92 Grand Am Fuel Pump Relay Location

V

VegaObscura

New member
Joined
Jun 19, 2010
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
0
I have a 92 grand am that was sitting in a field for about 8 years before I got it. Surprisingly after replacing just the battery, a couple of hoses, and a couple of fuses most of its parts work. It doesn't show leaks of any kind, it turns over, and when I spray starting fluid into the intake, it starts up but only for as long as the fluid is being sprayed. Unfortunately the gas hand reads almost full. Now I'm faced with the problem of getting about 15 gallons of 8 year old gas out of the tank so I can put fresh gas in. I first tried to siphon it, but I can't get a hose all the way in the tank, and that wouldn't get rid of all of it anyway. Next I looked for a drain bolt under the tank, which it doesn't seem to have. Then I tried taking the gas line loose at the fuel filter, and that got me a few drops out but no more. I tried turning the switch on, and even tried cranking it and pumping the gas pedal while the gas line was disconnected from the fuel filter with a drain pan under it, which didn't seem to do anything. I then reconnected the fuel line, tried turning it over again, then disconnected the fuel line again and a little gas sprayed out, so I know its getting pressure and the fuel pump is working at least while the fuel line is connected. I wanted to try bridging the relay so the fuel pump would run continuously, but I don't know where the relay is located and I've been googling for days trying to find its location but nobody seems to know about 92 grand ams. So if anyone knows where the fuel pump relay is located, or another way to get the gas out, please let me know.

I hope that wasn't too long. I like to give as much detail as possible.
 
if the fuel line is disconnected from the INLET side of the fuel filter and the key is turned to the run position, I would think the pump would run continuously. The relay is located back near the gas tank on a bracket. Get under the car have a friend turn the key to run with the line disconnected at the inlet side and listen to the relay and pump, just be careful when working with that quantity of gasoline.
 
I don't know which side is the inlet, but I've tried both and it doesn't run continuously with the switch set to run no matter which side I have disconnected. Also I'm very scared to do anything electrical like bridging a relay while I'm under the car with a loose fuel line. I'm not looking to win any Darwin awards here. I haven't managed to get a friend to help yet but I should be able to tonight. I've thought about taking the big rubber hose that goes from the gas cap where you put gas in and taking that loose where it connects to the tank and seeing if I can get my siphon hose in there. Its a very big hose so I know I'll have no trouble getting my siphon hose into it as long as there's no anti-theft blockage right where that hose connects. Then if nothing else, I should be able to drop the tank to get the little bit of remaining gas out, and clean it if needed. If the siphon doesn't work, my only choice might be to find the relay based on the clicking sound, and then bridge it.
 
there should be an arrow imprinted on the fuel filter showing direction of flow, but you did say you disconnected both ends at the same time. I'm surprised you cant get a 3/8" or 1/2" rubber line down past the nozzle block in the neck in order to siphon. I found the image of the relay location at www.gmpartsdirect.com. It was listed with the fuel tank.
______________________________
 
The pump will only run for a couple of seconds without the engine running. You can put a jumper in the relay plug, or if you put 12 volts to the G pin in the aldl plug, the pump will run.
 
I did manage to get the fuel filler hose to the tank loose and get my siphon into the tank, and drain out most of the gas. Now I just need to drop the tank to get the rest of the fuel out and clean it. The car is 18 years old and has never had its tank cleaned so I'm sure it needs it anyway. We'll see if I'm able to get the tank off. Thanks for all your help.
 
The tank came off with no trouble except 1 very stubborn bolt. It took me several hours to get that one bolt out, but other than that the process was very easy. Most of the things I read online seriously over exaggerated the weight of an empty tank. It weighs maybe 25 pounds. I poured the rest of the gas out and a LOT of gunk, sludge, and dirt came out with it. I then rinsed it out with a water hose and poured out as much of the water as I could. The tank is now upside down draining and drying. Vigorously shaking it up and down results in no sound so I know there's no more than a few drops of water left in there. Tonight or tomorrow I'll put it back on, probably replace the fuel filter, put some gas in, and see if it runs. If not I'll know the problem is in the fuel injectors or a fuse to some part of the fuel system.
 
I got the tank back on with no issues, replaced the fuel filter, and filled it up. It had a slight leak in the filler neck, but most of the gas still went into the tank. I gave it a few cranks, and it still wouldn't start. I tried spraying some starting fluid into it and it would start up but go dead as soon as I stopped spraying it. I want to test the injectors but I can't get to them because of the fuel rail. I can't get the fuel rail off because of one small bolt that won't turn. Even after spraying WD-40 on it and clamping vice grips on it, trying to turn it just rounds off the head.
______________________________
 
test the fuel pressure at the valve on the fuel rail
 
Neither the fuel rail or the pressure regulator have a pressure test port =(. Someone suggested that I take the electrical connectors off the injectors and use a 'test light' to see if they are getting power. They said to use a 12v light bulb with 2 pieces of wire attached, turn the key to the on position, connect one of the wires from the bulb to a metal part of the frame, and put the other end in each socket of the injector's electrical connector. They said try each of the connector's 2 sockets and one of them should make the bulb light up, and if not then the injectors aren't getting power. I tried it and the bulb didn't light up at all. I tried connecting the bulb straight to the positive terminal of the battery to make sure the bulb worked and it did. I tried this with all 4 injectors and none of them made it light up. So it seems the wiring going to the injectors might be faulty. I'll post more info after I've done some exploring and wire-following.
 
I'm not sure what valve you're talking about. If you mean a test port on the fuel rail, there isn't one. But someone suggested checking to make sure that the fuel injectors are getting power. To do this, he said make a 'test light' by taking a 12v light bulb and attaching 2 pieces of wire to the leads, then take this test light and attach one side to a part of the metal frame and take the electrical connector off each fuel injector and put the other side in each socket of the electrical connector. He said with the key in the on position, one of the two sockets should make the light light up. First I tried attaching one side to the frame and the other side to the positive battery terminal to make sure the light worked. It did. Then I went on to try the electrical connectors to the fuel injectors. I tested both sides of all 4 and none of them made it light up. This makes me think the problem is bad wiring to the injectors.
 
Was the engine cranking when you did this test? The injectors only fire when the engine is turning. Also, there should be a fuse for the injectors.
______________________________
 
It turns out it does light up but only for 2 seconds after I turn the key on. But if I plug both sides of the light into the injector connector, it never lights up even when I try to crank it.
 
Can anyone confirm for me that my home-made 'test light' should work? Does the ECM pulse the injectors for long enough for the light to visibly light up? Or is the injector only open for a fraction of a second, in which the light would start to come on then immediately go off before I can even see any light coming from it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top