Help–Fuel pump 2000 chev silverado died
dovetail97128
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
Fuel pump on my truck (2000 Silverado 3-door extended cab short bed)just died.
Any one replace one themselves?
I looked online and see that it may be possible to unbolt the bed and slide it back to get the in tank pump .
True? I can’t tell from the info if that applies to extended cabs or not.
Worth it? Looks like only 6 bolts and disconnect the tails light wiring harness from a junction box.
They can’t get your Goat if you don’t tell them where it is hidden.
Replies
dovetail,
Drop the tank if it's not too full.. it's faster and easier. I've done it in 45 minutes..
Might want to think about replacing the fuel sending unit at the same time. You can get it as a kit with the fuel pump.Rebeccah
Good call. Mine reads full until it runs outta gas at 3/4 full tank mark..thats not fun.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
Running it out of gas is hard on the pump, usually burns it right out.
As far a Triple A, get my money back just about every year, great investment. What I really like is you just call the 800 # & they find the tow company.
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
Edited 1/12/2008 10:28 pm ET by CardiacPaul
Running low on fuel don't kill 'em...
otherwise the wife's car woulda gone through 800 or so in the last 18 yrs.
Or Bosch don't mind pumpin' in dry wells.
;-)
Liberty = Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
American Heritage Dictionary
Edited 1/13/2008 9:20 pm by Hackinatit
Yea, try it one more time now that you know LOL
I ran my car out once, filled the tank & it won't run, pump burned up.
My mechanic told me running them even low is hard on them. No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
I knew. Been listening to it for a few months now.
I know I jinxed myself, so
The replacement (and filter) is already in UPS's hands. Audi/Bosch have a special ($$$$) hand-shake so I be buying from Autohous Arizona. The NAPA man is nice, but the bones are too many.
be taken out the back seat soon.
Liberty = Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
American Heritage Dictionary
Edited 1/13/2008 9:48 pm by Hackinatit
Edited 1/13/2008 9:48 pm by Hackinatit
Good advice from all I run the tank low often and have yet to replace the filter on my GMC Seirra will do that today. Hackinatit, for furture reference on my part do I have it right that the filter is about under the rear seat on an extended cab?Thanks WallyO
no
I'm talkin' 'bout the wife's car never losing it's pump due to low fuel occasions. To access the pump, I must remove the back seat... and it's access is right there on top of the fuel tank.
Most filters are along the frame rails on trucks... unless it's a Toyota. Then it may well be INSIDE the frame rail and get billed for 4 hours labor for replacement.
But that's another story..Liberty = Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
American Heritage Dictionary
On the Silverado it is in about that location, maybe a little further towards the front , drivers side.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
18 years as a dealer mechanic. Running out of fuel or low on fuel does not kill pumps. Fuel pressure rise do to plugged fuel filters do not kill pumps(pressure relief valve). Electrical connection at voltage line or ground is #1 reason for fuel pumps to not work. And pumps just wear out. Most pumps do not fail while driving but just wont run after shutting engine off.
"Welcome to my world"
Russell
""Electrical connection at voltage line or ground is #1 reason for fuel pumps to not work."" I noticed that when I opened up the box containing the new pump it included a wiring harness that had to be changed. New leads for the pump and a differant plug in. Made me wonder if the problem wasn't really simply a bad connector and that the actual pump wasn't still good. But by that point in the game I already had everything apart and decided to just replace the old pump. Do you know why the new harness connector on the Chevy/GM pumps?
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Manufacture change or factory fix for connection problem.
Russell
PS: I am no longer in the auto game. I am one of you guys now. A licensed builder. Doing mostly flood and fire restorations for insurance.
My condolences. ;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Hey man, you got my goat? :-) :-) :-)
Russell
"Welcome to My World"
Russell,
Just like you said, it's an urban myth about lack of cooling on a low tank causing pump failure. If you look at a fuel pump assy. you will see that the fuel is drawn into a bucket (return fuel empties into this bucket also).
The pump is inside this bucket. So the only time the pump will be dry, is if you run the tank completly empty.
I've never seen a new elec. connector kit included with a pump. But every pump I've changed had a disclaimer/ warranty buster for a faulty connector.
Ray
Thanks, I think it has about 1/4 tank in it now. Maybe 6 gallons. Siphoned out what I could already . I will drop the tank.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Mine went in my van. Luckily in my driveway and luckily with only a quarter tank of gas.
