moved to high altitude now my car won't start

1985 FORD TEMPO
78,000 MILES • 4 CYL • AUTOMATIC
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SKYPAINTER77
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1985 Ford Tempo. I just replaced the idle accelerator and my mechanic had me put in the gas some Lukas additive. I moved to a high altitude and drove the car there ok. I drove the car all day the next day. Then I took the car out and it sputtered a bit and died. Got towed home and I put in a gallon of premium gas. The car started the next day so we thought it was maybe the additive and altitude. I drove the car again to several places and then came out to leave and the car would not turn over. The battery is new and it tried to turn but would not start. I also put in 2 more gallons of premium gas and that did nothing. I had to have the car towed home again. Once the tow driver had the car at my driveway, he tried to start the car and it started immediately. He said then it is my fuel pump as towing it shakes it around and that is then why it started after being towed both times. I am on limited funds just having replaced the water pump and idle accelorator and a thermostat, had an oil change, a fuel filter change and a new air filter.

I know this is an older car but I just spent $400 on fixing things and now it is something else? Can you help with a diagnose? I don't want to keep fixing things and then it still won't run. Someone also says it's the spark plugs. How can I tell without sticking a bunch more money into this ole car?

Thanks
May 23, 2011 at 9:23 PM
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WRENCHTECH
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I seriously doubt the altitude has anything to do with it. It probably has a lot more to do with your habit of running the fuel too low.
In tank fuel pumps are cooled and lubricated by the fuel in the tank. When you run a car out of gas, it pumps a lot of air through the pump which overheats it and causes some severe wear and many times, failure when they cool off.
You will need to use a fuel pressure gauge to verify this
May 23, 2011 at 10:59 PM
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SKYPAINTER77
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Will the fuel pressure gauge tell if the fuel pump has gone bad? I see it could be the fuel pump relay perhaps? I usually keep around a half of a tank of gas in the tank and recently did drive it down to empty while I was driving numerous hundreds of miles and only filled the tank when it was close to empty, between cities and highway.

How much does it generally cost to replace a fuel pump on my '85 Tempo and about how much time will the labor take and what is an estimated labor cost please?
May 23, 2011 at 11:07 PM
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FIXITMR
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well first you need to know if pump is running when car dont start.turn key to just ON and listen for pump whine from back seat area. or get out and put ear on trunk/gas cap.if pump runs but no start check for spark at plug.
May 25, 2011 at 4:11 AM
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