Fuel Pump Problems in 2000 Chevy Cavalier

Don't know if this is related, but years ago I had a problem with my fuel pump (not a Chevy), not working and blowing fuses, the problem turned out to be the voltage regulator on the alternator.

Regards JD.

check to see if the ventilator (a tiny hole through the fuel tank cap) is blocked. Or just buy a new cap. As long as there is pressure in the gas tank, the fuel pump will probably work fine with a plugged vent, but if on a cold day a vacuum builds up, the pump can't get suction, it'll cavitate, run hot (the fuel cools the pump), and use excess amps and burn out. Also, a lot of cars now have two fuel pumps--one at the tank and one at the engine. If the one at the tank is broken or poorly functioning, it might be the problem. Thank click and clack. It's what they would say.

How do you know it is the fuel pump?

j.

hello desperadojmo, I found this online and it seems to cover how to trouble shoot most if not all the causes for what your describing.

2000 chevy cavalier still no start Yahoo Answers

hope this helps, it seems the chevy cavaliers are starting to have problems of this vintage.

metalSmith's

Get an OBDII reader. They cost about $128 from an Auto Parts Store. Your connection will work because they fit cars built after 1994.

You reset the codes for the car and try starting it and driving it until the light kicks on again. The display will not only tell you what the problems for every issue the car has.

I used it on my 2001 Kia Sportage. It was running rough, it not only told me that it was missing on a cylinder but told me which cylinder was missing. I had a fouled plug.

They are worth the investment and it's good to know in advance what you are taking your car in the shop for instead of paying extra for the shop to waste labor doing a lot of troubleshooting.

On another note:

Cavaliers have come up on these forums more then any other automobile about having problems. I used to sell cars for a Dodge, BMW, Suzuki dealership and we had about 4 used Cavaliers and all of them were plagued with being hard starters to begin with and were hard to see. Cavaliers seem to me to be a poor car.

Try checking for a good ground for the pump, use a multimeter at the underhood plugin, and also look for a hot spot ( melted plastic ) in the fuse panel under the hood. Remove the associated relays and fuses and check for a bad female connector that the relays and fuses plug into , the plastic around the bad connector will be melted slightly from the heat generated by a poor connection. I have seen this before. Replace the fuel filter . If you can get to the pump plug under the back seat i would also suggest you check for corroded wiring at the pump plug itself . Remove the plugin at the tank and pull each wire on the plug with needle nose pliers , if one wire seems to stretch as you pull then you have found the culprit . I have seen this in a 10 year old vehicle . Best of luck .

i was drivin and exceleratin to the speed limit and then the car made a studer noice then it shut off so i coasted to the side and pulled over and tryed startin the car but it wont start. what could be the problem? is it the fuel pump or somethin else?

My car is doing the same thing, excelerating to the speed limit then shutting off. After it sits for about 10 - 15 minutes, it will start back up again, only to stop after driving for a little bit. What ended up fixing the problem with your car?

I can't say for the Cavalier specifically, but Chevy likes to use the oil pressure gage input to run the fuel pump. The relay is just for a signal to get the process started until the oil pressure comes up. The oil pressure sending unit from Chevy is a problem even when new. Look for the test plug in for when the car was new. One wire socket of the plug when jumped with power will run the fuel pump for test purposes only(do not try until you know which one).

If you plan to work on this car very much get the code reader and a Helms service manual(over 100.USD). You will be surprised what can be done with them.

Brad

This thread seems to be struggling to go forward. Perhaps this old post will shed some new ideas around.

This vehicle has a fuel pump test lead under the hood. It is red in color. It is at the rear of the driver's side front shock absorber tower. There should be about six inches of the wire sticking out of the harness. The end of the red wire has a black plastic terminal protector over it. The terminal is the type that slides over a 1/4" flat male "spade" terminal. If you run a jumper wire with a 10 amp fuse in it to this red wire, the car should run. If it does, you have a problem in the oil pressure switch circuit.

This oil pressure switch circuit starts at the 20 amp "fuel control fuse". That fuse is not in the fuse panel, it should be under the hood, behind the passenger front shock tower. Look for the orange wire in and out of a small black plastic housing, 1"x1.5"x 1/2". Test this fuse next. From the fuse it then runs through an orange wire to the oil pressure switch. After the oil pressure switch the wire is now tan with a white tracer on it. That wire runs all the way to the in tank fuel pump. One of the wires you connected to your new fuel pump was tan /white. Somewhere between the oil pressure switch and the fuel pump, there is another tan/white wire that joins your tan/white wire this additional wire is used to allow the fuel pump relay to turn on the fuel pump while starting.

I hope this will allow you to do some additional testing. Good luck.