The worst part was I had to go to three part stores to find one.
I have a 99 chevy. Unbolt 6 bolts, fuel tank filler. Two guys on the back, one on each side, pickup and slide back. Set the bed on the rear tires and the bumper. The pump and the sender were in one assembley. Clean around the access hole really well before you open it up. Very important to change the fuel filter too.
Purplerays, Looks like the wiring harness at the back all comes together into one block . Simply pull the plugs there? Just looked at the truck and that is what I see. replace with OEM or Napa or ? Don't want to be doing this again any time soon.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I think the wires connect at the top of the tank..terminals there.
But I could nbe mistaken, I know vans, not trucks.
I DO know that if you think the relay is shot and wantto check power to the pump, you can check the wrong wire and energizing it will deploy the air bag..LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
sphere, Sorry , I was referring to the tail/brake light wiring harness. I already switched relays as a way to check if it was the relay, but I used the horn not the airbags. Thanks for th ewrning however. I had a friend over today and we went back through possible wiring issues and still cannot hear the pump kick on although you can here a "click" at the tank when the key is first turned but no sound of th epump ever actually running. Truck broke down 3/4 mile from an appointment yesterday (checking on a job) . 32 miles from home. Never made it to the job situation. $151 tow to get me home.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Ok, gotcha.
Yeah, the pump is toast they die about 110,000 miles and a newer ones die about 85,000.
5 yrs ago I got AAA and never regretted it..95 GMC van, 96 Saturn Wagon, 86 Ford 350 truck, and now a 94 GMC Van ( with 301,000 miles!)..I know what towing woulda cost me..a LOT more than the 55 a yr. memebership.
I woulda dropped the tank..not that hard. I also have the wiggle siphon and dump into gas cans..done a few in my time.
I got NAPA pumps and don't forget the new sock over the pump and ALL filters while yer at it..BTDT too.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
sphere, Friend and I will tackle the job in the morning. Lifting the bed sounds nice , but the extra bodies would be hard to come by . We will most likely drop the tank. Knew I shouldn't have sold my old Bobcat! I wil lbe getting new everything for the system and do it all at once.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I would too..just straps to the frame.
Speaking of filters and such,,,one of the things that kills pumps faster than anything is running on a low tank..the fuel cools the pump..and we all know heat kills.
I miss the old cam driven pumps like my Ford has, two bolts and agasket, nut driver for the lines and 15 minutes yer rolling again.
Have fun, it ain't bad..they sell the siphon jiggy hose at the parts store..I used my old one from transferring beer to the bottling bucket..then buy a new one for the beer.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
Want to Thank You All for the help. Swapped the bad pump out this morning , went easy and pretty quick. 3 hours start to finish including numerous coffee breaks , trip for parts, and changed the filter as well. Time included emptying the bed of tools, a cross bed tool box and misc. ####. I choose to lift the 6' bed, 4 guys to remove, two of us to reset. After doing it that way I would easily recommend that as the method of approach . Now off to see how much gas has gone up since Friday . Thanks Again!!
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I'm guessing you saved yourself a pretty penny by doing it yourself.
DT
Where is the inline filter on your truck?
I have a 2002 so I figure it'll be similar
Doug
Doug, It sits tucked inside the drivers side frame rail (meaning towards the center of the truck)and about 18"-24" toward the front of the truck from the tank. Little smaller than a pop can both in diameter and length. I have the extended cab and I would guess it is just about under the trailing edge of the drivers door.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Thanks DT, I have the extended cab as well, I think a little preventative maintenance is in order!
Doug
A friend of mine is a mechanic. He was at GM for 10 years or so and has done hundreds of fuel pumps on chevy/GMC pick ups over the years. The fastest way to do the fuel pump on the Chevy/GMC or any other pickups it to loosen the rear bolts on the bed, and take off the other bed bolts. Disconnect the fuel fill tube from the bed, then lift up the front part of the bed so it looks like its a tilt bed. He always has a car lift to use but you can do it many ways. I think he gets it done, start to finish in about 20 to 30 minutes. Even without the lift, you the whole job without any help.What some suggested, dropping the tank is a complete waste of time and unnecessary. He learned the method from one of the other GM Mechanics about 25 years ago.
