bad or do I need to drop the tank and change the pump. Some one please help me out. Gotta do this today. Thanx in advance.

Answer 1

Its not good to run the electric pump in your tank out of fuel,it can burn them up.Sounds like the pump in the tank has quit working.Hard starting in the morning is a good sign that the pump is going out. The relay only comes on for about 3 seconds when you first try to start your car.And a weak pump will not build up enough fuel pressure to start the car.Sounds like you going to have to replace the pump and good idea to replace the filter too.

Answer 2

If you constantly run the engine out of gas, chances are you are at fault for burning out your fuel pump. Anyway, have somebody turn the key on while you have your ear next to the fuel tank and see if you can hear the fuel pump come on. If you can hear it come on then it's probably not the pump. If it doesn't come on then get a test light and check for power at the plug. Sometimes you can rap on the gas tank and get a little more time out of the pump, but if it doesn't come on and you have power to it then you should change it. (NOTE): DON'T RUN YOUR FUEL TO LESS THAN A 1/4 TANK!!!!!

Answer 3

Parking on the hill with a basically empty tank probably caused the little bit of fuel to move away from the fuel pumps pickup and it went dry and could be burned out as others said.

On the other hand - if you ran the 1990s mustangs out of gas, it took at least 3-4 gallons of gas in the tank before it would start again, so make sure you are putting enough gas in for your car to start! (Particularly if you are still doing all this with the car parked on a hill - it could take far more than the minimum 3-4 gallons!)

Like others said - don't run your car down on the ragged edge of empty any more than you have to. Consider 1/4 tank 'empty' and always add more at about that point. think of that last 1/4 as an emergency reserve.  

Answer 4

Should I assume that you added more fuel? Fuel gages are not 100% accurate. Running a modern submerged pump out of gas is a death warrant for the pump. They rely on the fuel for cooling. Replace it and don't run that low in the future.

Answer 5

Every time that you run a vehicle on (E) or less you are burring the fuel pump up.

The gasoline is the cooling agent for the fuel pump and if you don’t keep at least a 1/4 tank of gas you will cook the pump, it will run hotter and harder.

We replace fuel pumps by the hundreds just because people want to get that last drop of gas.

The gas-light that comes on should say "replace fuel pump".