need urgent help; vette died :(

[SpaceGoat]

On my way to school today, i was accelerating when my car decided to die and stall out. When i tried to start again it would turn over but nothing. I was low on gas at the time, my gas meter said i had 14 more miles; added gas and tried to jump, nothing. So before i get a tow i decided to try my luck here, any thoughts? It had to happen right before spring break, go figure.

thanks
spacegoat

 

[Skant]

Any number of things could cause that kind of failure. You've either lost fuel or you've lost spark.

Since you say it happened when the car was about empty, I'm going to guess fuel. Specifically, I'm going to make a guess that you burned out your fuel pump in the gas tank.

It is my understanding that when the fuel is low, the fuel pump becomes exposed and overheats (it's normally cooled by the fuel it's emersed in). For this reason, you should not run these cars to the bottom of the tank like that. If you've done this several times before, this time may have just been the time that finally killed it.

There's a reason the warning lights come on when you're running out of gas...

- Skant

 

[RedRagTop]

I agree as above. Can you hear the pump when you turn the key on?

 

[Imachad]

I would put my money on the fuel pump, same thing happened to me in my 97 cavalier not too long ago. Same conditions, low on fuel.

 

[Moonunit 451]

Does it even turn over? Sounds like it could be some other electrical problem. "nothing" to me means just that. I've never heard of a VATS going out while the car is running, but a lot of people have problems with that system in the earlier C4's. Let us know what's going on.

 

[Skant]

Moonunit_451: His original post says that it turns over but will not start.

- Skant

 

[taegdh]

Must agree. You probably fried your fuel pump.
Up there in the northeast you can get them at Pep Boys for less than an C-Note, and it'll only take an hour to swap it out, unl;ess you have 400 pounds of rust and other gunk on the fuel neck. You then should take the time to clean that up before you install the new pump along with a new in tank strainer, (which may or may not come with the pump), and while you're at it put in a new fuel filter, ($14.00) at K-Mart or WalMart etc...
Do be careful when removing the neck to not break the wires or loose the bolts.

 

[Moonunit 451]

Moonunit_451: His original post says that it turns over but will not start.

- Skant

:duh My dyslexia is acting up again