running out of gas question???

I recently ran out of gas in my 97 chevy cavalier, and when i put gas in the tank my car would not start. I took it to a garage and they said that "when you run out of gas in newer cars that the fuel pump and the gas tank both can go bad"??? I can see the fuel pump possibly going bad but how can the gas tank go bad from running out of gas. Not to mention i dont consider a 1997 car new. I did try and start it once when i ran out of gas, just to see if it would start. Any kind of input on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Doubtful the actual tank went bad. The pump sits in the tank and is cooled by the fuel sloshing around it. When you start to run low, the pump is no longer submersed so it doesn't cool as well. If it was marginal before, running out of gas may have been enough to do it in.

I'd personally would check to see if you have fuel pressure. If you don't, check to make sure that the fuel pump is getting power.

thanks for your reply, but do you think it would cost $490 for the pump alone? they said it would cost $715 total and the pump would cost 490. doesn't that sounds a little pricey just for a fuel pump? when i turned the key i didn't hear the fuel pump come on at all, and someone else i talked to said that he was almost sure that it was the fuel pump that went bad.

Yea, a fuel pump replacement can be expensive if you don't do it yourself. I'd check the fuse and relay before having the fuel pump replaced. :2cents:

Aftermarket price for a fuel pump seems to be around $390. OEM list price is $496 according to GMPartsDirect. com However, they are a discount OEM parts dealer so their price is actually 1/2 that, plus a S/H fee bringing it to around $303.

If this is a dealer, go to an independent garage. If it's an independent garage, buy the part yourself and give it to them saving their markup. Or better yet, do it yourself. It doesn't look too difficult on Cavaliers. The tank is relatively compact and with the rear end jacked up, you have easy access to everywhere around it.

Yea, a fuel pump replacement can be expensive if you don't do it yourself. I'd check the fuse and relay before having the fuel pump replaced. :2cents:
HELL YEA IT IS. I put an cold-air intake in with one of those IAT "upgrades". Appernetly it cost me my fuel pump cuz it let go. :banghead: $675 dollars later it was fixed. Its gay cuz i thought i couldnt do it. Then i looked under the car. The fucker was right there. LOL. All i had to was drop the tank.(it was almost empty anyway) God i was pissed. LOL :cwm27:

HELL YEA IT IS. I put an cold-air intake in with one of those IAT "upgrades". Appernetly it cost me my fuel pump cuz it let go. :banghead: $675 dollars later it was fixed. Its gay cuz i thought i couldnt do it. Then i looked under the car. The fucker was right there. LOL. All i had to was drop the tank.(it was almost empty anyway) God i was pissed. LOL :cwm27:

your lucky that iat thing only messed up your fuel pump

your lucky that iat thing only messed up your fuel pump
I know. LOL