Friend's 04 Chev Aveo won't start. Ran fine until recently it would 'cough' on startup then run fine. No codes will show up on a reader. Motor will start on ether, but dies once the ether is used up. Spark tests fine. Will not fire at all without ether down the intake, plugs are not wet from cranking, no gas smell from cylinders. Fuel pump turns on and is pretty loud, but I don't know if it is pumping or not.

With ~100,000 km's (60,000 miles) it seems that this would be early for a fuel pump to go, are there a few other things I could test before I drop the tank? Any tips for removing the tank/fuel pump?
Thanks

 

Pop the fuel line off the pump, turn on key to see if it is pumping. There is I believe a filter in the tank on the suction line. If no fuel, either way you'll have to drop the tank.

 

where can I pop off the fuel line to test it?
ehow said you could get at the fuel pump by going under the seat, but we all know how useful ehow can be lol.

 

Probably up towards the fuel rail. I am thinking there may be a shrader valve that you could check to see if there is gasoline there.

 

Update - Turns out that she had just taken apart her key, and since the chip wasn't put back in the car wouldn't start. It's strange that it still had spark, and that the fuel pump would prime.
Just a note for others, check the key's chip