Initially this started out as a hot start issue. After I drove the car for a while and warmed it up, I wouldn't be able to start it again once I turned it off. It would crank and crank, but would not turn over. This problem would then disappear once the engine cooled off. However, now the problem occurs whether the car is hot or cold. The same problem happens, where the starter will crank but the car won't turn over. I tried spraying the intake with starting fluid which caused the car to start for only a few seconds and then die again. The car is an 86gt with 120k miles. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Have you checked your fuel pressure? Can you hear the fuel pump cycle when you turn the key to the on position? If not probably need to replace fuel pump.

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88 Formula
86 GT

First try as stephsformula says.If you hear the Buzzz.Then my next guess would be the ignition modual.

Thats right. If you have pressure and hear the 'buzz' then check for spark. If no spark could be a bad cap or rotor but probably the module as he said.

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88 Formula
86 GT

Thanks guys. I'm strongly starting to suspect the fuel pump. When I turn the ignition on, I hear nothing. I am familiar with the "buzz" that you usually hear when you turn the car on, and I don't hear it. I have a faulty gas gauge which has caused me run out of fuel many times, which would have caused the pump to dry out and eventually break. Plus, I think I have spark since the car runs for a few seconds from the starter fluid.

How hard is it to replace the pump on the fiero? It was very easy on my 84 vette, but I have a feeling it will be harder on the fiero. Everything else is harder!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by fierogreg:

the starter will crank but the car won't turn over.
Once agian cranking and turning over is the same thing. I would check the fuel pressure cold and hot.

If it fires when you spray gass into the TB then it's most likely not an ignition problem. Before you drop the tank to replace the pump, change your fuel filter. And also read your fuel presure.

May also want to check your fuses for left & right bank injectors, fuel pump, then check the fuel pump relay--swap it out with the a/c one next to it, before dropping the tank. Their on the firewall --right in front of the air box.

Yea,check the fuel pump relay (and make sure you have gas).

quote Originally posted by 3800superfast: Forgot to add ---Welcome to the forum....

Thanks!!

I highly doubt it would would be the relay because the problem has been off and on for weeks now. Like I said, at first it would only happen when the car was hot, and even before that, I noticed it was difficult to start at times. I would like to check my fuel pressure before dropping the tank though. How do I go about doing that?

Also, I made sure I had gas by adding half a gallon yesterday. I already checked the fp fuse, but I'll check the injector fuses.

Here's an easy way to see if the pump is good. Remove the trim plate on the console that has the cigarette lighter in it. Underneath you'll find the diagnostic connector for the Engine Conrol Computer (ECM). Apply 12 volts from the car battery to terminal "G" on the plug. Terminal G should be on the top row closest to the driver's side of the car. If your cigarette lighter works, you can get 12 volts from the center pin in the lighter socket. Terminal G is wired straight to the fuel pump. If the pump runs with voltage applied then it is good. If it doesn't, then it's probably time to drop the tank and replace it. If the pump is good, then you need to check the stuff that turns it on: the pump relay and the oil pressure switch. The relay normally is closed by the ECM when it sees engine RPM signals and is the primary switch that turns on and keeps the pump running. If you have air conditioning there are two relays on the firewall near the air cleaner. One is the fuel pump and the other is the A/C compressor relay. They are identical and you can swap the connectors to see if the relay is bad. The oil pressure switch is used as a backup in case the relay goes bad. It senses engine oil pressure to turn the pump on and will take longer to build pressure when the engine is hot. The oil pressure switch is part of the oil pressure sending unit for the gauge and is located on top of the engine over near the battery above the water pump pulley if you have A/C. Otherwise, it's down next to the oil filter on non A/C cars.
Hope all this helps a little, and Welcome to the Forum!

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Rod Schneider, Woodstock, Ga.
"You can't have too many toys!"
1988 Fiero GT
1966 Porsche 911
Van's RV-6 airplane-under construction

[This message has been edited by Rodrv6 (edited 06-29-2006).]

Ok guys, I switched the a/c and fuel pump relay and got no results. One thing I noticed, and I don't know if this is normal, but both connectors were melted and deformed so badly that I could barely see the metal connectors. I don't know if this is normal but it seemed odd to me.

