Problem: Zero fuel pressure at the rail, zero trace of fuel. Immobilizer is not activated, car will fire on starting fluid, but not otherwise. Display says "Reduced engine performance". You can hear some noise from the fuel pump, but no pressure is generated.
Actions taken:
- Inspected all fuses on CEM. None are blown.
- Swapped fuel pump relay on CEM. No change in behavior.
- As far as I know, this model has no fuel filter to change (I have 68 in VIN)
- Swapped PEM with junkyard PEM. Connectors look clean. No change in behavior.
- Swapped PEM with known good PEM. Connectors look clean. No change in behavior.
- Swapped fuel pressure sensor with known good sensor. Connectors look clean. No change in behavior.
- Replaced fuel pump. No change in behavior.
- Removed CEM, sent to XeMODeX in Toronto for testing. XeMODex reports 100% of test cases passed. XeMODex confirmed immobilizer is not activated. No services required. Reinstalled. No change in behavior.
- Cleaned all harness connectors facing CEM with contact cleaner and compressed air. Reinstalled. No change in behavior.
- Cleaned all harness connectors facing ECU with contact cleaner and compressed air. Reinstalled. No change in behavior.
- Checked and cleaned fuses on under-hood fuse box. No change in behavior.
- Cleaned harness connector facing under-hood fuse box with contact cleaner and compressed air. No change in behavior.
Context:
- The vehicle died on the highway one cold day. Restarted after several attempts at cranking. After making it to the destination, the car started again without issue and driven home. It has not started since then.
- The alternator is under a year old, battery is under a year old.
- Four years ago, the car flashed "reduced engine performance" on the dash (ecm-941d) but no action was taken, and has had not recurred (this incident notwithstanding).
- Zero fuel pressure at the rail.
- If I apply 40psi compressed air through the schrader valve, it does "hold" the pressure as you would expect it to hold fuel pressure.
- The mechanic who replaced the fuel pump thinks he also can hear the pump activated, and says looking into the tank, you can see the fuel being disturbed by movement. I have not attempted to confirm this.
- When cranking, sometimes the starter seems to cut out for a moment and re-engage. I do not remember this behavior in the past -- although I've never had 30-second cranks before either.
I know I need to get my Dice unit up and running again, and look for faults there. Any other ideas? I am a regular lurker here, but rarely post. Any help would be greatly appreciated!