Fuel 93 cobra fuel pump died/ priming issue

Larry9901

Member
Aug 22, 2020
7
1
13
Michigan
I was driving my 93 cobra through a parking lot when the car suddenly died.
(Fuel pump quit working)
I also cycled the key and the fuel pump wouldn’t prime.

Here is what I did to get it running but I’m not sure why it started working again. Thoughts?
I Checked the fuel cutoff switch in trunk..... wasn’t tripped,all was fine
Swapped fuel pump relays under the hood with another known working relay and that wasn’t it.

Then I used a jumper wire and jumped the diagnostic eec tester that’s under the hood and it ran the fuel pump. I then started the car while the eec tester was jumped and it ran. I then took the jumper out and it continued to run as normal. I then turned off the car and then restarted the car without the jumper and everything primed and ran as normal now.

I’m not sure why the fuel pump stopped running in the first place now and am worried it will happen again.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
  • Sponsors (?)


I was driving my 93 cobra through a parking lot when the car suddenly died.
(Fuel pump quit working)
I also cycled the key and the fuel pump wouldn’t prime.

Here is what I did to get it running but I’m not sure why it started working again. Thoughts?
I Checked the fuel cutoff switch in trunk..... wasn’t tripped,all was fine
Swapped fuel pump relays under the hood with another known working relay and that wasn’t it.

Then I used a jumper wire and jumped the diagnostic eec tester that’s under the hood and it ran the fuel pump. I then started the car while the eec tester was jumped and it ran. I then took the jumper out and it continued to run as normal. I then turned off the car and then restarted the car without the jumper and everything primed and ran as normal now.

I’m not sure why the fuel pump stopped running in the first place now and am worried it will happen again.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!
I have had the same experience. All I can tell you is to get a contact burnisher and some electronic parts cleaner and clean the relay socket contacts.
See Amazon product ASIN B00DJS6X9MView: https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-STANDARD-WIDTH-BURNISHING-piece/dp/B00DJS6X9M
for more information
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
If it is not the contacts and the wires are good, I wonder if the jumper jump started the pump. How old is the pump, and is it making a whining sound that’s louder than normal?
 
I have had the same experience. All I can tell you is to get a contact burnisher and some electronic parts cleaner and clean the relay socket contacts.
See Amazon product ASIN B00DJS6X9MView: https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-STANDARD-WIDTH-BURNISHING-piece/dp/B00DJS6X9M
for more information
I have had the same experience. All I can tell you is to get a contact burnisher and some electronic parts cleaner and clean the relay socket contacts.
See Amazon product ASIN B00DJS6X9MView: https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-STANDARD-WIDTH-BURNISHING-piece/dp/B00DJS6X9M
for more information
Thank you. I’ll do this as well.
 
I had some issues with my pump recently. I replaced the relay under the driver seat (I have a 90 and that is where it is located) and it seemed to work for bit and then quit again. I then tried what you did, even jumper across the relay, with nothing working. I jostled around in the driver seat and must have kicked the kick panel, then it worked.

Investigated and found the wire for the relay traces back into one of the plug connections in the drivers kick panel. Found the wire for the fuel pump and noticed the pin on the female end had opened up/enlarged to the point where the male pin would not always make contact (it could wiggle and lose contact). I played around with the female end and was able to pinch it down a bit and get it close to original size. Now contact is great and it has not missed a beat since.
 
  • Useful
Reactions: 1 user
I played around with the female end

the female end had opened up/enlarged

was able to pinch it down a bit

I played around with the female end and was able to pinch it down a bit and get it close to original size. Now contact is great and it has not missed a beat since.
Sooo much to work with here, only wish a ct could be whole paragraphs
@Noobz347 what do you think?
 
I thought the Moderators where supposed to keep topics on topic, not derail them.

Glad I was able to teach you guys something... its about time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I had some issues with my pump recently. I replaced the relay under the driver seat (I have a 90 and that is where it is located) and it seemed to work for bit and then quit again. I then tried what you did, even jumper across the relay, with nothing working. I jostled around in the driver seat and must have kicked the kick panel, then it worked.

Investigated and found the wire for the relay traces back into one of the plug connections in the drivers kick panel. Found the wire for the fuel pump and noticed the pin on the female end had opened up/enlarged to the point where the male pin would not always make contact (it could wiggle and lose contact). I played around with the female end and was able to pinch it down a bit and get it close to original size. Now contact is great and it has not missed a beat since.
Interesting. I’ll take a look. Would you happen to know/remember which plug the fuel pump is at the kick panel?
 
I believe it was a rectangular connector with 12-16 pins. Not 100% sure off the top of my head. I used the wiring diagrams in my Chilton's manual. What I like about them is they show the connector shape and wire color and size. At ECM, radio or other similar type parts they list what each wire does as well.

My car is a 90, so some wires could be slightly different.

I can check my manual and see if I can get a pic.
 
I believe it was a rectangular connector with 12-16 pins. Not 100% sure off the top of my head. I used the wiring diagrams in my Chilton's manual. What I like about them is they show the connector shape and wire color and size. At ECM, radio or other similar type parts they list what each wire does as well.

My car is a 90, so some wires could be slightly different.

I can check my manual and see if I can get a pic.
Thank you very much, I greatly appreciate it.
Mines a 1993 if the manual happens to reference different years.
 
20200827_195301.jpg

This is the connector in the driver kick panel. My manual covered 89-92 but the connector and location of the wire within the connector you are looking for was the same for the various years. The wire number you are looking for is 787 (second from the top on the left). The wire number changed for the various years but wire location in the connector stayed the same.

Keep us up to date as you solve the problem.
 
20200827_195301.jpg

This is the connector in the driver kick panel. My manual covered 89-92 but the connector and location of the wire within the connector you are looking for was the same for the various years. The wire number you are looking for is 787 (second from the top on the left). The wire number changed for the various years but wire location in the connector stayed the same.

Keep us up to date as you solve the problem.
Thankyou for taking the time to post the picture. I will check to make sure the pin has good contact.