Thread: Fuel pump won't prime and fuel pump fuse problem

Ok guys I'm starting my own thread so that I won't clutter/hi-jack the other one. I just finished a VE swap in a 93 B13 SE-R, but I'm having trouble with the fuel pump not priming and the fuel pump fuse under the dash keeps blowing. I've tried just about everything I know to do, but the problems will not go away. Here is a history of parts replaced and a log of my trouble shooting. What's next? O_o.

RUNDOWN

Good alternator
New battery
New starter
New 255 fuel pump
Replaced engine control fuse (under the hood)
Replaced ignition switch fuse (under the hood)
Replaced the fuel pump relay (under the hood) (NOTE: This relay was making a buzzing noise before I replaced it O_o)
Replaced the green fuse attached to the ECU bracket
Replaced the fuel pump fuse (under dash) (literally has blown about 15 times O_o)
Replaced the signal fuse (under dash)
Replaced engine control fuse (under dash)
Replaced the coil
Replaced the ignitor (behind the coil)
Never messed with the TPS wiring


Test #1 - After the new pump would not prime from the install, I took the old fuel pump and put two wires on the end and attached it to the battery and it kicked on, so my initial thought of the pump being bad was wrong.

Test #2 - Maybe the IACV or the MAF was wired up wrong. I unhook them and turn the switch to the on position, but the fuel pump fuse blew/ fuel pump won't prime.

Test #3 - Maybe the slims fans were the problem. I unhooked them and get the same result.

Test #4 - Unplugged the O2 sensor and I get the same result.

Test #5 - Ok, maybe something is wrong with my basic board I had programmed. I plugged in the stock ECU and turned the switch to the on position, same result O_o.

Test #6 - Text the h*ll out of other forum members to see if they ever had a problem like this.




^The two ground wires I extended and they are mounted on the back of the intake manifold tight.



^Ground for battery attached to the chassis, and on the heater hose pipes.

GOOGLE

SR20DET Fuel pump relay?

^Link #1 - Post #11 he found his problem, but didn't help me.

FORUM

http://www.sr20-forum.com/general-sr20/11960-fuel-pump-problem.html

^Link #1 - Post #6 is interesting.

http://www.sr20-forum.com/general-sr20/41187-cold-fuel-pump-not-priming-2.html

^Link #2 - Post #16-20 - I had two green spares and as I mentioned above I swapped this relays out, but still have the same problem.

Sounds like something is grounding out. Check for any piched wiring, also check for bare wiring on the alternator subharness by the connectors.

Agreed seems like a 12v Wire is shorting somwhere.

NOTE: I also did not wire up the VVL switch yet to avoid something like this, but I guess this problem was bound to be in my future. Hopefully I'll figure it out soon. Maybe I should get a new engine harness, but I've unplugged everything I can (allowing the car to turn over) and it still does it. Such a headache, but I'm not down yet .



^I checked this and it was clean, but it won't hurt to look again with a LED light.

1.) THE ENGINE CONTROL FUSE IS FINE. It is actually the fuel pump fuse that keeps blowing. I was counting the engine control as the 3rd one down instead of the 4th one down. The first two fuses really counts as one because it's for the rear defog. I haven't fixed my problem yet, but this info narrows it down some more and gives me less of a problem. Getting closer!



2.) Here is the fuel pump relay I replaced with a spare, but I'm going to go by the dealer to price a BNIB one to see how much it is.



3.) @sr20rules - Has been working with me the most through this situation and from what info he got, the circuit goes in this order.

*15amp fuse
*Fuel pump relay
*Fuel pump

4.) What actually grounds the fuel pump in the tank? Is it the fuel pump cover plate when you tighten it down the the chassis, or one of the ground that need to be extended on the back of the manifold?

contact jimmi on here from ct he has been through the fuel pump system many a times

^I been in contact with Jimmi and actually just texted him a mintue ago. He was having some kind of cold start issue, but the problems are similar. He actually never figured it all the way out.

^If you look at the bottom of post #1 / Link #2 - I referenced his thread.



^Going to try this.

So the fuse blows immediately when you give put the car in "ON"?

I had a very similar issue with Jeremy's B14. I'm not sure if the B13 has the same sensor (assuming it does since the highports have a cold idle air regulator), but on the B14, the Cold Idle Air Reg is on the same circuit as the fuel pump. What was happening was the connector for the Air Reg was grounding itself, therefore blowing the fuse for the FP. Just throwing it out there as a possibility as the VE doesn't use this same sensor so the connector in the engine bay just sits there. Charles' procedure is a good start though.

It's a 50/50 fuse blow rate if I just put it in the 'ON' position, but if I try to crank the car, it will blow %100 of the time.



^You know what, that connector is just hanging around down there. I'm going to check this out first, then try what Charles suggested. Did you just tape the connector up?