My Fuel Pressure Issue's Continue, finally back together & running Options

[76-914]

A month back I installed a digital fuel pressure (FP) gage and when the car died due to low and then down to no fuel pressure, I suspected the fuel pump. I confirmed that the fuse was good and replaced the pump. Turned the key and nothing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) I failed to check for the presence of voltage at the pump connection. Idiot. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fyou1.gif) Must have been the relay. So I reach up behind the AC and un-clip it. Bench test it w/ a 9v batt and ohm meter. Test ok! Hmmm, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) Still no power at the pump. Well lets plug it back in and check for bad connections on the molex plug. Then I notice that when the FP relay was energized the 12v side leaving the relay was @ 5v. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) Turn the key off and check the hot side of the relay and it reads 12v. At this pointe I'm speaking in Tongues and I'm pretty sure that I ended up in a Fetal position. What in the Hell is going on? Then I remembered what that relay served. This little Bastard. The fuel pump controller. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)



So I dropped the AC and pulled the console just to access the FPC. It was in a great place before I added AC. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif) Once I removed the controller from the circuit I got 12v at the relay outlet. All of the turbo WRX's used one but only one Subaru EZ30 used one; mine, the 2003 YM. I had noticed that my fuel pressure varied with acceleration and that's what these do. I looked into bypassing the controller but decided Subaru knew better than I so $160 later I'll have one in a few days. Because mine is a "one year only" I had to order from the dealer. Otherwise, they're $35-$45 a pop on Ebay. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
The carnage. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) Not as bad as it looks. I can have it back together in an hour.

[76-914]

Well Fuch me to tears. That twern't it neither. So I ordered another ECU. What's another $80. I've already thrown about $300 at this so far. I decided to verify what I already knew. Sound familiar? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) I was now getting 12v on both sides of the pump relay load side so I decided to bypass the controller and feed straight to the pump. Snip/snip, wire nuts, turn the key and nothing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) Verify voltage; 12v, yep. Hmmm. Maybe the pump plug in the tank came loose? Pulled the pump, dried the gas and jumped it at the batt. Bingo! It came to life. I take it back up front and jump it directly off of the fuse block. Nothing! Check voltage and it's now 3.87. BTW, did any ya'll hear a thunderous roar coming from southern California about 9:30 this morning? I turned the air BLUE. This 6 circuit fuse block is connected to a 4 pole distribution block. The distribution block is supplied by 2 wires. One 10ga & one 8ga. I connected the pump directly at this distribution block on the 8ga (same circuit) and nothing. Moved it to the 10ga wire and the pump came to life. Huh? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Checked the voltage at both wires and the 8ga is "0" now. It runs undisturbed thru the tunnel to a main distribution fuse block in the engine compartment. I tested that fuse; good. 12v on both sides of the fuse, too. So I move the test probe a hair to the right and check the 8ga wire and it's "0". Ahaa you Son of a Bitch, I got ya! Power coming in the fuse box on this circuit, the fuse is good and there is no voltage where the wire connects???????? This is what I found:

This is the power distribution source since the conversion. The starter circuit is separate. It is supplied by a 4ga wire that enters on the left bottom. There are 2 10ga wires and 1 8ga wire that exit on the right side. The fuses are removed in the pic's. This is the front side. The questionable circuit is the middle one.



And the backside:



But look very closely at the middle, right side. See all those bubbles in the plastic. Looks like a mfg defect. Bottom line is; sometimes I got a connection and it varied. Any load applied basically changed any voltage readings I had previously taken. I thought I was going Mad. This is where an experienced mechanic's knowledge would have really helped. I assumed the presence of voltage was adequate. An experienced mech with the correct meter would have checked for amp draw and had this diagnosed in 20 minutes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) So I now have a spare 3.0 engine, ECU, fuel pump, FP controller and a neglected 4 cyl 914 sitting in my garage. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)