My car doesn't like starting. But it loves running.

befarrer · Post by **befarrer** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:33 am

Holy hell, you have some mega paint dullage, and bumper sagging issues.

I had to change the fuel pump in my Fiero, it wasnt too bad. As long as you dont have too much fuel. I had about 1/4 to 1/2 of a tank. I placed a hydraulic jack under the front part of the tank to support it, and made it go down before I let the back down, since the jack is more stable, and the filler isnt on that end. If that fuel starts flowing to one end, it gets heavy fast, and you can loose your balance, and maybe drop the tank, but since you are laying on the ground, that isnt too much of a problem. Just make sure you keep the front lower. Fuel shouldnt come out of the filler pipe since it actually exits into the tank right behind the sender in the middle of the tank (instead of at the end where the hose it).

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:00 am

It's still the original paint job, I believe. The bumper is easily explained in a photo...

Behold, the first photo of my car since the accident. Yeah, it sucks. Yeah, I'm really starting to hate insurance, but then again, at least my insurance company (Progressive) is really kicking ass to beat the other assholes to a pulp to get my $1,700 for repairs.

Anywho... step 2! Lower the tank. (I already disconnected the battery and fuel pump as per directions... I just didn't get pictures of those menial tasks)
A: Remove center plate.
I - Remove bolts.

II - Behold the magical levitating plate. Looks like this tank has never been removed in this car's life.

B: Support the tank.
I - Umm... this thing ain't tall enough.

II - Make like an IED and Improvise.

C: Loosen straps.
I - HOW?!! Options seem to be a problem... automatic transmission and A/C, BLAH! I wish I didn't have either one, to be honest, and not because of this. A/C doesn't even work and the automatic transmission SUCKS!

II - Ooh, I see. =)

And that's where I'm at now... :thumbleft:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:14 am

God dammit... now the tank is getting stuck on those option hoses. >.<

Grr. Now how to get around this little unmentioned problem. Buh. I'll figure something out. Now I'm glad I left gas in the tank, I'd never be able to pull the thing out by hand. :thumbleft:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:37 am

D: Remove hoses.
I - DAMNIT! I took the wrong end of the small fill-line-thing off, so I have to take the big one off at the tank too. GRR! Must... read... instructions...
II - Guh!! These little lines are IMPOSSIBLE!
III - WHAT IS THAT LITTLE ONE?!?! GAAH! More bullshit! Oh god I hope I don't break it...

E: Lower tank completely.
I - Wwoooooooaaahhh.... tipsy canoe... nono, other way... FUCK NOT THAT WAY GAAH MOVE THE LIGHT... NO DONT TURN IT OFF... Okay BACK the OTHER Way....Fuck it just drop the fucking jack!
II - Okkkaaayy...

3: Remove tank from under car.
I - Erm... a small problem. Booster crap for making the jack tall enough is now keeping the tank from coming out. Okay, balance tank on foot, lift other side with arm, slide crap out from under jack, put towel back on jack, set tank down.
II - Still won't come out. GRR! Okay, just rest that end on my foot... pull jack out... and... okay, now how do I get my foot out...

III - Okay, got the foot out. YAY! Get that cable out of there... all hoses still intact? Yah. Woot. Lay down some towels and shit, carefully slide tank onto track of towels.

4: Loosen and remove ring.
I - Okay, no metal. No metal. Plastic scrub brush... and rubber mallet. Check. Bang.. bang... bang... okay, I think I'm going to break this fucking brush. Stubby straight screwdriver... mallet... ahh! I think it moved!
II - DAMNIT I HAVE TO MOVE IT ALL THE WAY AROUND?! UGH! Okay... tap, tap, tap... bang... bang... BASH... yay, it's off! ^-^

5: Remove pump and assorted parts.
I - THANK GOD ALMIGHTY IT'S OVER!

Now with dryed-to-fuck hands, splinters and assorted shards of junk in all pieces of my clothing, and a knowledge that "I DID IT! AGAIN!" (that is, the head gasket thing, hehe), I can now sleep. ^-^

UPS tomorrow!

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:59 am

... There's supposed to be a check valve in the pump, right?

Yeah, it flows both ways just the same... :scratch:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 5:36 pm

Oh, lookey! I just pulled out a fuel filter with 157,000 miles on it. :thumbleft:

I can't get ANY air through this thing...

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:15 pm

It's not a fuel tank removal unless you lose skin off your knuckles, and blister the paint off the neighbor's house with a combination of fuel vapor and obscene language.

Ever had a full one break a strap and land on your head? I did. Gives you a wicked rush, but the hangover's a bitch.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:24 pm

Oooh... frigid HELL that sounds bad. >.<

Yeah, I've done a good share of that. In replacing the filter I was trying to loosen one of the hoses... I put a wrench on the one facing the passenger side and tried loosening it, nope... wrong way... so I pushed it the other way (towards the back) and forgot to move my thumb. BAM. Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark. >.<

Surprisingly, the straps and nuts were in decent shape, and were re-used without incident. But one thing I didn't notice before: the middle support isn't actually contacting the tank, it's got about a 1/8" gap between it and the tank. Did I put it in wrong or something? :scratch:

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:50 pm

No, that's about right... I just holds the tank if the straps snap, AFAIK...

