1998 Cobra Problem

[chsvtoa]

Ok, folks. Suggestions wanted. I decided to drive my '98 Cobra yesterday for the first time in a while. It is all original with 56k miles. I drove to work and then started home. I had driven about 4 miles and was sitting at a light. It died and would not refire. Turned over fine but would not fire. Rolled it into the basement off the rollback approximately 1.5 hours later, and it fired right up. Ran it about 15 seconds, shut it off, refired it and it started, then died and would not recrank.
i'm thinking fuel pump. Am I on track? I always use Sta-Bil in the gas as I don't drive it regularly.
Thanks,
Chuck

[vger]

Do you hear the fuel pump running when you turn the key on, every time?
How about the fuel filter, when was it changed last?

[chsvtoa]

I could not hear the fuel pump when this initially happened because of the traffic noise and did not think to check after I got home. I will check tonight. I did not consider the fuel filter since it was running very smoothly when it runs. But I'm sure it has never been changed. I definitley need to do that. Thanks for the suggestions. Someone mentioned the crank position sensor. Is that likely? I want it to be something besides the fuel pump. I am also going to monitor the fuel pressure.
Thanks again.
Chuck

[vger]

Keep us posted on what you find out.

[NeilBerry]

A bad fuel pump may report a low manifold pressure engine code.

[Taz]

Sounds like it's most likely a plugged fuel filter and/or bad gas. You should change the filter at least every 30K miles, especially if the car sits alot.

If you've never changed the fuel filter, that should be done right away, even if it isn't causing the problem. If you change the filter and the problem disappears, so much the better, but add some Torco unleaded fuel accelerator and some fuel injector cleaner to the gas in the tank, regardless.

I think the motor will still run if it's not getting a signal from the crank pos sensor. I know my DD Cutlass will still run. It just goes into limp mode.

If it turns out you need a pump, shoot me a PM. I've upgraded to a Terminator dual pump setup, so I'm not using my old one. My old pump is a 217LPH Kenne Bell F1050 w/ about 9K miles on it. It's a direct drop-in plug-&-play replacement for your stock pump, and your PCM will automatically compensate for the KB pump's larger capacity by reducing the pulse width to the pump, so you won't need to worry about the tune.