Check with your car insurance, many times people have towing & overlook it, I think my reimburses me up to $50.00 No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
Good point I will check. In the last twenty years I have been the "Towee" probably 100 times to the twice I have had to be towed. I just miss the old bolt on pumps and ease of working on the cars from the 50's and 60's.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Nice about being an old faht and retarded is I have the AAA+. We live off the beaten path and I now have piece of mind for DW and myself of at least 100 miles without having to spend more $$.
We're about 300 miles from the kids' places and on the road a bit. The kids are in small town area as well and travel quite a lot to Puget Sound and back. This year for Christmas we got them all the same deal. Something useful and gives us piece of mind, too. And with the + program I know they won't have to shell out more of what they usually don't have, anyway.
Insurance does re-imburse, but, you have to have it first. Many times they don't. Kids! We've all been there.
You pros, think about the cost of missed appointments and schedules. A breakdown is bad enough. Paying even more is insult to injury....The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
The AAA+ is nice, that 100 miles is quite a hike if you need it, Nice idea for the kids.
Wait they have too use it the first time. I went from home to PA to visit the relitives, now I'm 850 mile from home & lock the keys in the car, no problem, out comes the trusty 800 number & within an hour out comes the keys. No fuss no muss & no charge.
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.
I am sorry that I have not been following this discussion all along but, as a former Reliability Engineer for General Motors, I have to make one observation. In vehicles with electronic engine controls (ECUs), the fuel pump is controlled by the ECU. There is also another switch in between the ECU and the fuel pump and that is the oil pressure switch.
The oil pressure switch can shut down the fuel pump in case the oil pressure goes below 10 PSI (or so). This is to assure that the engine does not continue to run if the oil level goes to low or the vehicle turns upside down in an accident.
In this arrangement, the ECU powers the fuel pump for a short 0.5 seconds -- just long enough to prime with fuel pressure the fuel rail to the fuel injectors. If the oil pressure switch does not close quickly during the cranking of the engine, the fuel pump will not be running.
The best way to check this is to run a 20 amp fuzed line from the battery to the fuel pump directly and monitor the output of the fuel pump. Obviously, care must be taken to keep sparks away from the fuel so plan to touch or switch the battery voltage near somewhere between the battery and the fuel pump.
If the fuel pump runs, then that is not the problem. I remember that my Father, a research scientist at American Oil Company, chased this problem for a day and a half before he called me.
Terry you say a former quality engineer so I will not hold you to it, but do you have any insight as to why the filter on late models would be on the pump itself and not inline.Wallyo
Actually, I was a Reliability Engineer. Please do not smear my good name by associating me with the problems of Quality Control -- building an item to print the same every time.
All kidding aside, the filter on the electric fuel pump inside the tank is necessary to protect the fuel pump interior surfaces. That filter looks like a sock but is made of a synthetic material that not only filters out relatively large particles (think of the sand or sugar that the little brat next door put in your gas tank) but also the water molecule that did not get absorbed by the dessicant put into the fuel (in case you are using the cheap fuel). The vehicle usually has at least one and sometimes two additional fuel filters. One is often in line and, on trucks and many cars, is located attached to the frame rail near the back axle.
Terry I know you joined this late so you may not of read everything. On a 2004 and up there is no fuel filter, inline, it is built into the pump, as well as the sock you decribe. The dealer told me this and I varified it at my local Auto Zone. The Manager there laughed and said yeah "I will show you". He entered the make, etc pulled up fuel filter, up came a note that said "the filer is built into the pump, replacement of the fuel pump is necesary to change the filter".For you smerky Late model Dodge owners that are laughing and sayin "should of bought a Dodge" Well "Na-Na-Nanner" your filter is in the tank with your pump too. Don't know about Fords.Wallyo
Humor me. I have been wrong before but not near as often as a dealership service department or an auto parts store. Both of those are trying to maximize the profit by selling you the most expensive and hardest part to replace.
Try looking on the inside of the frame rail on the driver's side somewhere between under the driver's door and just before the rear axle. If you see a silver can with a small metal pipe and/or rubber hose coming out the top and bottom (should actually be sideways), then you have found the main fuel filter. This is the one that plugs up most often and earliest.
If it is not there, I apologize for getting your shirt dirty. Don't forget to tell me that I am wrong and you can notch it up on your workbench.
