changed fuel filter, now car wont start
 

i have an 89' si. ran fine yesterday, then i changed the fuel filter and it wont start. im getting spark, i filled up the filter with gas again so it doesnt have to fill by itself and the car just turns over. no spuddering or anything.

the battery is about to die now. ill charge it back up but this boggles the hell out of me.

anyone have any suggestions?

and how loud should the fuel pump be when it primes? i cant hear anything when i put the ignition in the II position, but theres alot of beeping and stuff going on so im not sure if it is and im not just not hearing it.

Re: changed fuel filter, now car wont start (bignosewhipper)
 

re-trace your steps...it has to be something stupid...if it was running fine before you changed it, than the problem lies right there

all i did was unhook the 2 top bolts from the filter and replace it.

it wasnt starting because i didnt have gas in it.

then today i filled it up and re-hooked it up. i cant imagine what else it could be.

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

did you check all of your grounds? maybe something came lose on its own

nah, just talked to a buddy. he said pressure has to build up in there. somethin like 40 psi. i keep unhooking the lines and relieving the pressure, so it wont start. i just gotta keep at it. he said he had the same prob and after like 15 tries it started.

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

Not true. I just did mine yesterday. All i did afterwards was let the fuel pump prime, and it started right out.

You must have [freak]ed something else up while you were in there. Or its an unrelated problem thats just happening now.

Also dont fill up the fuel filter with fuel, it can do that by itself.

Re: (bobjohnson)
 

i wonder if he is just hitting the starter as soon as he turns the key, and not pausing to let it prime.

How much gas is in your tank?

Re: (sanimalp)
 

yea i dont know what your buddy is telling you, but you do not have to let it build pressure...it builds its pressure as soon as you turn the key

Re: changed fuel filter, now car wont start (bignosewhipper)
 

fuel filters are directional. Get the direction right?

http://is.rely.net/1-92-56342-l-HDIv...QjldAGcqmQ.gif

Re: changed fuel filter, now car wont start (phoenix_iii)
 

It still takes time to charge the lines with fuel anyway then build up pressure. It doesnt get it on the first try. Flip it on til the CEL goes out, do that a few times, then try starting it.

Janos

i left the car in the "on" position yesterday before i put fuel into the filter and went to dinner. still no start after i got back.

put fuel into it today. same thing.

i put the filter in right, its pretty hard to mess that up, there are breckets that are directional for the fuel lines.

checked the plugs and they are bone dry. and there is some sings on gas in the lines, because when i tip them down fuel comes out.

could there be a blockage, could the fuel pump have just decided to stop working?

should i take off the line-in and crank it and see if fuel starts to come out?

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

i know what it is.

it rained the other day. when i parked the car to do the fuel filter job my friend noticed a leak that was going straight into the fuel pump relay. the thing was clicking like mad, like morris code.

pretty sure it got shorted out so i need to replace it. but now i have to find this leak and seal it.

at least i found the problem.

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

Leaving it 'on' for that duration isn't the same as going off to on (you should be able to HEAR the fuel pump prime, every single time), then off to on, off to on, 7-10 times....


Do you hear the fuel pump prime? I've heard it in every 88-95 honda I've been in (haven't been in too many hondas actually)... about 4.

Re: (phoenix_iii)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phoenix_iii &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Leaving it 'on' for that duration isn't the same as going off to on (you should be able to HEAR the fuel pump prime, every single time), then off to on, off to on, 7-10 times....


Do you hear the fuel pump prime? I've heard it in every 88-95 honda I've been in (haven't been in too many hondas actually)... about 4.</TD></TR></TABLE>

X2 Really you should wait till your CEL turns off before you start your car. Everything is getting set up during that stage.

Well fix that leak and get her on the road.

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bignosewhipper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i left the car in the "on" position yesterday before i put fuel into the filter and went to dinner. still no start after i got back.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

All that did was run down the battery. The fuel pump runs for only TWO SECONDS then stops until the engine starts. Which is the same amount of time the CEL is on. It's not gonna run the pump continously when the engine is off. That's why I told you to cycle it a few times.

Janos

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

K, youre still doing it wrong. STOP FILLING THE FILTER WITH FUEL. STOP TAKING THE LINES ON AND OFF. All youre doing is creating a greater chance that its going to leak, the washers in there are crush washers, theyre only meant to tighten down once.

Heres the steps you should follow. Connect the lines, get in the car, turn the key to "On". Wait for the check engine light to go out. Turn the key to "start" and hold it until the car starts. If it doesnt start after say, 3 or 4 seconds, turn the key to off, then repeat. Try this 5 or 6 times. If its still not working, youve got a problem.

Did you take the plug wires off at any point? If you didnt put them back in the right order it wont start.

Re: (bignosewhipper)
 

He said he found the problem.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bignosewhipper &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i know what it is.

it rained the other day. when i parked the car to do the fuel filter job my friend noticed a leak that was going straight into the fuel pump relay. the thing was clicking like mad, like morris code.

pretty sure it got shorted out so i need to replace it. but now i have to find this leak and seal it.

at least i found the problem.</TD></TR></TABLE>