Chrysler Repair: 1999 Plymouth Voyager 3.3L fuel pump or connections issues, plymouth voyager, fuel pump relay

Question
I went to start the van one morning. It started. Ran for about 5 minutes then started to chug and then died. Unable to start it again. After sitting for about 20-30 minutes my husband was able to start it - but only for a minute at most. He fiddled with it that next evening. He lowered the fuel tank and got fuel to go back into the fuel line. It started and ran well (so we thought) and he took it to get more gas in the tank (as it was 1/8 full). The next morning I started the van and it ran for maybe 30 sec - 1 minute and quit. Wouldn't restart. Now it wouldn't start at all... even after sitting a bit. He checked things again under where the tank was. This time the fuel pump wasn't even attempting to work (it had the day before). Now he was working with it again and now the pump is working. He was able to get it to start again for maybe a minute... and then it quits again. He did replace the fuel filter the second time he lowered the fuel tank. Not sure if there is something else we should try... besides hauling it to the mechanic. My husband is pretty savy with mechanics and can replace things... if he knows what is affecting the vehicle from working.

When the pump is detached from the lines... it will squirt out gas.  He wonders if there is a module or something electrical that isn't working that is telling the pump not to pump.  It will work at that point.  Once all the lines and everything is reconnected... it quits.

Answer
Hi Kristie,
Unfortunately he needs to distinguish whether or not the pump is getting voltage when it won't pump in order to determine if the pump is failing or if it is not getting voltage reliably. He can do that with a voltmeter either at the dark green/white wire at the tank plug or the center pin of the fuel pump relay in the power box under the hood (He would have to sneak a wire into the socket and then plug in the relay to test for that voltage, or there is also an orange plug (one of 7 plugs at that box) and the wire on pin 7 is that same wire that is attached to the center pin of the fuel pump relay). But either way once he knows the voltage situation he'll know whether its the pump or that fact that it isn't getting voltage. If it isn't getting voltage it could be the relay is weak or the computer is not telling it to close the switch because one of the two sensors that detect the engine rotation is failing, which when it does, opens the relay. That he would know if he had a fault code reader to plug into a socket under the dash next to the steering column. However sometimes the vehicle will give a fault code readout on the odometer window in the cluster. He could try turning the ignition key "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then see if the odometer reading changes from miles to 4-digit numbers which are the codes. If not, then if he wants to run the risk of going to an Autozone parts store he might get a free readout, if not to a shop that will read the codes for about $40. If he gets the codes and wants advice please write back with the results.
Roland
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