Bob,

On that part about the jumper wire. Do you run the jumper between this red wire and B+ of the battery or what?

Thanks.

Yes. Right to the battery terminal. I included the fuse as a safety precaution, in case there is a short. If not the wire should provide power to the in tank electric fuel pump.

i just replaced my fuel pump. it still wont work.

When you jumped the red wire, did the old fuel pump run or make any noises? I thought you were trying to find what it took to get the old pump to run?

I've been having the same problem. It started a couple of years ago. Car just quit on me. Had tank and all pulled and came to find out it is just in the wiring. Someone rewired it right to the fuse box inside the car. Then I had a college redo it. Ran fine for months and couple of days ago, same darn thing. When it don't start, all I do is bang on the gas tank (just like you would with a starter) and will fire up. Almost looks like the wiring might be pinched. I'm wondering if this could be a flaw in these cars. But, it's a temporary solution till I can get it looked at. Winter now and don't make it any easier!! Hope this helps.

Welcome to the insanity.

Rule #1 The last one that touched it screwed it up.

Banging on the fuel pump may signal a bad fuel pump itself. Try to not let the fuel level drop below half. If the in tank pump stays submerged in fuel, it may not need to be "bang started" Good luck.

Bob C....I know this is an old post but it sure sounds like you know what your taking about. I am looking for the red lead test wire but I am not seeing it...Anywere else it could be....under the air filter box maybe?

Here is the problem..

""Changed the fuel filter on my moms Caviler with 68k on it about, which was the original.

I backed the car up onto ramps with about 1/4 left in the tank. When I pulled the filter I noted that I got quite a bit of fuel that came out, like almost gushing out compared to when I do my 06 F150...but anyways put the new one in and went to start it and nothing....


At first I just turned that key over a few times to re prime the fuel lines then went to crank it, still got a no start...just cranks. Took it down off the ramps thinking that with maybe only a 1/4 in the tank all the fuel went forward, even put in another 3 gallons to bring the tank up to a 1/2 and still nothing...

I checked all the fuses and relays for the fuel pump and all are good.

I then pulled the fuel line back off the filter and had someone crank it over and I got nothing out of the fuel line...so the fuel pump is not pumping at all!


Whats going on here?

Is there a fuel pump inertia switch for this car?...I looked forever in the owners manual and did not see anything about one...


Only thing I can think of is that with a 1/4 in the tank at the time, if the fuel pump was in the back of the tank, air was introduced and somehow got air locked?....don't even know if that is possible but that's all I Got.""

Sorry for the time delay. If you can not find the red plastic terminal connector, go to the oil pressure switch. There should be three wires on it if there is only one OPS, and two wires if there is a separate oil pressure switch for the gauge, or light. Look for a tan colored wire in the wires that are connected to the OPS. Run a jumper wire from the battery positive to the tan wire, BUT, use a 20amp inline fuse in the jumper wire to protect everything. That should bring power to the fuel pump. Listen for it while jumping. Additionally, there should be some SMALL spark as the jumper is connected. This would be the power being used by the fuel pump. Some times allowing a fuel pump to become dry will cause it to seize. You may be able to bump start it and buy some time with it, but it should not thought as a repair. Try connecting the jumper wire and then bumping the bottom of the fuel tank. This may start it again. If that does not cause the pump to run, it may need a new pump. This is fairly common in these vehicles. Before you replace a pump, check the tan wire at the fuel pump connector. It should be live with the jumper wire connected. If not, do not remove the fuel tank until you can bring power to the fuel pump. Good luck.

PS. There is also a ground wire for the electric fuel pump in the area near the tank. It should be black. It must be grounded to make the pump work.

Bob:

Your info on this old thread is the most useful I have found. Hope it it still active.

Fuel problem on 94 cavalier. Fuel pump not running but I do not think it is getting power. Tried the jump you suggest and still no fuel. You refer to a tan and white wire at the fuel pump. My circuit diagram says grey goes to the fuel pump. Is this a model year difference? I unhooked the connector with the grey wire at the pump and checked for voltage while in run and cranking - no voltage.

Before I try the jump on this to see if I have a bad wire, I want to be sure I am checking the right thing. The other two wires are red and black and appear to be the fuel guage. There is another connector here with red, black and brown. Want to be sure I am checking the right one.

Thanks

Barry

O btw, its a 2000 with the 2.4l

Thanks for any help!!

I have had the same problem with my wife's 2000 Chevy Cav. It all started when she ran out of gas on the highway. I purchased a new fuel pump and replaced it. About a month later, I could not get the car to start and I thought that is was the fuel pump again since the car would turn over but not run. After about a month of research and forum reading I was not able to find a solution to fuel pump dilema. I went back and dropped the tank again to check the wires and make sure nothing had come loose. Everything looked good, so I put it all back together. When I went to crank the engine it started. Fuel was pumping to the engine and it all looked good again. NOT.

