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starts then dies

Zzp98gs

New member
hey all. my 98 regal gs was running fine yesterday, went to the store and came out to leave then it would start fine and run for 1-2 seconds then dies. starts up everytime i try to but does the same thing. i hear the fuel pump priming as it always has. any ideas?
 


Pull the fuel pump high speed relay in teh under hood relay center and bend the 85 tab. Stuff it back in.. bet it runs.

If that does the trick.. your low speed pump resistor is bad.
 
Nope. Didn't even start when I did that. Put it back and still doing the same thing. Could it be the fuel pump? I've had them die before and usually it doesn't start at all if it does it doesn't run this smooth
 


what pressure am i looking for? high 50's with key on and low 50's with car running? thats what i was told
 
over 43 psi, under 40 running or key to on is to low.

it could be a bad fuel pressure regulator, that lump on the fuel line with a vac line to it.
 
i changed fp regulator less then 2 years ago and the fuel filter around the same time. guess ill check that out next. thanks! where abouts in jersey are you from? im up north in morris county area
 


any pics of your 98? what color is it? more regal guys, little by little we will take over lol

red's sure to pop in and say different lol
 
If the resistor didn't do it. Unplug the maf and use a little throttle to get the car started. Once it's started and running for a minute with you helping it stay running via throttle, it should hold it's own.

If that works... you have a bad maf or wiring to it.
 
It is red actually, what's left of it anyways. This car spent it's whole life in Texas so if u haven't been there before I will tell you the sun does a number on any clear coat and paint job. Combine that with hail and stupid drivers, the car doesn't look it's best haha. But it pulls strong when it runs that's all I cared about when I bought it.
 
If the resistor didn't do it. Unplug the maf and use a little throttle to get the car started. Once it's started and running for a minute with you helping it stay running via throttle, it should hold it's own.

If that works... you have a bad maf or wiring to it.

Will try that next. Also will check fuel pressure today. Thanks!
 
I should give you more information. Two things are common on a start/die in your year.

Fuel pump low speed resistor: This is a resistor located behind the window washer bottle behind the bumper. When turning the key the pump primes and uses power from the fuel pump relay, then reverts to power through the resistor to run the pump in low speed mode. When the resistor goes bad, you get no power to the pump after the prime. By bending the tab on the fuel pump speed relay, you stop power from being passed through the resistor aka keeping the pump in high speed mode. This is very common for the issue you have.

MAF: This reads the amount of air entering the engine. If this goes bad and tells the pcm there is no air.. the pcm will not pulse the injectors.
 


I should give you more information. Two things are common on a start/die in your year.

Fuel pump low speed resistor: This is a resistor located behind the window washer bottle behind the bumper. When turning the key the pump primes and uses power from the fuel pump relay, then reverts to power through the resistor to run the pump in low speed mode. When the resistor goes bad, you get no power to the pump after the prime. By bending the tab on the fuel pump speed relay, you stop power from being passed through the resistor aka keeping the pump in high speed mode. This is very common for the issue you have.

MAF: This reads the amount of air entering the engine. If this goes bad and tells the pcm there is no air.. the pcm will not pulse the injectors.

Ok. I tried bending the tab out on the rely and it didn't even start. Just cranked, what's that telling you?
 
check to see if theres even fuel at the rail yet? push the pin in the shrader valve on the rail in, if gas shoots out at least you know theres some pressure. or put a pressure gauge on that valve.
 
Ok. I tried bending the tab out on the rely and it didn't even start. Just cranked, what's that telling you?

That tells me you had the wrong pin. Your pump should prime and the car should start and run fine with that pin bent.

Scott..if it's starting..he has fuel for a moment.
 
Ok so which pin is it? I found a picture online that showed me to bend a certain one. If your looking at the relay head on I bent the tab on the bottom right of it.
 
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