Mr. Alligator
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- November 30, 2014
- Messages
- 1,297
- Reaction score
- 1,029
- City, State
- Tampa, Florida
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1997 XLT Explorer
It has been hard to keep aftermarket fuel pumps working in my truck. In fact, so difficult that I cut an access panel in the floorboard, which has saved me in snowstorms, remote locations, and areas where I do not have the ability to lower the fuel tank to replace a failed fuel pump. I also keep an extra fuel pump and a fuel line tool under the access panel cover.
The aftermarket fuel pumps fail so frequently that I began tracking fuel pump life.
First option: Bosch. After reading recommendations on this Forum for Bosch fuel pumps, I installed a Bosch pump. It lasted 80,000 miles. This did not seem very impressive, and seemed sort of mediocre.
Option two: CarQuest. Figuring they were all made by a cheap Chinese factory, I thought I would try CarQuest. This one lasted 14,000 miles. Rotten junk, but I deserved this for buying a lesser fuel pump.
Option three: Delphi. So I replaced the CarQuest fuel pump with a Delphi, top of the line from Advance Auto. This one was the most confounding. Although the pump seemed to make some quiet whirling noise in the fuel tank, there was zero pressure at the rail. The Delphi fuel pump had only been in the tank for 2,000 miles. Already failed? Impossible.
Checked and cleaned relay connections, checked fuses, tested inertia switch, cleaned electric connections. Nothing. Then I discovered that the Delphi pump delivered great pressure for a few seconds, then back to zero pressure. Where was the fuel going? No leaks anywhere, and this was a rapid loss of pressure. Fuel must be going back into the tank. Removed the pump (again) and checked and re the fuel line. No problem, but after reinstalling the pump, it still did the exact same thing.… lots of pressure for a few seconds, then zero pressure. I blew air backward through the pump, which flowed freely. This was where the fuel was going! Back into the fuel tank, through the pump.
installed my back-up pump, and the truck fired right up.
Lesson one: even a pump that cycles on and off with a key, could be faulty. Lesson Two: I guess an 80,000 mile fuel pump is now looking very good. So, back to Bosch it is. Hmmmm….
Good luck with your fuel pumps!!!
The aftermarket fuel pumps fail so frequently that I began tracking fuel pump life.
First option: Bosch. After reading recommendations on this Forum for Bosch fuel pumps, I installed a Bosch pump. It lasted 80,000 miles. This did not seem very impressive, and seemed sort of mediocre.
Option two: CarQuest. Figuring they were all made by a cheap Chinese factory, I thought I would try CarQuest. This one lasted 14,000 miles. Rotten junk, but I deserved this for buying a lesser fuel pump.
Option three: Delphi. So I replaced the CarQuest fuel pump with a Delphi, top of the line from Advance Auto. This one was the most confounding. Although the pump seemed to make some quiet whirling noise in the fuel tank, there was zero pressure at the rail. The Delphi fuel pump had only been in the tank for 2,000 miles. Already failed? Impossible.
Checked and cleaned relay connections, checked fuses, tested inertia switch, cleaned electric connections. Nothing. Then I discovered that the Delphi pump delivered great pressure for a few seconds, then back to zero pressure. Where was the fuel going? No leaks anywhere, and this was a rapid loss of pressure. Fuel must be going back into the tank. Removed the pump (again) and checked and re the fuel line. No problem, but after reinstalling the pump, it still did the exact same thing.… lots of pressure for a few seconds, then zero pressure. I blew air backward through the pump, which flowed freely. This was where the fuel was going! Back into the fuel tank, through the pump.
installed my back-up pump, and the truck fired right up.
Lesson one: even a pump that cycles on and off with a key, could be faulty. Lesson Two: I guess an 80,000 mile fuel pump is now looking very good. So, back to Bosch it is. Hmmmm….
Good luck with your fuel pumps!!!