1988 765 Main Pump and pre-pump replaced 1 year ago, new relay just installed, by-passed fuse panel.
Car will start and idle strong or even drive a few feet, then after 20 to 25 seconds just dies, will restart after a minute or two, and then dies again.

I'm really at my wits end.

I've pulled the brown/yellow wires out of the fuse panel and put a fuse directly between then to eliminate the fuse panel, no joy. Put a test lamp across the fuse and when the car dies the lamp stays lit.

Brand new relay (tried all three of the new spares I keep in my glove-box) and it is clicking just fine.

Really can't reach under the car very well to get a test lamp across the power terminals for the fuel pump.

Does anybody know which terminals on the relay panel I can jumper to rule that in/out?


I had the fuel pump replaced last year (with a Bosch) and I do have a spare new fuel pump, but I'm not entirely convinced that is where the problem lies but I can't think of anywhere else it could be.

When it dies it just cuts out, no sputtering or gasping just instant off, like someone just flipped a switch. If I immediately try and restart it, no joy, it just cranks and does not fire. If I wait a minute or three it fires right back up without any hesitation.

I really need to get this fixed fast and as cheaply as possible, I'm a full time student (on the GI Bill) and only working part time, and my wife is getting very weary of carting me as well as our 2 kids all over the place.