Hello All,

I'm having a very frustrating problem with my 1994 B250 Ram Van. Occassionally, the van just doesn't want to start. I've changed the ignition switch and the ASD/fuel relays, so far. When the van doesn't want to start, the fuel pump doesn't make a sound. If I hear the fuel pump, then I know it will start. I know the reason the van doesn't start is that the fuel pump isn't turned on, so the engine doesn't get gas. What I don't know is why the fuel pump isn't turning on. I even went under the hood, jiggled the wires near the master cylinder, and the van will start.

I've had the van to the shop and the mechanic said the fuel pump was fine. Anyone have any clues as to why the fuel pump is turning on most of the time?

Thanks
Steve

 

That in itself is telling you the problem is a loose or corroded connection in that general area. Now you just have to find it.

 

Anyone have an idea of the wire color code for the wire going to the fuel pump? Also, how does one remove the big connector under the hood neaar the master cylinder? It has a bolt, which I removed, but I don't know how to get the connector removed.

Another bit of data. Sometimes, when I jiggle the wires, the van doesn't start. If I let it sit for a while, it then starts.

Thanks in advance to the folks in this forum

Steve

 

Typically both are 16 gauge and it's red bringing power to the fuel pump relay and DG/BK from the relay to the pump.

Once the bolt is out of that big connector it should pull off. It will be extremely hard considering it's been on there for 13 years.

 

Well, somehow I fixed the problem. My van is a conversion van and has a small fuze box near the emergency brake. I'm not sure if the fuze box is a factory or aftermarket install. I found a blown fuze in the box, but didn't have a spare with me. I just shuffled the fuzes (all 10AMP) between the main fuze box and the fuze box near the emergency brake to see if the blown fuze was the culprit.

All this happened when the van didn't start in a grocery store parking lot. So, we went back in the grocery store and found a replacement fuze. I put the fuze in and eventually the van started. Funny thing is that it didn't start right away when I changed the fuze.

I also, later, pulled the fuze I replaced in the fuze box near the emergency brake, but the van started up fine. Kinda strange, huh

I havn't had a problem since replacing the fuze. I suspect that the fuze was not the direct cause, but somehow giving the computer an intermittent bad signal via some voltage or current drop.

 

Stranger things do happen with these vans from time-2-time.

 

Well, after not having the problem for about 6 weeks, it came back. My daughter and I were going ot see 3:10 to Yuma, and stopped for an errand. The van refused to start again. The fuel pump wasn't making a sound again. So, I had the van towed to a nearby mechanic and he diagnosed the problem as a bad fuel pump. I think the fuel pump did have nice long life, since it was the original and had 193K miles on it. $600 later the problem was fixed. The fuel pump alone was $325. At least it's better than an all new vehicle.

I do have a theory for extending the life of the fuel pump. The fuel gauge stoped working around 60K miles, so we hav been using mileage as our fuel indicator. Anything over 400 miles and we would fill the tank. I think that the fuel pump has been emersed in liquid almost it's entire life, which would help in keeping the windings cool. We have a 35 gallon tank and the most I have ever put in was around 25-27 gallons, which means that there was always around 10 gallons of fuel in the tank.

We finally did see 3:10 to Yuma and loved it

Steve