fuel pump issues

**DemonSpeed** · 07-19-2009, 06:41 PM

So for a while now ive noticed after long trips that there is a whining noise coming from the back of my car. Kind of high pitched like an electrical motor, figured it was the fuel pump. Well its finally going i think, after a long trip (120 miles) when i dropped my friend off it died and would only run for a sec then die again. I let it sit for about 10 min and it started fine and i drove it for a couple of miles to walmart and when i was pulling in it died and i coasted into a space. I went in and was in for about 20 min came out and it started fine so figured i would try to make it home. Drove for about 10 miles turn onto another road and it dies, let it sit, drive, die. seems like the longer it sits the longer i can drive. Question is if its the fuel pump itself or another part of the system?

**kirkjames90** · 07-20-2009, 08:56 AM

check your fuel psi that will help you determine for sure mine never died but it would almost all the time turns out it was the Fuel Pressure Regulator a lil piece thats on the side of the fuel pump housing it wouldnt seal up properly

**JaycenK** · 07-20-2009, 01:12 PM

well price a fuel pump and be shocked at the sticker price so you mightwant to make sure that the fuel pump is the problem and not a bad relay or something stupid like that

**Smittro** · 07-20-2009, 01:27 PM

Just did my fuel pump in the 01 Camaro couple weeks ago. Same thing happened to the wife which resulted in a AAA flat bed bringing her home. It would start after it sat for a while them die too. Mainly because when gas is subjected to temp variations it will build pressure in any sealed container it sits in. Just like it does in a gas can with the breather closed. This presure will provide a minimum operating presure level for the injectors to fire/spray. But as you found out the presure does'nt last and a sick fuel pump wont keep up. My fuel pump just died. Turned the key off let it sit for a sec and then turned the key to the run possition. Listen..........Notta sound. Tried again nothing. Let it sit over one night and the next day the pump started up but sounded like it was not doing good. Fired it up ran fine soon as I gave it gas the pump sounded like it was choking and the motor began to "diesel" then died. 500 bucks for the new pump and 3 hrs start to finish dropping the tank (yay! fun fun). I'd be willing to bet it's the pump. I would change the fuel filter too. Maybe the fuel presure reg but I doubt it...

**0rion** · 07-20-2009, 01:37 PM

verify pressure like these guys said and if it turns out to be a fuel pump replace it with a racetronix kit. Cheaper and better than OEM.

**Smittro** · 07-20-2009, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

verify pressure like these guys said and if it turns out to be a fuel pump replace it with a racetronix kit. Cheaper and better than OEM.

That's a given proceedure in any presureized system.......

**DemonSpeed** · 07-20-2009, 04:06 PM

I got in it today and let it idle for about 5-10 min then took it down the road for a couple of miles, no problems. Who knows if it would have lasted longer. what if the pressure reads fine then it does it again later? seemed to run fine at idle and fuel pump sounded good when i turned the key on, when its having issues it sounds really sick when i turn the key.

**Smittro** · 07-20-2009, 04:58 PM

I dunno. But one thing I would'nt do is drop the tank only to put the old pump back in. IMHO I'd pick up a pump,filter, and anything else you can think of to just simply update the fuel system. Especially if your mileage is high. Hell I'm in the mid 70k range and mine died. It's possible a pressure test would still determine if the pump is weak. It may be running @ minimal opperanting psi too. Wont know unless ya check. But I'm still leaning towards the pump IMO. In my case the pump was clearly not functioning correctly, and sometimes not @ all. It's a small motor in the pump that has a big job to do, weakest link in the system if you ask me.IMHO

**kirkjames90** · 07-21-2009, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by DemonSpeed

I got in it today and let it idle for about 5-10 min then took it down the road for a couple of miles, no problems. Who knows if it would have lasted longer. what if the pressure reads fine then it does it again later? seemed to run fine at idle and fuel pump sounded good when i turned the key on, when its having issues it sounds really sick when i turn the key.

ur psi should be around 55 i believe?
you should get the pressure checked first before we move on to if its only good sometimes
find someone with a fuel pressure reader its as easy as checking tire pressure a local shop let me use theirs for free
but i seriouly doubt ur psi is gonne be fine

i went thru alot of crap with mine i replaced the fuelpump with a brand new racetronix and it still ran like crap later we found out the regulator was not sealing properly which cause pressure not to build up so i was driving around with 22-26psi for a couple days heres a pic of it circled in the red

its a 40$ part they DO NOT sell this individually so u will have to ask for another i believe mine is from a 02-04 chevy truck but i am not sure as it was a year ago. I highly suggest if u replace the fuel pump you take this piece off and try to blow air through the lil valve and if u can very easlily its bad
hope this helps im speaking from tons of wasted time and money with the same problem you are having

**DemonSpeed** · 07-21-2009, 09:58 AM

ok thanks guys, ill check the pressure and post what i find

**99RTA** · 07-22-2009, 08:29 AM

You can buy it seperately as long as you know what to ask for. ask for the v6 3800 regulator...same thing.......but it mounts up at the rail and uses a vacuum hose. If you look closely at your ls1 regulator you will see it has a port for a hose and is the same regulator.

**0rion** · 07-22-2009, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by 99RTA

You can buy it seperately as long as you know what to ask for. ask for the v6 3800 regulator...same thing.......but it mounts up at the rail and uses a vacuum hose. If you look closely at your ls1 regulator you will see it has a port for a hose and is the same regulator.

I have a feeling you're talking about the piece between the rails.....that isn't a regulator. It's a pulse dampner to keep constant pressure on the passenger rail when the injectors fire.

**99RTA** · 07-22-2009, 12:09 PM

NO i'm talking about the fuel pressure regulator. On the v6 its located on the fuel rail....... its the same part that is located in the fuel bucket in the LS1. It is the correct regulator and in fact its the regulator gm uses on all its cars and trucks since 99.Most applications also use a vacuum hose to lower the pressure at high vacuum, the ls1 does not use the vacuuum hose BUT if you look close you will see the VAC port on the LS1 regulator.

Both the v6 and ls1 have the "pulse damper" on the rail but the v6 also has the regulator mounted up there and uses a return line.

AND the "pulse damper" or commonly called acumulator is to cushion and absorb the fluid HAMMERING effects the injectors cause as they open and close. As the injectors close the entire fuel system gets a JOLT of fluid pressure that acts like a hammer damaging certain parts of the fuel system like check valves, injector pintle seats etc. That "pulse damper" acumulator aborbs that schock wave.

**DemonSpeed** · 07-23-2009, 05:13 PM

ok so i checked the pressure and its a constant 60. Let it idle for a while then took it down the road and drove it fairly hard, came back and checked the pressure and it was still a constant 60

It ran normal, I guess its only on long trips? If thats the case is it the pump? should I replace it?

**NOmulletLs7** · 07-23-2009, 05:54 PM

i def think it is the pump and i would replace it cause at my shop we work on rental trucks like u-haul and budget rental trucks and on 99 and up gm 25 and 3500s and savana vans the fuel pumps do this exact thing all the time after the trucks go on long trips the fuel pump heats up and starts to get louder and the finally it dies and then u let it cool off and it will work again until it heats up and dies again. so def change it! lol

**Thom** · 07-29-2009, 04:07 AM

I have a fuel pump issue also. At idle the fuel pressure was 55 PSI in the higher RPMs it dropped off to 30 PSI. Should these maintain a constant higher pressure through all of the RPM ranges?