lawsoncl

Easier idea than trying to hit the key and watch/listen- Use your meter, set to read current, as a jumper from battery positive to the ballast resistor. You should see the pump draw a ballpark of 4-10 amps. Then stick your head under and listen to see if the pump is actually running.

homestd

Thanks y'all, I just finished putting a start button receptical under the hood so when needed I plug in push button switch. I've needed to do this for a long time. lol
I read the voltage across ballast and didn't get 12v when trying to start. When I quit, it reads 5v.
!!!!!!!! I put the positive lead of my little meter on bat. pos. and neg lead to the front of the ballast resistor and it started showing over 4amps draw. Then I noticed my fuel pressure gauge reading 30!!! I hit the new button and the old girl fired up!!! I know I was sending 12v to the pump but after that nothing's changed except I cleaned the fuel pump plug.

exasemech

Cool!

​​​​​​Does it start with the key?

And thanks for the follow-up.

homestd

Well gang, she started, so I pulled her down to the house and turned her off. When I got back in she started fine and I headed into town because I was out of dog food and stuff. Ran perfect going into town, stopped to get the DF and had to do the jumper deal, started, running good but I told myself not to turn it off till I get home. At an intersection, when I started to pull out, it died. Jumper deal, started back up. I was about 8mi from home and it just quit. Nothing would work, hadto be towed AGAIN.

OK, do I go ahead and start draining the gas tank and replacing the FP?

mikelstudy

"Fuel at the rail" doesn't mean much. As a place to start I would measure the fuel pressure when it's not starting.

homestd

I've got a new fuel pump and tank that I bought for my 88. I'm toying with the idea of installing the new pump in the new tank and then swapping the tanks out. I would like to hear from anyone who has done this or has knowledge of the pit falls that might be involved. My main concern before I start is the filler hose and vent look to be pretty hard to get to. Thanks

homestd

Well, I'm totally BAFFLED! After being towed home last night, I raised the hood and used the jumper from the battery to the ballast resister, the fuel pressure came up to 32 psi and it started up fine. In fact, when I turned it off, the fuel pressure came up to about 38 psi and held steady, which it hasn't done before. Checked again after about 30 min. and pressure was still at 30 psi. and started fine. Another thing is after all this started, it starts much quicker than it did previously. Normally after sitting all night, it cranks for about a 10 to 12 count before it catches. Yesterday it was starting up much quicker, sometimes in just a couple of turns. I'm ecstatic that it's running, but I'm deathly afraid of driving it and having a repeat of yesterday. Another tow bill would bankrupt me. I thought about letting it idle for a long time to see if it dies like it did the first time. I don't know, guys, give me an idea of what could be happening, Please!!!

exasemech

I read the whole thread again carefully and at this point I think your idea of letting it idle a long time and seeing if it dies is not a bad idea.

It's beginning to sound like it's maybe heat (of electrical component) related.

Edit: But with that said I would still clean every connector and every ground you can, they can move around with heat too.
It's easy to forget how old these vehicles are, they were never speced to last 25+ years.

homestd

Yeah, I think I'll do that. It has plenty of gas. Could the fuel pump itself be getting hot, I wonder? I automatically think of vibration as the culprit in a case like this, but my driving has been all smooth blacktop. Going back out to start it. After over an hour it still had about 15 psi and came up the way it should when the key is turned. Stay Tuned.

Ok all, started it up, it idled for over an hour, no problem. It's always run like that since I've had it. I'd like to think it's OK, but I know better. Intermittent problems have a nasty way of rearing their head at the absolute worse time. IDK

mikelstudy

"Fuel at the rail" doesn't mean much. As a place to start I would measure the fuel pressure when it's not starting.

homestd

Today, she started fine, I just drove to the mailbox and back. But I'm afraid to trust her to go back to town. IJDK

cruiser54

Have you completed Tips 1,3,4 and 5? You can do that all by yourself.
Added a fuel pump ground? CRUISER'S MOSTLY RENIX TIPS

IMPROVING THE FUEL PUMP GROUND

JANUARY 3, 2016 CRUISER54 54 COMMENTS EDITThe fuel pump and fuel tank sending unit ground at a sheet metal screw up behind the spare tire on an XJ, and behind the driver’s taillamp on an MJ.

Not only is a sheet metal screw a lousy way to ground things, this ground path is long and travels through some connectors that are prone to corrosion and moisture.

Locate the black wire on the HARNESS side of the fuel pump/sender 3 wire connector. Remove a 6″ length of the split loom covering. Strip back about 1/2″ of insulation from the BLACK wire.

Take your new ground wire, preferably at least 14 gauge and 12 to 18 inches long as needed, strip it about 3/4″, and wrap it around the exposed part of the harness plug wire.Solder the connection. Tape it up and reinstall the split loom covering.

At the other end of your new ground wire, add a crimp on eyelet. Attach the eyelet under a bolt that goes directly into the chassis. Be sure to clean the attaching point til shiny and apply OxGard to the contact surfaces.

cruiser54

cheap and handy. Used mine last night.

lawsoncl

Have you bypassed the ballast resistor? Sometimes they crack and become intermittent as they heat up.

homestd

I have been waiting for your input Cruiser and dreading taking off the panel and doing that one. Let me get this straight, Do the ground behind the spare then ground the pump to the frame, right?