2004 Pontiac Grand Prix

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I saw that there was a few people trying to help with other owners of Pontiac's so thought I would try my luck.

Well to start about 2 weeks ago I drove the car to the store (about two blocks) got on the gas (as I do normally) and it just had no power, peddle to the floor and it would slow down. Got to the parking lot turned around and went home. Got to my parking stall and it died. Would start for a second and then died again. Then after a few tries stopped starting at all. (would still turn over) So let it sit for a few days, then check it again, it would start and run for about 3 to 5 seconds then die. Push the gas in any way it would die, it also popped on the acceleration. (popped once and has not done it again) So after a few more days you can now smell fuel in the car its not leaking from the car nor is it leaking into the car. My first thought was MAF as I have a cold air intake system on the car. That has been installed for over a month and no issues. Some one at Napa thought it was a fuel pump.

If anyone has any idea's that I can use to test with, I would much appreciate it.

My very first thought is the fuel pressure regulator. Smelling fuel in the cabin is a dead giveaway. The FPR is a little device attached to the fuel line (the row of fuel injectors) that knocks the fuel pump's unregulated 60+ psi down to a constant regulated 40-something psi.

When it goes bad, it's unable to maintain the correct pressure and, thus, fuel flow. The typical failure mode also results in fuel or fuel vapor escaping out of the FPR itself and into the engine compartment, where it gets pulled in at the blower intake and blown into the cabin.

Easy to test, too. The FPR has a plastic or rubber vacuum line (it's vacuum operated). Remove the vacuum line from where it connects on the other end to the intake manifold. Give it a little suck. If it's OK, it feels like sucking on a straw with your finger on the end. If it's not, you can suck air (well, gas fumes actually) through it. You can use a hand-operated vacuum test pump if you have one to avoid getting any fuel in your mouth

They're not too expensive, and easy enough to DIY.

Thank you for you help, i will have to fix it when I get some money but its a lot less than getting a fuel pump. What is the best way to bleed the fuel line pressure?

Assuming the Grand Prix is more or less like the Grand Am, the fuel pump electrical connector is easy to access under the car behind the fuel tank.

You just unplug that connector, start the car, and wait for it to stall and die.

I have a 2002 Grand Prix with about 85k miles. Since I've had it the fuel pump has been replaced four times two under warranty and two on my own. This last time it was a pump from the dealer! Ya about $500.00! So a friend puts it on for about forty bucks and get the car home and the thing is now doing the same thing. Could this be another bad pump? It really wants to start but doesn't. Any suggestions I'm broke and this really sucks. Whats up with the fuel pumps can a short or something cause a pump to go out so many times or do they just break that often??? Thanks.

Yeah it deff sounds like a fuel prob. The FPR Jonnythan suggested would be something to check. Also the fuel filter usually under the car or on the firewall. It is a messy job, be prepared to smell like gas. In rare cases injectors can go bad too but I can't imagine it in a car that new.

Do you have a CEL? (check engine light) If so get the code read. If you don't have an OBDII reader go to advanced or somewhere (if u can) and they will read it for free. Let us know what the code is and we can work from there.

I also wanna hear more about the intake. I know most GM MAF sensors are straight through on the intake tube somewhere. Do you have new pipe on either side of it? Check the wire harness on it and make sure its in good. If you have pics of the intake that would be helpful too!