If a '95 Pontiac Firebird starts right up everytime then dies about 3 seconds later could the fuel pump relay be the problem?

Answer 1

It is probably it oil preasuree switch which is supposed to take over after the priming 2 seconds.

Have you found the cause of your problem? I am having the same issue, or close to it.

It happens mostly in the wintertime, and usually after the car had been run within the last couple of hours. I go for the starter, it will catch as always, and then it dies. If I try again with my foot partially on the gas pedal, it will start the second time (but a little roughly and with some additional pumps of the gas pedal). If I don't touch the gas pedal, it will usually start on the third attempt.

I own a beautiful black 95 Firebird Formula. Which I both love and loath!And in the past six months I've had more problems with this car than I can count!Luckily being mechanically adept I've been able to fix most of the problems myself.And one was the engine dying after a few seconds/minutes or even a few hours, with seemingly no warning. After two weeks of scouring the car for an obvious problem,(I checked the fuel pump,the Opti-spark,the fuel injectors,the entire fuel rail,I used the most expensive OBD tester I coud find,I even thought it might be bad gas!) Untill one day a friend and I were srcatching our heads and about to throw in the towel. When we decided to try and start the beast one more time! And as my buddy peered into the cramped engine bay he just barely noticed an errant spark. Which upon further investigation turned out to be the distributer wire that was actually leaking/or arcing against the engine! And the car wasstarting just not running. So this was not showing as a fault to the ECM. After changing the wire the car started right up! I went ahead and changed out the spark plugs and wires too! (Which by the way was the most painfully agonizing chore I've ever had to endure! Trust me take it to a dealer to get the plugs and wires changed!!) Dont be cheap and try to attempt it yourself like I did! You'll thank me I swear it! Now my black beauty runs stronger and meaner than she has in a long while. Some quick notes: The fuel pump runs for only thirty seconds after the key is turned to the second detent and can not be heard always from the cockpit. It is also demand driven which means it only pumps fuel when needed. The fuel pressureat the rails should read around 50psi. If you change your wires upgrade to 8 or 8.5 mil high quality OEM types not the stock 7mil. Another possible problem that mimics this is a faulty vacuum pump, but that's another story!!!

Take off the connector to the TPS (Throttle position sensor) and then start it.If it runs then take off the TPS try cleaning it or replace it.Also take off the IAC (Idle air control) and reset it.Disconnect the battery if its not an obd2 system so the computer can re-adjust all of your system components.It will run like Poo till it is all set again.If its obd2 get your codes cleared .....