Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 16:52:04 -0500
Reply-To: greentabe-vanagon@YAHOO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tabe Johnson <greentabe-vanagon@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Whoa fuel pump is noisy!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Hey Jeff,
GENERALLY speaking, fuel pumps are quite robust. I'm inclined
to guess something is clogging the intake (water, rust, whatever),
especially because things change when you go around a corner.
If it becomes necessary: You are right in that changing a
fuel pump is very easy. You can do it yourself, and any
mechanic should be able to do it as well. It's just the
hose clamps and the wires. Two things to remember: First,
you have to crimp the inlet hose (to the fuel pump) closed
so all the gas does not drain out of the tank, and second,
make sure you put the wires back on the same way they came
off.
If it were me, I would put on 17 layers of long underwear,
disconnect the battery, gently crimp the hose between the
pump and the tank closed, remove the pump inlet, then
uncrimp the line and watch what the flow (gravity only)
is like.
If the gas flowed well out of the tank, I'd replace the
pump.
If the flow was bad, I would drain as much gas as I could into
approved containers (naturally), then poke a wire into the
gas tank and see what comes out. I would also add a bunch
of alcohol to absorb any water in the tank. Then, if the
flow was good again, I'd clean the screen on the pump and
put it back in.
tabe johnson/87 westy
*** cut here ***
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2007 12:33:20 -0800
From: Jeff Michal <jeffmichal@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Whoa fuel pump is noisy!
Hey everyone. Today, I think I need a new fuel pump or fuel filter on my 9=
0 GL. The fuel pump is absolutely screaming all the time. Yesterday, it w=
as fine, or mostly fine. It would buzz a little off and on, normally right=
after I started the van for a little while. Today it is constant, and whe=
n it stops buzzing (normally when I am turning) I lose fuel pressure altoge=
ther. The difference between the 2 days is that it snowed and got really r=
eally cold (I know 5 degrees is not that cold, but this is the mid-atlantic=
) last night. I am wondering what this buzzing means. Does it mean I need =
a new fuel pump? Does it mean I need a new filter? Could it be the pump is =
cavitating because a bit of water in the gas tank has frozen and clogged th=
e fuel strainer?=0A=0AAnother thing is if anyone lives in the Washington, D=
C area and knows a shop that can get this changed out for me, it would be g=
reat to know of more than just the one shop I have. My shop is booked up f=
or the week, and I really need my van fixed before next week.=0A=0AI am sur=
e many of you have changed this out on your own. Is it as simple as undo t=
he 4 pipe clamps, unplug the wire, put on 4 clamps, and plug in the wire?=
=0A=0AI understand the fuel system looks like:=0A=0ATank > Strainer > Pump =
> Filter > Pressure Regulator > Fuel Rails > Injectors=0A=0AI know where th=
e fuel pump and filter are, but I can't see where the strainer is. I am wo=
ndering if there is a way I can pull it and check what is going on there to=
be sure it isnt just iced up somehow (though I expect water wont freeze wi=
th gasoline around, at least not at 5 degrees).=0A=0AThanks everyone,=0A=0A=
Jeff=0A90 GL=0A=0A=0A =0A_____________
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