00 GT Won't start, keeps dying
 

A few months ago I parked the bone stock 2000 GT in the garage. It sat there for about 4 months, when I got back to it it started up and idled just fine. I started it a couple times since then and it fired right up when I needed to move it from one side of the garage to the other, but it only ran for a minute or two and then shut it off. I decided to start driving it again so I pulled it out and let it idle about 5 minutes to warm up and then the idle started going up and down on it's own and then sputtered and died. And then would not start up again. After several attempts to restart it, I sprayed starting fluid directly into the throttle body and then reconnected the intake hose, the car would start, but would not keep running for more than a minute, all the while the RPM's were bouncing around, even at partial or full throttle it would sputter and cough and then die. I tried this three different times with the same result. For S&G I removed and cleaned the IAC valve, and then changed the fuel filter, cycled the key three times in the on position to prime the fuel system, and it fired right up on its own. I drove it down to the end of the driveway sputtering and it and it soon died again, and will not restart. Before being parked I drove it every day and it never had a problem. I had thought maybe bad gas from sitting for 4 months, but it doesn't smell any different than fresh gas. However while it was running the exhaust smelled like rotten eggs, which I understand is a fuel mixture problem causing the CAT converter to work harder or something along those lines. Tomorrow I'm going to turn the key on and push the valve on the fuel rail to see if I get any squirt, and if I do, then disconnect the battery for an hour to see if resetting it does any good. If I don't get any fuel squirt with the key on, does that absolutely mean I have to drop the tank? Or is there a way to test the CCRM/PCM thingy? (checked the 20amp fuse and the inertia switch are ok) Is there any other things I could check? I don't have a way to pull the codes, Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Lumpyidle

that kinda sounds like your fuel pmp is going bad, in the trunk on the left weel quarter pannel is a reset button maby this will help? does the pmp sound like it is primeing when you switch the ignition on & off?

The inertia switch was fine, and I can't hear anything coming from the tank. But my hearing is not the best, especially with all the warning buzzers that go off as soon as i put my key in. I'll have someone help me go out there and turn the key while I'm under the tank.

does fuel come out the schrader valve on the fuel rail?

I cycled the ignition key on and off a few times, left it in the on position, and pushed the valve open and nothing came out. How do I test if it is the pump or the relay?

Okay I left the battery disconnected for a few hours. Reconnected it, and still would not start. I pushed on valve on the fuel manifold while the key was on and still nothing. I had someone turn the key on while I was under the fuel tank and heard absolutely nothing coming from the back of the car. Under hood I can hear relays clicking noises as the key is turned on and off. I'm assuming at this point I better start siphoning out the almost 15 gallons of fuel that are in it. Any suggestions for a source for a fuel pump? The best deal I found was the Steeda pump for around $100 bucks which is not bad compared to what the local auto parts stores want for theirs $200. Any good tutorials on how to safely drop the tank? When I was under there changing the filter there looked like there were 6 different fuel lines running back and forth.

Problem solved! Changed out the fuel pump. Runs great again!

Thanks for your update. May be helpful to others.