Is the engine turning over?

 

it is only turning with the starter, but is not actually firing

 

sounds like the fuel pump to me

 

Ok, try to start the car then leave the key in the on position and pop the hood and when you see your oil fill cap just above it on the fuel rail should be a black cap. Remove the cap and it should look like a valve stem. Now VERY CAREFULLY press the valve down...you can use a tire pressure tool. If it is pressurize it will shoot gas everywhere be very careful that you do not get any in your eyes. If you have pressure then the fuel pump is working. If not then it is not working.

 

I have read up on that and from what I gather the rail can still be pressured up but there is no way to tell how much pressure you have totally.
However- I just went out there with some rags and pushed the pin in on the schrader valbe on the fuel line like you mentioned above, and there was no pressure, I turned the engine over a bit and rechecked and when I pushed the pin in I heard just a tiny tiny release but it was nothing, I think the pump is bad now for sure.
Is there any place on the internet where I can get the fuel pump at a cheap price? I am to the point where I jsut want to get it running and trade the thing in on a new car with a warranty, I really like this car but I need to be able to rely on it.
I am just going to get the filter and pump and change it all out, and at the same time I am going to clean the tank out really good and put some good gas in it.
I appreciate your input and replies and advice, if you can think of anything else than that would be great.

 

Fuel pumps are those types of things that will always go out at some point. I wouldn't let a fuel pump tell you if you can rely on a car or not. That's just my 2 cents. Buddy of mine just had to have the motor rebuilt on his 06 Honda Accord at just under 100,000 miles. I've had several 3800 powered cars FAR past that mark (including almost 200,000 on my GTP) and they still ran perfect. The only one that was no longer driveable was the GTP and that's only cause it was totalled in a collision. Good luck though. I wish I still had a supercharged motor.

 

Thanks Sgt, there are many more issues with this car than it losing a fuel pump, I am dealing with the leaky intake manifold gasket issue, the faulty front wheel hub issues that make the "service traction control" indicators light up, the cluncky **** steering knuckle issues, and the intermittent electrical issues that occasionally pop up when I least suspect it.
This car is riddled with problems, I am not hard on it and take pretty good care of it. Believe me though I still really like the car and enjoy driving it when it is running fine, but as time goes by these times are few and far between.
I was looking at getting a new camaro but they too are having a bunch of issues as well, I really don't know where to go from here because all car companies have issues with their cars.
I think it is going to be a "wait and see" situation, I think my next step is tomorrow I am going to get some of that stuff to poor into my fuel tank that reconditions the fuel and removes any water/moisture and makes the fuel viable for use, then let it sit in the fuel until I get the filter/pump/strainer in and will probably change it all out on Saturday, if it starts and runs good then, then I will probably give the car another chance, but right now all I feel like doing is just getting it running and heading straight to the car dealership and get something new with a warranty.

 

Intake gaskets are a known problem on the 3800. But my friend has a GP with over 218k and no real major problems and he is not to nice to that car. I remember him doing a burn out and then we had to go to Walmart to get oil (yes the car leaks oil...doesn't burn it just leaks it) cuz there was no other place close and open at 2 am. Once you get all of the problems fixed on the car it should be a good running car. I know the nightmare that I had when I first got my car because the people before me didn't know how to work on cars and I had to fix their mistakes. (I replaced the brake pads and rotors...should be a two or three hour job but it ended up being a 12 hour job because I had to keep running back to the autoparts store to buy more stuff that was broke do to inproper maintaince....two of the brake caliper bolts was twisted because someone used an impact to put them on) and then I had to get a supercharger pulley tensioner because the other one was weak and they just put a belt for a 3.4 pulley on a car with a 3.8 and I had to replace the O2 senser and the rear trailing arms because one was bent and I had to buy a tranny pan gasket because they didn't use one....just rtv. So yes, I understand your pain but now that I have gotten that stuff fixed....it is a good running car. Sometimes when buying used....you are buying someone elses headache and with these supercharged cars...it is hard to get one that is taken care of. But, I hope you get everything with your car fixed and possibly keep it for many more years.

 

One practice you need to quit no matter what car you drive is letting your fuel tank get down that low. Your fuel is what keeps the fuel pump cool and lubricated. I always fill up when I have a 1/4 of a tank left.

Wayne

 

That is so true, that is a new practice I am adopting, today I am going to change out the fuel pump wish me luck