So I have an odd problem with my 1992 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. For a week or two it would hesitate a bit longer than normal while starting it, I would hear a few extra cranks before the engine fired up. Maybe a half second of extra delay. Then one day it just would not start. I live right behind an auto repair shop at the moment so i went and talked to them. A guy came over and hooked a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail by the back right hand corner of the engine (closest to the drivers side door) turned the ignition, and got no pressure.
The first shop claimed they hooked power and ground directly to the fuel pump and it would not turn on. They said they were positive it was dead.

They wanted too much to fix it, so I had it towed to somewhere else. (I tried starting it up again and more of the same problems... it would crank just fine but no start) So after I had it towed it started up just fine for the other people. It has been running fine since then (I haven't driven it much) Since I got the car I have always had the problem that when I only have 3 or 4 gallons of gas left in the tank and I go around a corner quickly, the engine won't accelerate right after the turn, I have to wait a second or two for the gas to settle back down in the tank and then it works fine (it doesn't ever die though). The gas tank was almost empty when it wouldn't start, it is full again now.

So I am trying to figure out what the problem may be, I feel like I have a ticking timebomb car now just waiting to fail and would love to proactively resolve this issue... I understand the difficulty of diagnosing a problem when everything is working fine, however I thought the collective wisdom of this forum might be able to point me in the right direction or to someones past similar experience. I am assuming for now it is not the fuel pump itself (I thought once they go out, they are out, and would not just come back and work fine for any reason... I was under the impression the primary reason for failure in a fuel pump is a spring and once its broke, its broke.)

Any info/ideas much appreciated!

Thanks guys

The '92 Bonnevilles had problems with baffles breaking loose in the tank, causing problems when the tank is less than 1/4 full. That could be your problem, or perhaps the strainer sock came off. You may want to do a search on those items, or wait for someone more familiar with your year to chime in.

While both the issues you mentioned seem likely explanations for the behavior during cornering with low fuel, I think there must be something else going on. As no fuel was added by the people I towed it too and it started up for them, I am working on the assumption that the fuel pump is operable and that something in the chain of events that takes place between me turning the key and the fuel pump turning on is intermittently failing.

Just because the fuel pump is working, doesnt mean that it is not at fault. A lot of times when a pump goes bad, you can bang on the bottom of the tank and it may come back on. The armature of the pump can land on a bad spot and a lot of times, the banging will jar it loose and let the pump work again.

On a side not, you should try and keep your tank over 1/4 full. The gas actually cools the pump. And when you run low on gas, the pump cant stay as cool and burns up faster.

If yours has a fuel pump relay, check that also.