Terry
Terry Sorry to of not mentioned it but after the dealer and the Auto Zone I did check on the rail and nothing there. I know the location you speak of because I consulted a Haynes manual before in thinking I was going to change the filter so I knew the location.Wallyo
Thanks for the info. I did think about checking the pump independent of the trucks electrical system but decided that the preponderance of info I had received was that these pumps do die at or near 100,00 miles. Once the pump is exposed enough to run such a test I figured I may just as well replace it. You like living dangerously though.
Admitting to being a reliability Engineer for GM. ;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
It may be that the fuel pump has died but it is so easy to jump a wire at the fuze block from a constantly on fuze like the one for the cigarette lighter -- I'm sorry, the politically correct term is accessory power outlet -- to the connector for the fuel pump fuze. Leave the pipe connector to the fuel rail under the hood and you will know instantly if the fuel pump is running. Better is to just have an assistant listen near the tank.
Gotcha. Makes sense.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
i was listening here, and i was a mechanic for many years. and now in the constuction field. my oppinion is ever since these componies added a computer to all these vehicles nationwide for better safety and better performance reasons. and with no offence to anyone here but, remember one thing these enginers work for these manufac. and what ever they add to a vehicle, adds a little more to the mnfs pocket. and some of these thing aren't even nesessary. and in the long run it cost the consumer a little more out of pocket, because of more diagnostic testing.and so on. and now adays' some of these techs that just came out of school, think they no more than old school. meanwile,there still learning out in the field,the old school are learning more and more tricks'. my suggestion is be very careful when a tech or service writer tells you to leave your vehicle for the day. i once met a guy who told me he had taken his truck to a dealer for a repair,he parked his truck in a particular spot and then wen't to a shopping center accross the street and then to eat at a resteraunt exactly accross from were his truck was parked. while he was eating, he saw the tech come out and get his truck with the help of other techs they pushed the truck in the garage. 10 minutes later a tech drove the truck out and parked it. they called him on his cell and told him the truck was ready. he walked accross the street to get a $475.bill. if i remember, they charged him for 3or4 hours of labor, and the rest for a starter. which it takes a lot longer to change a starter. so i told him what they probably did, was wack the original starter with a hammer,which loosens a binding starter.(bendix) which allowes the vehicle to start. anyway he reported them to the dmv. 4or5 years later the dealer got shut down for odometer fraud and other things. and its a shame,because alot of people thout this was a very rep. co. i also once knew a mechanic who worked on a chevi, and went under the car and gave the tank a couple of wacks to unstick the pump and sending unit. which cost around close to $500. because there both considered one unit. he shut the car off and on about 5-6 times and all those times the car stayed running. heres anothher car that was left by an older guy. the mechanic drove the car into the shop and kept it in the bay until cust showed up, and handed him a very large bill. now for allus honest guys. i once worked for a friend of mine in a garage, and a lady drove up and said and showed us a bill of $565. for a tune up. the dealer claimed they did every thing by the book,is what they told her. so we had told her the only things that were replaced, were her 1.00 spark plugs. so she asked if we could tune it up and she would take it up later with the prev.tech. so we drove the car inside and my boss which was my friend told me to just take off all the parts and clean them up. i took all my tools off that car and said i am not doing it. 5 min later he brings out all new parts. i told him to do the car, the right way.there are alot honest people and not so honest. this does not apply to anyone in this forum. its torward the dishonest people out there, so everyone beaware and alert when bringing your vehicle somewhere. p.s what ever happened to those days' before the emmision controll and the computer days,when you bought a fuel pump for $10 bucks or a starter for $20. and all other parts'. sorry everyone for the long conversation, but i just don't like to see people get taken advantage of, on something they have no knowledge of. oh yea i had a 02 silverado,great truck but it had several recalls,so i got rid of it and bought o6 silverado brand new, so far no recalls or problems.also own a 1988 chev s-10 with 4 wheel drive and 130.000 miles on it and dont burn a drop of oil. and runs like a bear in the snow.also a good truck. good luck with your truck.
I appreciate your "rant" about the sleaze factor of most dealerships but I think it extends to almost all repair centers today. Our country is losing its moral bearings.
I will also make the observation that, when electronic engine controls first appeared and still today, mechanics will -- without even looking at the trouble tree -- replace the ECU just because it is so easy to get to and there is a quick few bucks (well not so few for the customer actually). Many mechanics who knew better simply forgot everything they learned about vacuum leaks, valve timing, compression ratios, etc. They just did not understand the concept of a computer so they replace it first.
