Wifes 740 started acting up a few days ago. Low power, sputtering on acceleration- code 232 thrown- lean/rich. Would start and run and was drivable but ran like crap.
-Checked and Cleaned MAF- seemed ok
-Cleaned Throttle body/IAC/Flame trap
-Checked for vacuum leaks but couldn't find any
-Replaced air cleaner
-Radio suppression relay clicks
-Fuel pump relay seemed ok
-02 sensor is fairly new
- checked FPR by connecting a fuel line and starting- got nice flow of fuel
-TPS seems ok
Both fuel pumps would come on and whir until I changed the fuel filter- now the main pump near the filter doesn't seem to come on and the car won't start where it would BEFORE I changed the filter. My wife needs her car and I'm not sure what to do next. Why would the fuel pump stop working because I changed the filter? Could the pump have been the problem all along.? I'm pretty new to all this and pretty frustrated. Any help would be greatly apprerciated.
Thanks,

 

How did you "check" all these items?
Can you assume that once checked the part is 100% OK?
Are sure you don't have an engine "misfire" due to something like bad plug/wire/cap, etc. i.e. "tune up" items?

If your problem started with the fuel filter change, then this is a good area to address before anything else. The pump certainly could have been the problem all along--I personally don't change fuel filters routinely, unless there are symptoms...
What you describe does sound like a fuel pump problem...

 

if the main fuel pump stopped working after you changed the filter, first thing I'd check would be the wiring at the main fuel pump

 

If the fuel pump wasn't so suspect I'd check out your cap and rotor. If water gets in there and condensates if can do some funny things.

 

Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm still chasing this problem with no luck. Turns out that the fuel pump was OK- I just didn't have one of the connectors fully clipped in.
Since my last post I have pulled the plugs which were black and sooty so I replaced them and the wires with new. Pulled the distributer cap which seemed OK. I also swapped the MAF with another to rule it out.
I pulled the fuel line off the Fuel pressure regulator and put on a temp line into a can and there was a nice flow of gas out of it when started. The vacuum line on the FPR smell slightly like fuel but no gas or wetness is present.
I also checked the act after driving to see if it was cherry red-it wasn't.
Idle in neutral Seems a bit better but it still sputters randomly- you can hear it a the tail pipe as a pup pup sound. When I shift the car into Drive or Reverse it starts to run very rough and sputters and shakes. Doesn't ever stall though. Has poor acceleration from stop and sputters but seem the even out a bit when it shifts above 2nd gear. If I let of the gas or accelerate again it will sputter. It does seem to run better above somewhere around 50 mph. Also since I cleared the code 232- no new code has been thrown.
I'm not sure what to do next?
I have a new 02 sensor in the waiting but haven't been able to get the old one off. It's soaking in PB blaster now so hopefully It will move tomorrow.
I suspect possibly the FPR or the injectors. I have no way to test the pressure to know for sure. Anything else I could be overlooking?

 

Forget about the FPR; the injectors didn't suddenly all go bad on you either.O2 sensor not relevant either.
Sooty plugs mean too much fuel which means that the computer is sending a signal for that fuel. I'd make sure you have NO AIR LEAK between the MAF and the throttle body which would cause extra air which would cause the computer to send extra fuel for that extra air....

 

Thanks for the reply.
I've checked for air/vacuum leaks all of the ways I can think of- sprayed with carb cleaner, listened with a hose, and visual inspection but can't seem to find one. Any other good ways to find a leak?
Would the TPS cause it to run rich? It does click and I've adjusted it so that it clicks when it stops on a .15 feeler gauge but doesn't when it stops on a .45- I think this is correct.