Friday, May 05, 2006

Fuel Pump #3

I swapped out the fuel pump this afternoon. This is the third one in a year. Pretty bad, since the truck has moved only 250 miles in that year. AND that counts the 50 miles it rode on a trailer to get here!

Not a huge deal, since the pump has a lifetime warranty. And with the practice, I can now install a fuel pump in less than 15 minutes. But now that I think about it, I might have been swapping out the wrong parts. But since the pump was off and it is under warranty, I switched it for a new one.

There was gas in the oil pan. I noticed that the level on the dipstick was really high this morning and sure enough, I could smell gas in the oil. Both signs of a bad fuel pump. But the truck was running fine before the swap. So I am thinking that maybe the fuel is getting to the oil pan another way. But that is where my mechanical knowledge ends.

I don't know what other ways it could be getting into the oil. Do you?

Or have I just gotten really unlucky with the fuel pumps from Auto Zone. I am sure they are not the greatest parts, but who can pass on a $15 part with a lifetime warranty?

Anyways, after swapping the pump and changing the oil and filter, we were back on the road this afternoon. Until I ran out of gas. But again, I was lucky. It happened at the end of the driveway.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

have you cleaned out/switched out the gas tank yet? Rust can get to the pump and punture the diaphram on the pump. Again, from experience.

Mike said...

I did a half assed clean out. I never sealed the tank, but I cleaned it out, and power washed it out several months ago. After it dried for a few weeks I reinstalled it.

I think it is pretty clean. I busted open the last two inline filters and they seemed fairly clen, not too much crud in them.

But I still bet you are right. I assume there is still junk coming out of the tank.