Fuel pump?

[Alfa(fe)male]

Hey y'all...

Quick question as I try to figure out why my baby won't start - should I be able to hear the fuel pump when the key's in the ignition? 'Cause I can't...

Thoughts?

Thanks! Hope everyone's well!
Laura

[alfafan61]

You should hear it humm when the key is in the ignition and turned to the first position. It is located underneath the car positioned just behind the passenger seat.

[ghnl]

What model year Spider?

The fuel pump in the computer controlled Spiders (82-89 L-jet and 90-94 Motronic) will be briefly energized when the key is first switched to 'ON' then the pump will be off until the engine is cranking or running.

I do not know about the earlier Spiders.

Also, there is an inertia switch to shut off power to the fuel pumps (in the event of a accident) in the earlier models. It was deleted somewhere around '83 or '84 (ish) when it was decided the computer could take over that job. The inertia switch is located on the firewall just inboard of the windscreen wash fluid reservoir. A black box about the size of a pack of cigarettes with a reset button on top. Sometimes a big jolt is enough to trigger the switch. It's also possible for it to just go bad (if your car has one...).

[Gubi]

You sure about the Motronic ones, Eric? I never hear it when just turning the key to on. Could just be too much heavy metal in my youth, though.

[ghnl]

In the L-jet system the pumps will briefly power on (a brief bzzt) when the key is first turned to 'ON'. You would have to be listening carefully however. I am assuming the Motronic is similar (but I don't know for certain...).

[Alfa(fe)male]

Heya...it's an '83 and it does have the inertia switch, but the button on the top doesn't seem to have any spring to it - that is to say it doesn't depress or raise in any real way that I can see...The car hasn't suffered any big jolts so there's no reason for it to have engaged in any case.

The fuel pump doesn't make any noise so I'm guessing my issue is there - I'll ask a mechanic now - I was just hoping it might be an easy fix...oh well...

thanks for the advice - any more would be great, too!

cheers,
L

[ghnl]

You can bypass the inertia switch by removing the two wires attached to it and just connecting them together. If the pumps then work you can decide whether to replace the inertia switch or not. (it was deleted later by the factory when it was decided a stalled engine would also shut off the pumps and that was an adequate safety measure.)

[radamm]

In so far as the inertia switch goes, I hopped in one morning and no start. I tracked it to the inertia switch, disassembled it, cleaned contacts, and "there was joy in Muddville". No bumps, just time and our greatest foe...corrosion.