So I have a 1982 Accord LX, manual, 220,000 miles (and still kicking, except for this problem).

The fuel pump stops working intermittently. I will be driving and then my car will shut off. This has happened 3 times in the last 3 weeks. Each time it has happened, I have been in the middle of a long 3 hour trip, and usually in humid/rainy weather.

When my car shut off the first time, I was stranded, slept in the car, and then the next morning the fuel pump started working on its own again. When I got home, I bought a new fuel pump relay. When my car shut down the second time, I put in the new relay, and lo and behold, the fuel pump started working again. However, within another hour of driving, the fuel pump stopped working and the car died again. For the heck of it, I put the OLD fuel pump relay back in this time and the pump started working again!

I haven't replaced the fuel pump yet. Could that solve this problem? What else should I check?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

sorry, I cant help you with your problem but that thing is a classic! I wish I had one... got any pictures of it? Is it in good condition?

 

Those old diaphram/piston pumps fail like that because the rod gets hung up in the bore of the electric coils. you can take it off and get it apart, clean up and square off the electrical contacts with a small file, then use a light weight spray grease on the piston rod where it passes thru the coils. They aren't really too expensive to replace. Throw a fresh fuel filter at it while you're in the neighborhood.
If you get stranded again try banging on the housing to get it pumping again.

 

Heck no! The car is THRASHED. But I love it just the same. The paints peeling, the dash is cracked, its all dirty on the inside from various spills/wacky nights of driving drunk people home. A few years back, I bought a 4x4 sticker from Schucks for $1 and threw that on. It looks beautiful. I'll see if I have any pictures (unless you'd rather not with my description)...

 

hahahaha , please go ahead I'd still love to see it!

 

Thanks! I'll take a look at that. I hope it is just a problem with the pump. I'm really hoping that it is not an electrical problem.

 

Hi all this is my first post here but I have been a reader for a long time. Lots of good stuff in here. I have a 1988 Accord LX stick 145K miles with the same problem, It runs fine and all of a sudden it starts loosing power and then it shuts off, I think that it might be something with the pump, because I can hear it humming when its working and when the car stops running I dont hear it. I peeled a little plastic of the yellow wire and checked for current with a tester and there is current going in. If I wait for 10 minutes or so it starts right up, but sometimes it will only run for a little and then it shuts off again. I think Im going to try what Hondadude says, but I wonder, why would it start again if the rod gets hung up on the bore of the electric coils, wouldnt it stay there? anyways It can hurt to do that procedure if anything it will be clean and loose.

 

Whoa STOP....... the 88 accord has a different fuel pump, your 88 pump is in the tank, look in the trunk behind the seat for an access plate.
You should have started your own thread instead of jacking into this one.

 

I know is in the tank, but its doing the same thing as shmevinator's car. It just stops pumping, and then after a few minutes it starts up again. Im sorry that I jacked into it I thought they were the same type. I just wanted to mention my situation because it was similar. Hey, Im a noob