Chevrolet Repair: 89 Buick LeSabre wont crank--fuel pump?, side fender, buick lesabre

Question
Greetings Sir,

My Buick LeSabre won't crank, but the engine is turning over nice and strong.  I put a timing gun on it and it is sparking.  I can normally hear the fuel pump when I turn the key, but in my upset/disappointed mindset I didn't think to listen for it.  I don't think I heard it.  I'm at home and it's at my girlfriend's house, so I couldn't check before writing you. There was no pressure at the fuel rail.  The car says 1/2 tank of gas and I judging by the last time I got gas I should have at least 1/4 tank.

The last time I drove it I noticed that there was suddenly interference coming through the radio.  The faster/harder the engine worked the faster/stronger the sound came out.  When I parked the car I turned off the car and then turned the radio back on without trying to crank and there was no interference.  This leads me to believe that it is a motor---the fuel pump.  I checked all the fuses and they were good.  I could not find the relay for the pump and don't know how to tell it if is good or not. The only relays I saw were at the front driver's side fender and had no labeling or any other way to tell what they were.

Does this sound like a bad fuel pump to you?  If so, how do you remove it?  Drop the gas tank and take it off the top? Any advice on doing that? My girlfriend's father suggested that I might be able to remove the back seat and get to it.  Is that possible?  Working from the top would be much easier than working from under.  My girlfriend's father said that if I get the wires where he can get to them, he would check them out.  If you have anymore advice to give, please do.


Thanks in advance,
John

p.s. Sorry for asking under the Chevrolet section, but everytime I try the Buick section you were maxed out.

Answer
Hi John,
No problem about being in Chevy.

It does sound like your pump isn't supplying fuel.
One of those relays is probably it. The others are for blower motor, and probably A/C.
If they are the same part number, you can swap them.
But listen for that pump.
You can maybe get under the rear of the car, and just as someone turns the key, smack the bottom of the tank. Sometimes that will jar a stuck pump loose.
If that works, you can count on being in there replacing the pump soon anyway.

back seat....I don't know of any Buicks that you can get to the pump that way, although it would be a good idea.
I believe you will need to drop the tank.

But try hard to get to the wires and make sure there is power back to the pump first.

Van