About two weeks later it did the same thing, again. Long story short I have figured out that if I disconnect the wiring harness where it plugs into the body of the vehicle let it sit for a while and plug it back in; the fuel pump will start working again.

I have considered everything from the oil pressure switch, the fuel pump relay, the ignition switch, and the ignition control module. But, I do not have the time or money to invest in testing and/or replacing parts.

I looked some of the service history on the car and noticed that the ignition switch was replaced on the vehicle in 2003 for excessive heat. I have also seen that the ignition switch is a cause for problems in the vehicles. I am not sure whether this combined with other issues would cause the unique problem and solution that I have. I am still reluctant to take the vehicle to the dealership so that the "professionals" can take a look at it for fear that I will end up costing $600 - $800.

I hope this helps! I still have to do the harness disconnect thing every two to three weeks.

In your case, if you are going to the harness to disconnect it, why don't you attach an additional wire to the wire that is used to supply power to the pump between the pump and the harness where you are disconnecting it? If you get a small indicator light and attach it to the new wire, you will be able to see if there is power to the pump when you find it dead. Just a thought that would not cost much, and is within the range of what you are already doing.

i also am having this issue one day the car wouldnt start... so we replaced the fuel pump it started briefly then quit now it wont start no power to the connector to the fuel pump at all, also replaced the relay, tryed all the jumper tests too, now my security has been tripped for many years and if i turned on my key real quick then turned it off then turned it on it would trip the security and u would have to do the 5mins x 3 thing, however now i cant trip the security to try to reset it i did however do the 5mins x3 thing anyway and it didnt help either i am at my wits end here i hate to buy a new car but it looks like i may have to.....

Read post #19, and let me know if that allows your pump to run. Normally the pump receives power through the oil pressure switch, and only relies on the relay to start the car. Good luck.

Welcome to the site.

Having a related, though not all together similar problem with a 99 cavi 2.2 L. After a bumpy ride down a Montana dirt road, we got back to town and later that week it blew the fuel pump fuse that's located in the cab. Replaced the fuel pump, the fuel filter, didn't fix it. Later saw a minor wear on the wire located under the rear seat pad in the back, right next to the drive line hump, taped that and it worked for a bit. Then stupidly we took it out in the wilds (bumpy roads) blew the fuse again. Couldn't tape it back to working. I've since grown frustrated. I can't find much of use on this problem on the internet. I noticed above in this thread that you could jump from the oil pump switch. Would this be a good test to indicate whether the OPS is the culprit, or might it be useless as the reason for a fuse to blow is too large of a draw or a short to ground? Perhaps just a few suggestions at this stage would be helpful.

Take a test light or voltmeter, and test the bare exposed wire for voltage. It should have 12 volts for one second when the ignition switch is first turned on, It should also have 12 volts while holding the ignition switch in the start position. And once there is oil pressure, it should also have the 12 volts.

Find out when you have voltage at that repair spot. From there, I can guide you further.

BTW, welcome to the site.

I can't do any tests because the initial 3-second prime that is supposed to happen during a key-on situation, is what blows the fuse in the cab. The "exposed wire" you're referring to isn't the problem, I don't think it ever was, I just taped it as a cautionary measure. From the wiring diagram I can't really determine where to start looking for a short. Granted that a short is what I have surmised as being the problem for such a large draw i.e. blowing that fuse.

OK, that alone gives us something to work with. To save the cost of fuses, you can get a circuit breaker that is the same amp rating as the fuse, but will reset either manually, or automatically. First try to find the oil pressure switch. remove the harness plug from it, and see if the circuit breaker blows when you turn the ignition on. It might be handy to have an indicator light that feeds from that breaker to make it easier to evaluate.

If the oil switch is not the short, the next place that I would try is as close as you can get to the fuel tank sending unit. If there is an accessible connector, remove it and try again. If there is no accessible connector, I would determine what color the power feed to the fuel pump is, and snip that wire for the test. Not a recommended practice normally, but your alternative would be dropping the fuel tank.

I have one more trick for you. For some years, GM left a fuel pump test plug under the hood. It will have a red plastic connector. It is the only red connector there. It is usually located on top of the driver's side front wheel well. Or, against the fire wall, between the master cylinder, and the driver's side hood hinge. It is always 1-2 inches lower than the hood line. It may be tapped to the other wires in a harness with a black cloth or paper tape. That connector is connected directly to the fuel pump power supply. Good luck.