Problem with a ford contour. Need help

[powayroger]

Hi:

The wife's car is a 99 Ford Contour with 95,000. I've been current with the maintenance. Fuel pump has never been replaced. I originally thought the problem was the battery, but checked it and its good. Since I can’t figure it out, I took it to our mechanic yesterday and he hasn’t been able to duplicate the problem. He doesn’t want to replace the fuel pump and find out that wasn’t it (Thus wasting $300). My guess is the fuel pump, but he also mentioned it could be a fuel pump relay.

This is how she describes the problem:
car makes a wet sound when trying to start it. Sounds like it catches then sputters to nothing again. Last time it happened, someone sprayed ether repeatedly into area under air filter, kept trying to start it and finally did after several attempts. Car had been running fine about an hour previously.

The wet noise she mentioned sounds like the fuel is not getting to where it is supposed to go. Of course the car starts up every time when I try. Problem started on Sunday.

Any guesses??


Thanks!

 

[The_Jeff]

You can usually hear the fuel pump. If you can't or its pitch changes tone from one day or the next you have issues.

 

[Colt45ws]

Has he checked the fuel pressure?

 

[powayroger]

I had a 1985 Chevy s-10 blazer in which the fuel pump went out at 75,000 and 150,000. Each time it gave signs such as dieing while driving. This problem with teh contour has me stumped.

Oh, BTW, with teh blazer, the pumped started to die on a trip to Death Valley. No the best place to break down.

 

[D189379]

WHEN MY OLD FUEL PUMP WENT, IT WAS PRETTY HIT OR MISS. sOME DYAS IT WORKED, OTHER DAYS IT DIDN'T

 

[brianl703]

Idle Air Control valve might be sticking.

 

[punisher]

On those, fuel pump/delivery module is the number 1 guess. In this case a guess because it hasn't acted up again so you can check fuel pressure.

Fuel pump relay problem will usually leave a code (secondary fuel pump circuit)

Always, always pull codes before messing with a driveability problem. Just because there is no MIL light doesn't mean there are no codes that can help you diagnose the concern.

 

[mechtech2]

Right. Get the codes checked first.
But that 'wet' noise could be a vacuum leak.