civic fuel pump help needed

"Jeff" wrote in message

>i discovered that my car probably has a bad fuel pump but i was wondering
>if it could be a relay instead. when turning the key to get the dash lights
>on and the engine light coming on and then clicking meaning the fuel pump
>is pressurized i heard it make a little whining noise from the dashboard.
>just wondered if it is the fuel pump thats bad or could it posiibly be a
>relay for it? thanks for all your help.
>
>
> -jeff
>
Odds are it is the relay, although there aren't enough details here to say.
Check out http://tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html and you will
probably find your answer.

Mike
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

jim beam wrote in


> Jeff wrote:
>> i discovered that my car probably has a bad fuel pump but i was
>> wondering if it could be a relay instead. when turning the key to get
>> the dash lights on and the engine light coming on and then clicking
>> meaning the fuel pump is pressurized i heard it make a little whining
>> noise from the dashboard. just wondered if it is the fuel pump thats
>> bad or could it posiibly be a relay for it? thanks for all your help.
>>
>>
>> -jeff
>>
> almost certainly relay. honda pumps are /very/ reliable and rarely
> fail, even at extraordinary mileage.
>


The ones I've heard of fail are the ones where the owner keeps the tank
near-empty all the time, and puts just enough in to keep the low-fuel light
off.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

i was doing that for awhile. but it was on 1/4 of a tank when it just died.
i thought the engine jumped timing and did repair my leaky water pump
successfully over the weekend and put my timing belt on correctly. thanks
for all the help you all offered on that. but the car is still down due to
the fuel pump. i may just wait to get it fixed and buy another honda.

-jeff
"TeGGeR®" wrote in message

> jim beam wrote in
>
>
>> Jeff wrote:
>>> i discovered that my car probably has a bad fuel pump but i was
>>> wondering if it could be a relay instead. when turning the key to get
>>> the dash lights on and the engine light coming on and then clicking
>>> meaning the fuel pump is pressurized i heard it make a little whining
>>> noise from the dashboard. just wondered if it is the fuel pump thats
>>> bad or could it posiibly be a relay for it? thanks for all your help.
>>>
>>>
>>> -jeff
>>>
>> almost certainly relay. honda pumps are /very/ reliable and rarely
>> fail, even at extraordinary mileage.
>>
>
>
> The ones I've heard of fail are the ones where the owner keeps the tank
> near-empty all the time, and puts just enough in to keep the low-fuel
> light
> off.
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

"Jeff" wrote in


> i was doing that for awhile. but it was on 1/4 of a tank when it just
> died. i thought the engine jumped timing and did repair my leaky water
> pump successfully over the weekend and put my timing belt on
> correctly. thanks for all the help you all offered on that. but the
> car is still down due to the fuel pump. i may just wait to get it
> fixed and buy another honda.



How do you know the pump is not working?

Disconnect the low-pressure return line from the regulator, attach a
separate 12" piece of hose to the regulator, and put the free end into a
tall bottle.

Now have a helper turn the key to "II" while you watch the fuel stream into
the tall bottle. What happens during the first two seconds of key-on?
Steady flow? Drips? Sputters? Nothing?

Finally, you have not given your year or model. Please provide.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

it's an '88 civic sedan. where is the regulator located? i got the car to
start yesterday but it only ran for a few quick seconds and shutoff. it
backfires while trying to start sometimes. i did disconnect the fuel line
from the filter under the hood and put it in a milk jug and turned the car
over and went to see how much gas was in it and it wasn't much for the time
i tried starting it. i was thinking maybe it should be more. i then
reconnected that and took the line going to the throttle body and put that
in a jug and turned the car over again and it put out about the same amount
of fuel. then when reconnecting the line i tried starting the car and it
fired up but shutoff real quick as if no gas. i'm hoping i just didn't run
out of gas. the gauge reads about 1/4 tank and the gauge was working fine.
when it died on the expressway now that i think about it it was as if it
just ran out of gas when it shutoff on the expressway it lost power then the
dash lights came on in a short while wehile i coasred to the side of the
highway but then when trying to get it started again and having it
backfiring i was thinking the timiing got messed up and so did the tow truck
driver but he just took a quick guess. thanks for your help tegger.

