Thread: Car Dies out!???

Hey there guys, im hoping you guys can help me out. i know next to nothing about these cars.
i got a 2000 gtp and as of yesterday when i got home, when i try to start the car up it starts and then it dies out right away.

the rpms just drop instantly from idle and it shuts off.

any ideas what it can be?

it starts up perfectly fine every time.

what happened was i installed a thing for my radio and spliced into the power for it. while driving to work in the morning the radio just shut off. i got home changed clothes went back to the car and try to start it. thats when the problem started. so i took out the radio. come to find out the red wire got dissconnected. so i spliced it back together. after i finished that i tried starting the car again. and same thing happens.

it couldnt have been from the power to the radio some how could it?

the weather has been really crappy here to get under the car to check the fuel filter

IAC in my car did the same thing..car was parked for a while and mouse ate part of the air filter and it sucked it in and got stuck on the idle air controler. took a while to figure it out.

but the radio thing was on the drive into work in the am. as is i still drove to get gas and turned the car off, went to mcdonalds and turned the car off, and then got home.
went inside and when i came back out to fix the radio, then it would not start

i have already checked all the fuses. with the radio it was only the power wire. and that was put back the way it was.

i will check the radio again though tomorrow evening though. along with the air filter and iac.

thanks guys. ill keep you guys updated

I'd be surprised if it isnt the fuel pump resistor....


Here is what you do. Remove the relay in the underhood electrical center by your battery. The relay should be labeled "f/pmp spd cont relay" or something along those lines. It is supposed to read fuel pump speed control.

Remove the relay mentioned above. Bend over the one lead of the relay labeled 85 or 86. Either one will work. reinsert relay into original position.

If this keeps the car running, then your issue is indeed the resistor...

but it's an awful strange coincidence that this happened after the radio work (which also quit working)

Originally Posted by archemedes

but it's an awful strange coincidence that this happened after the radio work (which also quit working)

if i understand the chain of events though, it went something like this:

install stereo.

drive to work-- radio quits

leave work, stop at gas sation

leave gas station, go home.

start car at home, problem arises


so that tells me that the car was working after the stereo's power came apart... also, if there was a problem caused by the loose 12v wire, then why didnt the fuse blow for that circuit?

i understand the coincidence part, but im not sure if that's the answer

Originally Posted by Toasty

I'd be surprised if it isnt the fuel pump resistor....


Here is what you do. Remove the relay in the underhood electrical center by your battery. The relay should be labeled "f/pmp spd cont relay" or something along those lines. It is supposed to read fuel pump speed control.

Remove the relay mentioned above. Bend over the one lead of the relay labeled 85 or 86. Either one will work. reinsert relay into original position.

If this keeps the car running, then your issue is indeed the resistor...

Well I checked out the car with my friend who used to be a GM mechanic. Did what you said and it worked! Car started up and runs fine. Any idea what causes this. I looked at the service books on this car. I would have to look into it further to figure it out, not that I care. I had switched the relays, fuel pump and the fuel pump speed control and still didn't work. So something is turning the relay on and causing the power to be shut off to the pump. There is more to this but really dont care, lol.

Just wanted to say thanks again for the help guys!!!

Originally Posted by letsndy

Well I checked out the car with my friend who used to be a GM mechanic. Did what you said and it worked! Car started up and runs fine. Any idea what causes this. I looked at the service books on this car. I would have to look into it further to figure it out, not that I care. I had switched the relays, fuel pump and the fuel pump speed control and still didn't work. So something is turning the relay on and causing the power to be shut off to the pump. There is more to this but really dont care, lol.

Just wanted to say thanks again for the help guys!!!

you dont want to leave the reisistor pin bent... just to test

there is a fuel pump resistor tucked up into the passenger front fender (looks like a big, white "U" this needs to be replaced. it doesnt have to be tucked back in there, it can be mounted pretty much anywhere.

Originally Posted by Toasty

you dont want to leave the reisistor pin bent... just to test

there is a fuel pump resistor tucked up into the passenger front fender (looks like a big, white "U" this needs to be replaced. it doesnt have to be tucked back in there, it can be mounted pretty much anywhere.

Ok cool. My buddy said that his dad replaced one in his 99 Regal GS before. Thanks again for the help. Have to go and buy one of those now.

i have to leave it in till i am able to get the part. will it do any harm the way it is?

It sets your pump to "high pressure" which is basically what it does at power enrichment. It puts added stress on it because it's not at it's normal "cruise" operation level.