Over 90% of the ECUs that were returned from the field had nothing wrong with them although some that had a screwdriver driven through them were bad. Many of these were "remanufactured" and returned to the stock department as new units.
When there was a silent recall --say simply for a calibration issue -- if you took your vehicle in for some simple service (oil / filter change), you would be given your car back with a "new" ECU that had seen many more miles and handling than your original. This would not be documented on the bill so the customer never knew. This was not just one car company but was prevalent in almost all brands.
Somehow we seem to survive.
There are some rip-off shops out there, but the largest amount are honest business'. Remember that most technicians take as much pride in there work as we do. We are very close in reputation with the mechanics.
Russell,
"welcome to my world"
Try hitting the enter button every five lines or so.
Just unplug the wiring at the pump. I would just get a pump at a discount part store. Lots of times they are the same as GM sells, for a lot less. My friend runs a GMC dealership shop. He loaned me a tool to separate the fuel line from the pump. There is some kind of a barbed fitting. I think you can get it with a small screwdriver. They always lift the bed, no messing with gas, or straps. Done the last time with three young boys in an hour, start to finish. In gravel driveway, no airtools. Good luck.
Drop the tank. Our fleet of 21 (soon to be 23) Chevys from 97 to 08, fuel pumps were a problem till we started changing the in line filter every year. If you start to hear a whine from the fuel pumt louder than usual, change the filter ASAP and you may just save the pump. Seems they do not like the backpressure from the dirty in line filter?
started changing the in line filter every year.
Where can one find this filter?
Thanks
Doug
In our vans its allong a frame rail, just aft of the front seats. I know this because thats where the massive fuel leak started one rainy day just after having it changed... Customers loved having their driveways turned into gas slicked rain covered car slip n slides :)untill the circumstances change, my answer will remain the same...
Our fleet of 21 (soon to be 23) Chevys from 97 to 08, fuel pumps were a problem till we started changing the in line filter every year.
Poolman, Thanks for that advice. I've got a 2000 Chevy S10 and have had to replace the fuel pump twice: at 80,000 miles and at 120,000 miles. Both times it cost me over $800 to get it fixed.
Hmmm... In my 2500 van, I ran out of gas ALL the time. It was like I had a mental block. Never ran out of gas before that truck or after. Retired that one at 225,000 and 2 drivers later. No one else ran out of gas in that truck but me. Perhaps thats why I killed so many pumps. Never thought of the heat factor, but it makes perfect sense.untill the circumstances change, my answer will remain the same...
I don't know this, but I have also heard they don't like ethanol.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Most of our gas here is E10, so we really cant avoid the alcohol (for the trucks, that is). Only a couple of our units are E85 capable, but it's hard to find anyway.untill the circumstances change, my answer will remain the same...
FWIW What I was told about the ethanol is that it really breaks the accumulated crud out of the fuel system. It was the switch from ethanol from non-ethanol fuels once a year that causes the problems. The annual first "cleaning" breaks loose any crud and will plug a filter.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I was talking to a mechanic several weeks ago about maintenance items such as tune up, transmission fluid, etc. and he told me the most common thing people forget is to change fuel filters.
He indicated not changing fuel filters can lead to fuel pump damage.
Have you heard of this? I hadn't heard of it before.
No, and I will freely admit maintenance of vehicles doesn't rate hihg what I am good at taking care of.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Someone told me that running your fuel pump with a little gas in the tank wears them out faster. They use the fuel as a coolant so when you are always running it on a 1/4 tank they run hotter.
True?
Someone told me that running your fuel pump with a little gas in the tank wears them out faster.
I'm probably jinxing myself but I'm on my second Silverado and I never fill up until I'm about empty, I hate stopping for gas!
First truck I put 165,000 on and the second one is at 85,000 and still good. I've been told the same as what you mentioned but I cant break old habits.
Doug
"I hate stopping for gas!"What I hate is running out of gas. I usually hit the pumps when it gets half empty
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
What I hate is running out of gas.
No fan of that either!
Last time I did so was about 21 years ago, on my way home from working out of town, had to get home to see my then new girl friend, thought I could make it - didnt, ran out about 2 miles from home.
