2005 FEH 170K miles in the Phoenix area.

This car has been a project since day one. The bones appear to be good, but it's likely going to be awhile before everything is sorted.

First - HV battery. A bit of a turd. Very high self-discharge. However, it has the jump start, so I can usually bring it back from the mostly-dead. I had let it sat for a VERY long time, and the cell chemistry went way dormant. The jump starter kept faulting because of a massive voltage spike in response to very low current. I eventually had to open it up and manually charge it key-on, engine-off at the two main terminals between the relay and the external battery plug. I could clear the codes and get the relay to energize to get intermittent bursts of current into it before the relay tripped off. Finally, at about 288V, the relay would stay on, and I was able to get voltage up and put about 400mAh into it.

Still wouldn't start. It was clear the motor-generator was just spinning the ICE.

Had an odd error about the fuel sending unit. Fuel gauge also read zero. I knew I had fuel in there. I detached the fuel inlet from the rail and discovered no fuel when I cycled the ignition. I checked the plug into the fuel pump and had power there, so I decided to order a fuel pump. Before I reached my hand into the open gas tank, I decided to hook the new one up to the plug before installation... I could change the fuel gauge with the float, and the motor spun when I cycled the ignition. Upon removal, it looks like there was another problem...



Fuel pump replaced and the beast roared back to life!

Sorta.

After several minutes of running to allow the battery to charge, my attention was drawn to the engine compartment where the radiator cap was hissing. Coolant was shortly boiling over - not through the vent tube, but out from under the cap.

New cap? Yep.

Same crap. Dang.

Upon closer inspection, it appears that the cap is not sealing against the top surface of the reservoir, so I've ordered a complete Dorman reservoir (engine and MECS included as one assembly) with included caps. Hopefully that's going to get me to where I can run and drive the car long enough to make an assessment of what else is wrong.

 

I love the fuel pump picture. It's like those Mythbusters episodes: "Well, there's 'yer problem!"

It sounds like you're going to get it sorted with a little more work. Please tell us how it finally works out. I'm a little surprised about the cap not conforming to the surface. How hard can that be?