Hello! I brought my 2000 Sebring JXi to a mechanic. He replaced the fuel pump, and said he could get it to start, but it would shut off after a few seconds.

He's spent ;all afternoon' ruling everything else out, and believes the brand new fuel pump I bought from O'Riley's is defective.

He said it's having trouble "pumping fuel to the front". He said he ruled out fuses, relays, etc. and has fired up the engine some other way and it starts fine.

I'm concerned b/c he also said the car doesn't have a distributor, which I see on forums is a common problem.

First, does my 2000 Sebring Convertible have a distributor?
What is the likelihood the brand new fuel pump is defective?

I highly appreciate everyone's help.

 

What was the original problem? BEFORE you took it to them. Yes, if it's a 2.5 V-6 it does have a distributor.

 

Sorry, I guess that would help

It wouldn't start. My husband drove it home from work (about 40 miles) and it drove fine but he parked and noticed his tires weren't close enough, so tried to start it again to move it and it wouldn't start.

It would act like it wanted to start and it wouldn't. We tried to spray engine start and it helped a little but not enough to start it.

 

BTW-it never had any issues starting before that evening.

 

This statement is troubling. I would expect a pressure reading, can it sustain the right pressure and does it die after the pressure drops. You may want to try someone else, especially if he doesn't know you have a distributor. There are other reasons the engine won't run besides a fuel pump...many reasons.

 

I just talked to him...He said the distributor was probably "buried." He said he 'bypassed' everything and can get it to start w/out using the fuel pump somehow.

"The engine starts fine," he said. "So, it has nothing to do with the distributor."

He says it will pump some fuel and then it stops. He really thinks it's the pump, so he is going to pull it off in the morning I guess.

Should I stop him and tow it to someone else?

 

Yes. To a shop, not under a tree.

Distributor is buried, eh? Can get it started WITHOUT using the fuel pump? Engines run on fuel. I guess he is using a propane tank with a hose? That's funny right there.