civic fuel pump help needed

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

 

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 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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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...

 

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.

 

it doesnt even have a low fuel light..i dont care what mr. tegger thinks.
something is wrong with the car i can't figure it out but i may have it
checked by a mechanic before i decide to part it out. it was a faithful car
and i got my moneys worth out of it. i'm buying another honda hopefully.

-jeff

 

Why don't you explain how you align the timing marks when you put in the timing belt?

 

Technically yes. But should you go uphill, downhill, go over railroad
tracks, swerve around the town drunk, the pump may momentarily run dry, and
thus induce stress upon itself.

 

Strangely, when the low light comes on I tend to go uphill, downhill, go over
railroad tracks, swerve around the town drunk, waiting for the dooms day
but it hasn't come. Many people who have a failed pump don't open them
to see whether the brushes or the impeller is the problem. Pumps are sealed.

My best guess is that the gas gets more concentrated of the "bad stuff" when it
runs low. The concentration eats up the brushes at a faster rate. My tank is
super clean and rust free, therefore no problems.