I own an 86 Fiero GT and I have more miles than you do on mine but my connectors are still in good shape thats not your problem because your getting fire but I would definatly check into replacing them it sounds like your fuel pump to me since you dont hear the "buzz" sound but before you drop the tank I would replace your fuel filter just because its a good idea to do that at least once a year and its easier than dropping your tank

I just went thru this for a week of chasing the elusive problem which ended up being the fuel pump fuse but not the one
in the fuse box but a fuse in a link that I found by following a wire from behnd the fuse box that went behind the kick panel. Once I pulled the wire out of the kick panel I found the blown fuse. Replaced the fuse and she started right up. Before I found the blown fuse I replaced the fuel pump which isn't that difficult. Some great advice from fellow pff members made it easy. If you decide to replace the pump, 1) remove the heat shield that protects the fuel lines. It will make it easier to access the hose clamps to remove the hoses off the tank.2) Use a floor jack with a piece of plywood on top of the jack about 8" x 24" to balance the tank. I replaced my tank that was 3/4 full. 3)remove the clamps the hold the hoses that run alongside the tank. I think they are ac lines but not important as I had to remove the clamps to clear the tank 4) Remove 3 bolts on the bracket under the tank and just leave the 4th bolt loose and swing it out of the way. will make it easier when reinstalling 4)slide the tank rearward a little and the tank should come loose. 5) disconnect the wire connector and slide the tank out. the wire connector is in the engine compartment behind the passenger sent about 3/4 of the way up. Hope this helps. Did mine in less then an hour.

Good luck

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1986 SE 4 cyl, 5spd
1987 GT T-Tops
1987 GT 5 spd
1988 SE T-Tops

Check your fuel pump relay. If it clicks and no fuel pump sounds happen... replace your pump. If you don't hear it click, replace the relay. Since it's mounted on the firewall, it could account for your "opnly when hot" problem until it finally failed.

The Fiero has a safety feature built in to deal with a failing fuel pump relay. If you can maintain a running oil pressure for 3 seconds the fuel pump will be forced on... this usually takes 10 seconds of cranking... at least... and can kill a battery.

Anyway, just check the relay. You can clean it with WD-40, alcohol, and sand paper. Be sure to cover it with dielectric grease again afterwards. If it's too rusty, just go to Autozone. They run about $20.

[This message has been edited by 85-GT (edited 07-03-2006).]

Ok guys, this problem is becoming more and more frustrating by the day. I've been working on it for weeks now, on and off, and have gotten nowhere. After I applied 12 volts to the aldl terminal and got nothing, I decided to drop the fuel tank and replace the pump. However, when I got the pump out, and doubled checked it with an external power source, the pump turned on and worked fine! And the weird part is, when I reconnected the pump and turned the car on, I could actually hear the pump run for two seconds, which has never happened before. However, for the past few days, the pump has refused to turn on when I turn the key to on or try to crank the engine. It only worked that one time, which has got me baffled. I have tried disconnecting it and reconnecting again, but no results. I hooked up to the external power source again and it still runs fine. But I can't get it to run when connected to the car. I don't even know what to do now. Should I check the oil pressure switch, and if so, how do I go about testing it? Please advise, I'm running out of ideas on this. Thanks in advance.

If it was me I would hook it back up to the car and then jump the 12 volts on the aldl connector and see if it runs from there. That will eliminate part of the wiring to the pump. There is a connector half way up the firewall on the 88's to the pump have you check it if there on yours.

Then I would look up the wire colors on the FP relay for power check for supply voltage and then jumper power to the pump wire and see what happens.

Break the problem down in pieces and start checking from the tank back.

http://www.euronet.nl/users/fo_elmo/fiero08.pdf

check all your grounds ! i have my car not start and it all turned out to be bad grounds

quote Originally posted by fierogreg: Ok guys, I switched the a/c and fuel pump relay and got no results. One thing I noticed, and I don't know if this is normal, but both connectors were melted and deformed so badly that I could barely see the metal connectors. I don't know if this is normal but it seemed odd to me.

If your sure it isn`t the black goop they put in there to protect them from moisture, then this could be whats causing your pump to run erratically--on sometimes--off sometimes, the one on the right is your fuel pump relay...Even with the oil pump switch taking over at 4psi --this is still a electical intermidate problem..