Sad part is I had $800 in my pocket, its one thing to run out when you're out of money, another when your just to damn foolish to stop for 5 minutes and fill up the tank!
Doug
Because of all the discussion here about "how" to change the internal, electric fuel pump, I am going to answer one of the questions that was not asked but should have been asked. Why doesn't the electricity in the fuel pump and the fuel gauge sender ignite the gasoline in the fuel tank.
The answer is that gasoline only burns when there is a certain ratio of air to gasoline fumes. That ratio has an optimal point, called the stoichiometric point, where all the gasoline vapor and all the oxygen in the air are fully consumed simultaneously. This is why modern engines use oxygen sensors in the exhaust to detect when there is not enough fuel vapor in the cylinders.
That window of air to gasoline ratio is relatively small compared to other potential fuels such a methanol. Inside the fuel tank, even with the cap off, the gasoline vapor is too "rich" to allow ignition. However -- and this is where it gets interesting for those of you who a thinking to drain the fuel tank to replace the fuel pump -- when there is less than one teaspoon of fuel in the tank AND the temperature is LOWER than -40 degrees (either fahrenheit or Celsius), the air / fuel ratio will support ignition.
Amazingly, this situation has happened. There was a lawsuit against a vehicle manufacturer after a father drained and lowered the fuel tank on his pickup truck in temperatures outside near -40 degrees. The explosion killed his baby who he had sitting near him on the garage floor. I will never understand people. There even have been a couple of other similar occurances with less dramatic results.
It is counterintuitive, but the warmer it is, the LESS likely there will be the optimal air / fuel ratio for ingnition. This is because at higher temperatures, MORE gasoline vapor will saturate the air in the tank causing the air / fuel ratio to be outside the window to allow ignition.
Be careful out there.
I generally run mine down to about 1/8-1/4 tank then fill up. Fuel sensor has been acting up for almost a year so always relied on the trip tick to tell me when to fuel up. I did just learn that the sensor acting up is an indication that the pump is probably going to #### out within a short time.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Many vehicles use a recirculating fuel system. The pump in the tank pumps way more fuel than used. This heats up and returns to the tank. It doesnt cost any more to keep the top half of the tank full than it does to keep the bottom half in gas.
I think it could be habitual or the persons perspective. Is it half full or half empty. Depends on how you look at it. Some people think having money in their pocket is better than having a full tank. Everything they do is just enough to get by. And as fuel prices go up it's getting harder for alot of folks.
BIL fuel pump died at a rest area on the interstate. He cut a hole in the bed with a cordless jigsaw and changed the pump right there in the parking lot. Not that I am recommending this!
He put a patch plate/access door overtop that looks pretty good. His truck bed is heavily used and beat up.
If you have the time, Ebay is the place for a factory pump/sending unit.
Joe H
I have a 2001 Tahoe and one day the wife was picking me up at the shop that takes care of our vehicles. I left and waited and waited. She finally showed up and said it would not start, my mech rolled under it and whacked the bottom of the tank and away she went.
Have shared that trick with several stalled vehicles with success.
I guess it was a "laying on of hands". I bought it used and when I got it off the truck it was showing the low fuel light. No telling how many times it had been low. It came from Houston too. It had a whine from the day I got it with 78K miles. I bought a pump for less than $200 from the ebay store below to make a preventative change.
I tried to siphon but the hole going in to the tank is off center in the nipple and very hard to get hose through. Since it still ran I hooked up a hose to the fuel pressure test port on the engine and pumped it into 5 gal can and then into my truck's tank. Had just filled the beast up by the way. The small vent hose nipple coming off the back of the tank should work to put in a siphon hose.
I dropped the tank by myself and it probably took 2 1/2 hrs. A good portion of that was dealing with the fuel line connection by feel having never encountered one like it before.
http://stores.ebay.com/GLOBAL-AUTOMOTIVE_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm
Glad your replacement went well, this was general info for all.
Bob
Edited 1/14/2008 10:02 am ET by rasconc
My mechanic happened to be on a trip to Seattle and wasn't available to do the fix for me , but he too told me about the "whack the tank" fix. If one can get a helper the best way according to him is to have one whack the tank while the other turns the key on. The vibrations are often enough to break the armature of the pump loose and allow it to spin again. I tried it and it didn't work for me.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
dovetail
Shades of the 50's whacking the pump was SOP back in the 50's early sixties if you owned a British sports car..
