Is it possible a brand new fuel pump is defective?

ROGUERHYMER

MEMBER
2000 CHRYSLER SEBRING
138,000 MILES

Hello! I brought my 2000 Sebring JXi to a mechanic. He replaced the fuel pump, and said he could get it to start, but it would shut off after a few seconds.

He's spent 'all afternoon' ruling everything else out, and believes the brand new fuel pump I bought from O'Riley's is defective.

He said it's having trouble "pumping fuel to the front". He said he ruled out fuses, relays, etc. And has fired up the engine some other way and it starts fine.

I'm concerned b/c he also said the car doesn't have a distributor, which I see on forums is a common problem.

First, does my 2000 Sebring Convertible have a distributor?

What is the likelihood the brand new fuel pump is defective?

I highly appreciate your help.

:)

10 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

I see a distributor for that car so I would be scared if the guy working on the car said there wasnt one. Does it have spark?Is there power and ground going to the fuel pump?What is the actual fuel pressure?

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 3:07 AM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

If it has a distributor -all the wires from the sparkplugs are going to it, round black thingy and also the coil wire goes to it

To rule out the fuel pump you have to check the actual fuel pressure with a fuel pressure tester if its producing the correct fuel pressure

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 3:08 AM

ROGUERHYMER

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6 POSTS

I just talked to him. He said it was probably "buried." He does get a spark. He said he 'bypassed' everything and can get it to start w/out using the fuel pump.

He says it will pump some fuel and then it stops. He really thinks it's the pump so he is going to pull it off in the morning I guess.

I hope that is right.

I will tell him about the fuel pressure thing too.

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 3:18 AM

ROGUERHYMER

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I just talked to him. He said the distributor was probably "buried." He said he 'bypassed' everything and can get it to start w/out using the fuel pump somehow.

"The engine starts fine, " he said. "So, it has nothing to do with the distributor."

He says it will pump some fuel and then it stops. He really thinks it's the pump, so he is going to pull it off in the morning I guess.

Should I stop him and tow it to someone else?

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 3:23 AM

SATURNTECH9

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30,870 POSTS

It sounds like he doesnt know what he is doing if he doesnt know it had a distributor. It shouldnt take all day to figure out if the fuel pump is bad especially if he fixes cars for a living.

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 3:46 AM

ROGUERHYMER

MEMBER
6 POSTS

Like raz. Said, all he had to do was check the fuel pressure. The guy keeps telling me how broke he is, so maybe that's why he didn't do so.

He was recommened to me by my neighbor, so I guess I'll never trust him again. The plumer he recommended was a flake, too. Should've learned my lesson.

Next time around, I'm marrying a mechanic. That's settled :)

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 4:17 AM

SATURNTECH9

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30,870 POSTS

You can actually rent a fuel pressure gauge at auto zone for free there goes your threoy of he couldnt afford to check the fuel pressure. He should have a fuel pressure gauge thats a common tool when you fix cars.

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Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 AT 5:01 AM

ROGUERHYMER