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:52 pm

Okay, sweet.

Tank installed... front lowered with bricks... back lowered with bricks... back lowered to ground... front lowered to ground...
(I hate this jack. It only goes up high enough to... fuck, I don't know what! Get the tires off the ground?)

Now... to plug the pump in, the battery in, put the gas back in, get the air out of the system, and give it a crank! :thumbleft:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:08 pm

THE RESULT!

You all owe me a beer. But I'll take a Diet Coke. :thumbleft:

New fuel pump, strainer, and filter? I click it to Run, the pump whines for a second (instead of grumbling) and shuts off. I go back and hit the "test button" (schrader valve, whatever), BLAM! Gas goes pow out of it. I click it off, wait a few seconds, then click it to Run and Start... FIRST CRANK it fires right up. I let it run for a second and shut it off... I decide to go back and check the pressure so I pop the trunk again and unscrew the cap, press the test, and BAM! Another POW of fuel!

Leaking injector... :la:

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:35 pm

Falcon4 wrote:THE RESULT!

Leaking injector... :la:

Mocking our suggestions?

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:51 pm

After all that I'm willing to bet the fuel pump shat itself because of the plugged fuel filter :la:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:06 pm

crzyone wrote:
Falcon4 wrote:THE RESULT!

Leaking injector... :la:
Mocking our suggestions?

Yes! Since after all, I said "fuel pump?" in the beginning and everyone said "No, no, injectors, coil, timing, etc". FINALLY! The starting problem is over and it's all thanks to one noise I heard, that maybe only one person ever hinted at being a problem: the fuel pump. And filter. :thumbleft:

This repair brought to you by... lack of maintenance! Yay!

Oh, and I just got back from a test spin... let's just say these repairs put the DRIVING EXCITEMENT back into PONTIAC! Woo!! NO more hesitation, and this bitch has POWER TO BOOT! Like, holy shit, I didn't even floor the thing and it had more power getting on the freeway than my mom's MR2 Spyder. For once. :thumbleft: :salute:

Xanth · Post by **Xanth** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:46 pm

I'm thinking of doing mine again, I bought it when I was poor and got it off ebay :lamer:

Its a bitch the first time, and just a nuisance every time after that. I also replaced all the hoses, as well as FieroStore straps and t-bolts. Makes it much easier, glad I did because I've dropped the damn thing 4 times in the last month.

Just make sure and check under it again to make sure nothing is leaking or kinked.

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:07 pm

eBay? LOL... nothing wrong with that, is there? Unless of course you got scammed with a used part... used fuel pump, LOL! Someone suggested going to a junk yard and getting a fuel pump. That's like buying a used air filter. NO THANKS! :la:

Falcon4 · Post by **Falcon4** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:52 am

Okay, let me clarify.

There is humor in this thread. It's somewhere. Humor in forums generally results in a "LOL" or an acknowledgment of some kind that something somewhat slightly humorous was posted. Usually.

Just the same, the story thus far has been rather interesting, to note that my ghetto ass stock Fiero just shaved about 20 years off its life performance wise. I think THAT says something as well. Or maybe the fact that the fuel filter, which is supposed to be changed every 10,000 miles (so says the box) was never changed in 156,000 miles? And yes I keep changing that number because the first time I posted 157,000 I didn't remember my odometer. Then I remembered. Anyway...

The general idea is, you guys fail at replying. :thumbleft:

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:37 am

Falcon4 wrote:THE RESULT!

You all owe me a beer. But I'll take a Diet Coke. :thumbleft:
BLAM! Gas goes pow out of it. BAM! Another POW of fuel!

Leaking injector... :la:

Somebody buy this asshole a congratulatory cigar!

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:08 am

Not to be a nit-picking fucktard...

But seriously? You came to US asking for help. NONE of us were there to hear the car, or look it over. All we had to go on was your description of the problem which was long, but vague.

We put out the culprits that USUALLY cause the problems you're having. As was said, the fuel pumps usually work or they don't. Congrats, you had one that barely worked. Aren't you fucking proud?

YOU described what would normally be a lean-start problem except that it also did it when warm, which is NOT typical. ESPECIALLY if it ran fine otherwise. Hard-start when warm is almost always a RICH start problem, which was why we all thought start injector... Which is boned in a large majority of Fieros to begin with.

We can take a joke as much as the next one, but seriously, if you ever want our help again, at least have the fucking good grace to thank everyone for the suggestions which were made in good faith.

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:16 pm

Falcon4 wrote:
crzyone wrote:
Falcon4 wrote:THE RESULT!

Leaking injector... :la:
Mocking our suggestions?
Yes!

See if anyone offers you help ever again fucker.

Are you a social retard?