-jeff


"TeGGeR®" wrote in message

> "Jeff" wrote in
>
>
>> i was doing that for awhile. but it was on 1/4 of a tank when it just
>> died. i thought the engine jumped timing and did repair my leaky water
>> pump successfully over the weekend and put my timing belt on
>> correctly. thanks for all the help you all offered on that. but the
>> car is still down due to the fuel pump. i may just wait to get it
>> fixed and buy another honda.
>
>
>
> How do you know the pump is not working?
>
> Disconnect the low-pressure return line from the regulator, attach a
> separate 12" piece of hose to the regulator, and put the free end into a
> tall bottle.
>
> Now have a helper turn the key to "II" while you watch the fuel stream
> into
> the tall bottle. What happens during the first two seconds of key-on?
> Steady flow? Drips? Sputters? Nothing?
>
> Finally, you have not given your year or model. Please provide.
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

"Jeff" wrote in


> the car did start yesterday. i'm going to get about 2 1/2 gallons of
> gas and put that in it and try it. i'll post the results.



You must know something we haven't been told...


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

it was backfiring thru the throttle body. ive tried pouring gas into the
throttle body and it didnt make it start. i don't know if my gas gauge is
sticking or not. it's staying in the same spot. just below 1/4 of a tank. my
battery is dead now from having a goofy friend try different things with it
sunday. if it has no gas in the tank or very low gas would it still be able
to pump a little thru the fuel line? i know when i put the fuel line into a
milk jug i got a little gas out of it from trying to start the car that
would mean it probably has gas i would assume. i'm charging my battery and
i'm going to maybe try adding some more gas to it. i have to get to a gas
station though. as far as the main relay or a relay. i don't even know what
to check on that.

thanks,
-jeff
"TeGGeR®" wrote in message

> "Jeff" wrote in
>
>
>> the car did start yesterday. i'm going to get about 2 1/2 gallons of
>> gas and put that in it and try it. i'll post the results.
>
>
>
> You must know something we haven't been told...
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

Jeff wrote:
> it was backfiring thru the throttle body.

the timing belt's jumped. fix that before you waste time and money with
anything else. make sure it's tensioned correctly next time. i've
posted recently here on how to tension the belt. google is your friend.

> ive tried pouring gas into the
> throttle body and it didnt make it start. i don't know if my gas gauge is
> sticking or not. it's staying in the same spot. just below 1/4 of a tank. my
> battery is dead now from having a goofy friend try different things with it
> sunday. if it has no gas in the tank or very low gas would it still be able
> to pump a little thru the fuel line? i know when i put the fuel line into a
> milk jug i got a little gas out of it from trying to start the car that
> would mean it probably has gas i would assume. i'm charging my battery and
> i'm going to maybe try adding some more gas to it. i have to get to a gas
> station though. as far as the main relay or a relay. i don't even know what
> to check on that.
>
> thanks,
> -jeff
> "TeGGeR�" wrote in message
>
>> "Jeff" wrote in
>>
>>
>>> the car did start yesterday. i'm going to get about 2 1/2 gallons of
>>> gas and put that in it and try it. i'll post the results.
>>
>>
>> You must know something we haven't been told...
>>
>>
>> --
>> TeGGeR�
>>
>> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
>> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

jim beam wrote in


> Jeff wrote:
>> it was backfiring thru the throttle body.
>
> the timing belt's jumped. fix that before you waste time and money
> with anything else.



jim, forget this guy. He wants everything handed to him on a silver
platter.

