I Think It's the Fuel Pump

[3050rpm]

I was on the way to the store today and while making a low-speed left turn I noticed a very uncharacteristic hesitancy and loss of power, lasting perhaps a second , from which the car seemed to have recovered just fine, i. e. no stumbling or rough running. Okay, maybe one of those flukes, something in the gas whatever, nothing to worry about . I parked the car, went into the store for maybe 5 minutes, and after coming out I find that the car cranks strongly, but won't catch . I repeat this half a dozen times or so, with 2-minute intervals to give the battery a rest, and each time the engine seems on the verge of catching, but won't. Eventually the battery was weakening, so enough of that I figured, and called AAA (fortunately I was only a mile from the house ).

I'm guessing it's the fuel pump, as electrically things seemed to be fine (as I said, I was getting a strong crank), but I wasn't hearing any untoward sounds from the fuel pump, such as whirring or grinding, hinting it was on the way out. Diagnoses appreciated...

[c1apton]

pull fuel line in engine compartment and have someone turn key to position two (on - not crank) you should witness a small geyser - if not fuel pump or relay or fuse for the above is toast.

[3050rpm]

Thanks for that tip. I forgot to mention that I had checked fuse #18, for the fuel pump, and it was intact, so that narrows it down a bit. It's rainy and dark right now, so no chance just now to perform your suggested test (appreciated).

[3050rpm]

The doc diagnosed the fuel pump . Hope to be back up and running tomorrow. It just surprised me that it went that quickly, that unobtrusively, I would have expected some characteristic whirring or growling as a warning, but I guess not this time . Fortunately, it all happened close to home, not a coupla hundred miles away, now that would have been a cold and lonely feeling...