On Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 11:13:34 AM UTC-5, resh...@sbcglobal.net wrote:

I have a 1999 Chrysler T&C Limited w 3.8L engine. It has just under 140K miles and has served our family well in the 15+ years we have owned it. It was starting and running great up until a week ago when it died without warning while traveling at about

50MPH. There were no warning lights and no diagnostic codes. I pulled it off the roadway and it would start, then die immeidately. Eventually after 5 or 6 such starts, it failed to start any more. A check of the fuel rail showed no pressure and a check
of the fuel pump showed it was getting power. In additon, the car would not start at all, but I found that it would start and run as long as I pounded on the fuel tank with my hand. The conclusion was that the fuel pump was defective, so I drained and
dropped the tank and then replaced the integrated pickup/pump/regulator/gauge float unit.

After replacing the fuel pump and the fuel line filter, the vehicle took a while to crank over, but eventually started and ran well. I put a fuel gauge on the schrader valve on the front top fuel line and it read 50 PSI while it was running which I

believe is the proper pressure specification.

Now that I have explained the background, here is the current issue and why I am asking for advice here in this group. The vehicle continues to be extemely difficult to start (cranks for about 30 seconds., then catches and runs great) when it sits for

even very short periods of time. My understanding is that the fuel rail is supposed to stay pressurized between starts, but when I check it it shows 0 PSI. So why is it behaving this way? Is the new integrated pump assmebly or the fuel filter I installed
somehow defective? (If so, exactly how does it work sicne there are two lines running from the filter to the fuel pump assembly? Any theories?)

By the way, there are no fuel leaks anywhere. All of the pressure clip fittings seem to be good. Also the ASD relay and fuel pump relays are working correctly as well. I am certain that I got the large O-ring on the retaining ring installed

correctly and tightened down securely. I also believe that I correctly re-connected the fuel tank connections (2 evaporative emissions lines and the filler tube).

Lastly, here is the procedure I have come up with to make the car start properly till I can get this fixerd permananently. I cycle the ignition key from off to the on (no start) position about 10X. I can hear the fuel pump run for about 1/2 second

each time and eventually can determine the fuel line is actually pressurized from the slight change in how it sounds. I thne turn the key to start and it fires right up like it should normally.

My theory is that the replacement fuel pump assembly is defective in that the back flow valve (assuming it has one) is not working correctly. Any thoughts on what I could also check or a specific diagnoistic procedure that might identify the culprit

here? I hate to think about draining and dropping the tank again unless I can confirm that is the problem. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Bob

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)