i have a 91 dx hatch and 1/30 times i goto start the car the fuel pump fails to prime. no whir click from the fuel pump priming. is it time to get a new one yet or is it just the nature of the 20yr old car?

 

What does a car being 20 years old have to do with anything? It should still function as it was intended to. Most likely it is your main relay because fuel pumps typically don't fail then magically start working again.

 

Main relay

 

X3

 

ive checked the main relay already because i was having trouble with the distributor

 

Ok - so what are you doing, just turning the key back and forth? How much time between key cycles?

 

back and forth yes for the first couple tries then its pull it out set the keys on the passenger seat wait five seconds try again if all else fails i wait long enough to smoke half a cigarette usually starts then again sometimes takes a full cigarette

 

believe it or not but my map sensor went bad n mine didnt prime, jus another suggestion, mines also obd1 if that makes a diff

 

The prime isn't supposed to work like that. Some fuel systems leak down fast - some slow. Either way you fuel system should hold pressure for some time if not indefinitely. The purpose of the prime is to get the system up to pressure for a start and then shut off. If you are just flipping the key back and forth and your fuel pump primes everytime then your fuel system has a MAJOR internal/external leak.

So as long as it starts every time don't worry about it - your system is working correctly. If it doesn't start and you hear no prime - then you have problems.

 

It was the battery terminals one was almost split in half