2004 2.2 litre vue crank no start no fuel pres. at rail

[Mrelmo77]

Hey folks, long time lurker first time poster.

The post title pretty much says it all, I have a 2004 vue 2.2 litre with a crank/no start condition. I changed the crank shaft position sensor thinking it was that, but that didn't solve it.

There is some fuel coming from the pump, but it's not showing any pressure, so I guess my question is what could it be and what's my next step?

Thanks in advance.

[fdryer]

How many miles and were all fuses checked? At ignition turn on, the fuel pump runs for two seconds of the engine isn't started. You may hear a quiet hum/hiss sound of pump operation otherwise depress the fuel test valve or connect a fire pressure gauge to it to check on pump operation. Is the security light off when starting?

[Mrelmo77]

Originally Posted by fdryer

How many miles and were all fuses checked? At ignition turn on, the fuel pump runs for two seconds of the engine isn't started. You may hear a quiet hum/hiss sound of pump operation otherwise depress the fuel test valve or connect a fire pressure gauge to it to check on pump operation. Is the security light off when starting?

Yeah I checked the fuses. The pump comes on and puts out some fuel, but not enough to build pressure. The security light is not on (I thought that may have been the problem too) .

Could the pump be running but faulty maybe? How would I check this? I don't want to drop the gas tank unless I'm sure. Oh yeah 113k miles and the transmission was replaced recently. One thing I see coming up is possibly a bad vacuum pressure regulator maybe?

Thanks for you reply.

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by Mrelmo77

Could the pump be running but faulty maybe? How would I check this?

For sure. You said it's not showing pressure, that's pretty conclusive. Just for the hell of it you could see what starting fluid does, or feed 12V to the pump directly.

[Mrelmo77]

It runs with a spray of starting fluid. I'll look deeper into the starter thanks again.

[atikovi]

Then it looks like the engine isn't getting fuel like it should. Suppose you could get a noid light and plug into an injector to make sure it's firing, but absent than, it sounds like the fuel pump is bad. Did you check pressure with a gauge? If not, that is the next step buy you already said no pressure.

[fdryer]

Originally Posted by Mrelmo77

Yeah I checked the fuses. The pump comes on and puts out some fuel, but not enough to build pressure. The security light is not on (I thought that may have been the problem too) .

Could the pump be running but faulty maybe? How would I check this? I don't want to drop the gas tank unless I'm sure. Oh yeah 113k miles and the transmission was replaced recently. One thing I see coming up is possibly a bad vacuum pressure regulator maybe?

Thanks for you reply.

Borrow a fuel pressure gauge from Autozone, Advance Auto or auto parts store that loans out tools. Expect between 50-60 psi (service manual specs). After new car warranty expires, no one can predict when fuel pumps wear out or fail. In my case, my L300 fuel pump decided to die out of state with only 90k miles on the car. Pumps can fail at any time. With 113k miles, your pump isn't likely to fail but there's always a possibility. Test first - connect f/p gauge then turn on ignition without starting, check pressure.

Security not flashing during starting means Passlock isn't actively disabling injector operation - a feature of most factory theft deterrent programs. Disable injector operation and thieves cannot startup and drive away.

[Mrelmo77]

I got 0 psi at the rail. I also disconnected the line and hooked the gauge up directly to the line and only got about 3 or 4 psi.

What I'm asking I guess how can I tell if it's a bad pump or not enough voltage getting to the pump?

Thanks you guys sooooo much for the help, this thing is driving me nuts.

[atikovi]

Is there a relay that feeds the pump? I'd start there.

[fdryer]

Is your engine fuse box similar to the drawing below? Identify the fuel pump relay, pull it out and familiarize yourself with relay pinouts as labeled on its side or underneath. You can bypass the ignition switch and engine computer to power the pump immediately to determine if wiring, fuse, pump or pump ground is faulty. If I'm not mistaken, Vues may be one of a few models with its fuel filter inside the tank. This presumes a large filter good for the life of the vehicle. If you can, wire a short jumper across pump relay socket terminals 30 and 87 - this will send 12v to power the pump immediately. Check and re-check terminals to ensure correct pinouts. If you are able to wire a short jumper across the relay terminals, the pump should power up and show pressure on the f/p gauge.

[Mrelmo77]

Yeah that's the one I have. One quick question on that also, can a relay be put in upside down and how do i know if it's in the right way?

[fdryer]

Easy way to tell if a relay is configured so it can't be put in incorrectly - note any top markings, scratch or label the top so you know which way it plugs in relative to fuse box labeling. Pull it off (the fuse box tangs are known to be tenacious and resistant to easy removal to ensure electrical conductivity. Once removed, examine the pinouts. They may or may not be symmetrical. If assymetric the relay can only go into the fuse box one way. If pinouts are symmetrical, you already labeled the top of it. Just take your time to become familiar with relay removal, identifying how it's put in and the easiest way to remember which way it goes on.

[Mrelmo77]

So I did the jumper trick and sure enough the pump couldn't even push fuel through the 6 foot tubing I was using to drain it.

I dropped the tank and found a couple of the internal wires with missing sheathing. I'm thinking that is most likely the cause for the weak performance of the pump. I ordered a new pump because I also found a bunch of shavings inside of the assembly.

Thanks again for the help, I've noticed finding what's wrong is often harder than the actual fix itself.

[fdryer]

Anyway of posting images of your fuel pump damage? You may be the first with a faulty Vue pump and it would be interesting to see the filter setup built into the tank pump assembly. This may help others when they suspect filter or pump problems and can use your thread for reference. If not then descriptions.