My 1995 XJ has been running strong, no problems. Went out one morning for a drive, no problem. Went out that afternoon, and it cranked, almost started, but then just cranked. Changed the CPS ('cause that's ALWAYS the problem!), but no luck.

I haven't been able to check for spark [see my thread here], but I can say there's no fuel pressure at the rail. I swapped the fuel pump and starter relays, no change. When I turn the key to On, there's no sound of fuel pump priming, but there seems like more relay clicking up front than I remember...but that could be my imagination.

Ideas? Short of waiting until I've got a second set of hands and can check for spark, any troubleshooting you'd recommend? I'm trapped far in the wilderness (at home, so it's not SO bad), with no second vehicle and no one to assist. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Update: I have spark, so the problem seems to be fuel. Swapping around relays didn't do any good, and I don't hear the pump priming, so I guess the next thing would be to probe the fuel pump leads and see if I'm getting any power back there?

And I'm correct in understanding there's no "fuel pump fuse", correct? Just the relay?

 

Update: Probed the wiring harness just before the fuel pump. The dark-blue/orange wire (right-hand wire when harness latch is up) is getting 12v momentarily when I switch to On, and 12v steady when I switch to Start. The blue wire (center wire) is getting 6v when I switch to On, sagging to around 5v when I switch to Start. But I hear NO sound of the fuel pump even trying to turn.

Does this sound like I've got a bad fuel pump? Anything else I should check before I drain ten gallons out and pull the pump?

[edit: I should note that it's throwing no error codes other than that the battery has been disconnected recently, 'cause it has.]

 

A bad fuel pump won't necessarily throw codes.

It's weird for a fuel pump to just quit (but certainly possible)- I'd suspect a poor ground or something. Maybe someone can advise on trying to jump the pump directly to the battery (just a thought).

 

Disconnected the fuel line coming directly out of the pump and tried it with switch set to On and to Start: no fuel. No sound of pump activation. I'd try jumping wires straight to the pump, but I've confirmed voltage at the harness, which is as far back as I can get power without serious risk of spark-with-fuel.

Is there anything else I should check before I get into the exciting and dangerous world of pulling this pump and replacing it?

 

Make sure the ground side of the harness is reaching ground.

At least you don't have to drop the tank to pull the pump.

 

Yep, good ground on the pump, as far as I can test without pulling it. And putting starter fluid in the throttle body will allow it to start and run until it runs out of starter fluid. So if I can pay someone to sit under the hood and spray starter fluid into the throttle body while I drive, I've got a working XJ again!

 

Hahaha - I think you're left with nothing but the pump being bad.

Let me know how it works out as I also have a 95 and might run into the same problem.

 

Yea i would make sure the voltage is giving good power, then checking the grounds...

I would also jump the fuel pump to see if it turns on from an outside source