The contact point would get dirty and whacking the pump would often get them moving again..
Eventually you bought a spare set of pump points and would change them when you got home. about a 5 minute job on a lot of cars..
I had my points stick on me once driving my freshly restored MGTD back home from San Diego. I pulled to the shoulder and took out the dip stick and put a drop of engine oil on the pivot point of the points.. I then took a little piece of fine emery cloth and dragged it across the point surface and those same points have now work for the past 3 decades. Maybe once a decade I wipe the points with that same piece of fine emery cloth and put a drop of engine oil from the dipstick.
Lucas Prince of darkness seems to like me. because when my pickup acted up I whacked the tank and it's run fine ever since..
whacking a tank.. $.25 knowing where to whack, priceless!
Just while I have the attention of all Gm owners there is a recall of sorts. It is not getting to much attention, it seems Gm is being very guarded with the info, on their own web site I could not find it. Even signed in under the vin number, I was told my truck had no recalls. So in case anyone has moved and did not get a notice here is what is up.It seems there is a Speedometer issue with some years mine is 03 and I got the notice. The needle will either jump erratically or will stick, mine was buried at 140 this weekend while doing 60. Starting and stopping the engine 10 times in a row pushed it back to zero. It was jumpy at first moving in spurts instead of a nice flowIt seems the NTSB does not think this is a safety issue so it is not forced. GM will fix this on trucks with less then 70,000 miles for free. Also not limited to pickups and just 03's.WallyO
I shoulda known you were an old pump whacker
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Just swapped out a pump in an '03' Avalanche a couple weeks ago.. Pretty much same story as you and others.
BUT that ebay price break was eye opening. I paid $325 local for my pump. Ebay's price was $95.
I called around and checked price and availability before I purchased....everyone was close. It was sticker shock to me since I replaced a FP in my '99' Silverado a couple of years ago and it was less than $100.
I search ebay a lot, but I find most new stuff and replacement parts are cheaper from my supply house. (mainly AC craap) worth checking in the future. Thanks for the link
Ray
Just got back from dealer on speedometer issue, No problem they got the vin #, verified milage, asked what it was doing and ordered gauge cluster. Didn't even test drive it, just took my word.While there I asked the service manager his thoughts on the fuel pump vs filter. His belief is regular changing does help, but (I did not know this) on 04,s there is no filter, it is kind of sort of built into the pump it self. On 03's the filter is on the frame, I did not ask about 05's and later. He also added I did not bring it up that keeping a half tank helps and there is no pressure relief or bypass system.Wallyo
Trucks made since when? 20'S?
seems they have not decided on filter type/location etc. what causes that? so many changes 03 04 05 thats what causes problems
Just checked at parts store no fuel filters on 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 it seems they are all built in to the pump. The cost of a pump for 04, 05 is $449.00 that is just the pump can you say class action.Wallyo
The new ones must never wear out....<g>....... within the warranty period anyway.
Although I am very happy for you, I just wish that you would keep your voice down...my '97 Chevy (262,000 miles) heard ya talkin' and spent his timing chain...$1050!!!!
Yikes...
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
Seems car diseases are like the flu, once one member of a group gets it it just multiplies.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Yeah, I hear ya!
At first I did think it might be my fuel pump...a'course I'm pretty truck-dumb. But I did climb under and whack it, like some here recommended...lol. No use...lol.
Poor baby...we're gonna try and keep it going for a bit tho...
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
Just before Thanksgiving my mechanic was over to repair a heater problem. When he was packing up to leave he asked me if I had had problems yet with my fuel pump.
I'm gonna blame him for it.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Did you say you whacked his P P? ;0) For shame. I just had to plug my Silverado's ears....The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
No wonder it's not pumping!
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Um...it's a girl...lol
"He said "Buck up baby, it's okay. The sunlight on the floor will always fall." ~ Sarah Harmer
""spent his timing chain...""
Did someone MS.-speak? ;)
...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
Edited 1/17/2008 12:58 pm by oldbeachbum
Should be able to unhook the fuel line and then drop the fuel tank down to the ground. If you don't have a lift and a trans jack then use a furniture dolly with long shims to ease it down to clear the bottom of the truck. You should be able to knock this out in less than two hours. Hope this is helpful.