He's a dolt. Or very, very young. I'm outta this one.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

"TeGGeR����������������������" wrote:
> jim beam wrote in
>
>
>> Jeff wrote:
>>> it was backfiring thru the throttle body.
>> the timing belt's jumped. fix that before you waste time and money
>> with anything else.
>
>
>
> jim, forget this guy. He wants everything handed to him on a silver
> platter.
>
> He's a dolt. Or very, very young. I'm outta this one.
>
i didn't bother to read the whole thread...
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

"Jeff" wrote in


> it's an '88 civic sedan. where is the regulator located? i got the car
> to start yesterday but it only ran for a few quick seconds and
> shutoff. it backfires while trying to start sometimes.



"Backfiring" through the throttle body or through the exhaust?



> i did
> disconnect the fuel line from the filter under the hood and put it in
> a milk jug and turned the car over and went to see how much gas was in
> it and it wasn't much for the time i tried starting it. i was thinking
> maybe it should be more. i then reconnected that and took the line
> going to the throttle body and put that in a jug and turned the car
> over again and it put out about the same amount of fuel. then when
> reconnecting the line i tried starting the car and it fired up but
> shutoff real quick as if no gas. i'm hoping i just didn't run out of
> gas.


Your symptoms sound exactly like the Main Relay. If you don't get that
THIRD CLICK from the Relay, the system will run off residual pressure in
the line on startup, then stall.

You need to view and read this:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html#mainrelay



>the gauge reads about 1/4 tank and the gauge was working fine.
> when it died on the expressway now that i think about it it was as if
> it just ran out of gas when it shutoff on the expressway it lost power
> then the dash lights came on in a short while wehile i coasred to the
> side of the highway but then when trying to get it started again and
> having it backfiring i was thinking the timiing got messed up and so
> did the tow truck driver but he just took a quick guess. thanks for
> your help tegger.



Have you checked for spark? Do you have a helper available? One would be
very beneficial.

--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

the car did start yesterday. i'm going to get about 2 1/2 gallons of gas and
put that in it and try it. i'll post the results.


-jeff
"TeGGeR®" wrote in message

> "Jeff" wrote in
>
>
>> it's an '88 civic sedan. where is the regulator located? i got the car
>> to start yesterday but it only ran for a few quick seconds and
>> shutoff. it backfires while trying to start sometimes.
>
>
>
> "Backfiring" through the throttle body or through the exhaust?
>
>
>
>> i did
>> disconnect the fuel line from the filter under the hood and put it in
>> a milk jug and turned the car over and went to see how much gas was in
>> it and it wasn't much for the time i tried starting it. i was thinking
>> maybe it should be more. i then reconnected that and took the line
>> going to the throttle body and put that in a jug and turned the car
>> over again and it put out about the same amount of fuel. then when
>> reconnecting the line i tried starting the car and it fired up but
>> shutoff real quick as if no gas. i'm hoping i just didn't run out of
>> gas.
>
>
> Your symptoms sound exactly like the Main Relay. If you don't get that
> THIRD CLICK from the Relay, the system will run off residual pressure in
> the line on startup, then stall.
>
> You need to view and read this:
> http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html#mainrelay
>
>
>
>>the gauge reads about 1/4 tank and the gauge was working fine.
>> when it died on the expressway now that i think about it it was as if
>> it just ran out of gas when it shutoff on the expressway it lost power
>> then the dash lights came on in a short while wehile i coasred to the
>> side of the highway but then when trying to get it started again and
>> having it backfiring i was thinking the timiing got messed up and so
>> did the tow truck driver but he just took a quick guess. thanks for
>> your help tegger.
>
>
>
> Have you checked for spark? Do you have a helper available? One would be
> very beneficial.
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed 

"TeGGeR®" wrote
> >"jim beam" wrote:

> > almost certainly relay. honda pumps are /very/ reliable and rarely
> > fail, even at extraordinary mileage.
> >
>
> The ones I've heard of fail are the ones where the owner keeps the tank
> near-empty all the time, and puts just enough in to keep the low-fuel light
> off.

I believe the problem most likely lies on the driver. Even with the low light,
the pump still circulates, in effect it still runs cool. What explain why my
original pump has about 280k miles on it and I put just enough gas to
keep the low light off? 50% of the time the low light is on before I fill up.
 >> Stay informed about: civic fuel pump help needed