Mitsubishi Repair: 2000 eclipse wont start, vacuum leak, autozone

Question
Son has a 2000 eclipse (6 cylinder) it won't start. I do not hear the fuel pump working when he turns the key on. I'm not sure but think that I should be able to hear the pump. It turns over fine just don't seem to be getting fuel. Any ideas on where to start. Thanks for your time.  

Answer
Lawton: I can only give you a guess on my part as to your son's problem. You should be able to hear that pump for just a few seconds, before the car starts. Does it have stark? Three things to start an engine, stark, fuel and air. Does the starter turn over fast or slow? If slow how old is the battery or the starter? If no stark, when the last time there was a tune up done? Again with no stark might have broken the timing belt. How many miles on the car? Does your son run the car down to "E" before filling it up and I sure can understand that with the cost of fuel. But did you know that the fuel is what cools the fuel pump. Do that enough and you will burn up the fuel pump. You could try taking the distributor loose, turn it one way or the other to see if the car would start then. As there is a sensor inside that distributor, or check the distributor to see if it is dirty, clean it and try that. I would check to see if the car has stark, see how old the stark wires are, if old wires the power for the stark plugs might be going someplace else. Have the car coded, an AutoZone will do this for free, this would rule out any weak or bad sensors or the computer going bad. Fuel filter might need to be changed, as the car might not be getting fuel. But then if you can not hear that fuel pump, the pump it's self might have just gone out. They go like a light bulb, sorry for the long list of ideas, but I am getting ideas from different people that are reading this email too. Oh you can have that pump tested too, before you decide that is your problem. Oh here is another idea the car could have a vacuum leak, but you would need a shop to check for that. They are often hard to find. Oh yes you could have a bad fuel pressure regulator too. Ok, before someone else jumps in on this I think that will give you some ideas to look at. Hope this helps and good luck! Linda and friends.