Chrysler Repair: 93 t&c fuel pump, spark coil, oxygen sensor

Question
i ran out of gas in my van, we added gas then it ran fine for a day , the next day it would start then stop, i pulled the fuel filter had my girl crank it gas shoots out for a second then stops i  pulled out the fuel pump after dropping the tank plugged it in, it starts for a second then stops. i read your other answer i did have 6 gallons of fuel in there should i of filled it up first to get the pump primed rite before pulling the pump out? if the fuel pump is getting that first burst and stopping does that mean it is good, should i crank the car and see if it turns on while cranking, too? or could it be some kind of relay that is bad the pump is expensive but how do i know if it is the pump, or something else before i buy a new one. should i put it back in and fill the tank, i can't get it to a shop to test we are stranded in the middle of nowhere,, aaahhh thank you,, please any help of advice would be gratefully appreciated

Answer
Hi Ric,
It is normal for the fuel pump to only run for only 1-2 seconds when you turn the key to run. That is a safety feature which activates the autoshutdown relay so as kill power to the pump, spark coil, and oxygen sensor heaters so as prevent a fire should the engine stop running when the ignition is 'on'. It will start pumping again and continue to do so as long as you are cranking it over and continuing after the engine starts. It may not be the fuel pump at all, and if you have 6 gallons in the tank you should have enough fuel. You might want to try cranking is a bit longer to pressurize the fuel system, but don't run your battery down to the point where it won't crank/produce enough spark to start it.
Try a fault code readout: turn the key 'on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the check engine light, which remains "on", to see it begin to flash, pause, flash, etc. Count the number of flashes before each pause. Then repeat the process to be sure the count is accurate/reproducible. Then group the counts in pairs to form the 2-digit fault codes. The last code number is always 55, meaning 'end of readout'. Then either write back and tell me the codes or go to www.allpar.com/fix/codes.html for a code translation list. It may be that the engine stopped originally for another reason than running out of gas.
Roland
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