I have an 87 Coupe GT 2.2L. Ihave been having trouble with it starting. The problem started about 6 months ago while running some errands. I would drive and parkat several places and i came out from like the 5th store i went to and my car wouldnt start. It started when i turned the key and then immidietly stalled out. After that, the starterwould kick in and engine would turn but not spark up and start. I left the car and came back the next day to the same problem although it seemed like it wanted to start a little more. I left it another night and came back the next day, where it started after a couple minutes. I drove the car for another week without a problem, then it happened again. I came back the next day and it started. The problem became more frequent over the next couple months. If i drove and then turned the car off and then turned it back on immidietly it would start, but if it sat for 10 minutes or more it would stall out, aand then turn over but not start. Come back several hours later or the next day and it would start. The problem got bad enough that the car wasnt reliable enough to drive because of the fear i might get stuck where ever the car was turned off. So the car sat in my driveway for a month. I then went to start it and it started the first try. The car then started evey time for a couple days and then the problem started again so it sat foe another two months in my driveway. I went to start it again and it started the first try, drove it around for a good hour without turning it off. When i got back i turned it off and then back on without a problem. I came back 10-15 minutes later to the problem again, stall out then no spark up at all. The problem got progressivly worse over the next couple weeks and now it wont start at all. I sprayed starting fluid into the intake and it started up and ran until it burned all the starting fluid. I went through the whole can of starting fluid trying to get it to run so i could drive it to a local german car shop, but no luck,as soon as the starting fluid burns outthe car stalls out. Someone suggested it may be the fuel pump relay because they can go in and out like that. Has anyone had a problem like the one above? or does anyone know what the problem might be or how to diagnose the problem withoutrunning through the whole fuel delivery systempart by part? any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

It sounds like gas is not getting to the engine.
3 possible failures:

- fuel pump. They do go out eventually. You did not specify the mileage on your car but I suspect it is high.
- Clogged fuel filter, a usually neglected part of the maintenance of a car. This can also cause the pump to fail
- Fuel pump relay.

The easiest and cheaper thing to try is the relay. Next is the filter, not very expensive either.
If the pump is gone try an aftermarket, most likely cheaper than stock but sxhop around on eBay.

 

The symptoms sound like mine when the fuel pump finally failed. Mine acted up mostly when the fuel tank was below half full. They fail when the pump heats up ( after you drive it a while ), and a full fuel tank or one that is nearly so seems to keep them running cooler than a low tank. Is the pump noisy? They will begin to make a noticeable racket before they exhibit the symptoms you mention. Don't be cheap, replace the fuel pump with a good Bosch pump. The less costly after market pumps don't last. Been there, done that. They aren't too difficult to replace with the car jacked up, but be sure to clamp shut the fuel hose from the fuel tank to the pump before you loosen the clamp ( you don't need to know that story ) :-o