Multiple fuel pump failures

'89 YJ/ 258
313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)

Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07, which
replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.

So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while driving,
but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you are way out in the
middle of no where.

I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem, so I
installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.

One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very narrow
wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way across.

Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter should
answer that one.

Larry

That narrow wear mark could be the cam going bad or just that the lever
wasn't made properly. Suction filters have the disadvantage that
pressure loss in the suction side is going to hurt performance a lot
more than in the pressure side. On the other hand they do protect the
filter from crud. Is the filter stopped up? If that is a metal fuel
tank, which I think it is, then it is probably full of nasty stuff. How
about the fuel lines?

Cheers,

Earle

"Retiredff" > wrote in message
...
> '89 YJ/ 258
> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>
> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07,
which
> replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>
> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
driving,
> but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you are way out
in the
> middle of no where.
>
> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem,
so I
> installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>
> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
narrow
> wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way across.
>
> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter
should
> answer that one.
>
> Larry
>
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Earle,

I'm also thinking the wear mark just shows the lever was not correct. The
others I replaced showed wear across the lever.

The clear filter was just put on today, so stopped up was not the issue in
the past. And, yes, it is a metal tank, which is what made me start thinking
there might be a crud issue.

Every time I replaced the pump, I also replaced the regular fuel filter at
the carb, and there has never been any debris come out of it when I pour off
the fuel from the filter. I also replaced all the short pieces of rubber
fuel lines connecting everything together each time.

As for the lines to and from the tank, I have not messed with them. To me,
it would not make sense that they might be the trouble, just based on
everything being trouble free, then sudden failure. But then, what do I
know?

When it fails, fuel flow drops to near zero when I take the line off of the
carb filter and turn the motor over. When it is working, I get a strong flow
from the line.

Larry

Earle Horton wrote:
> That narrow wear mark could be the cam going bad or just that the
> lever wasn't made properly. Suction filters have the disadvantage
> that pressure loss in the suction side is going to hurt performance a
> lot more than in the pressure side. On the other hand they do
> protect the filter from crud. Is the filter stopped up? If that is
> a metal fuel tank, which I think it is, then it is probably full of
> nasty stuff. How about the fuel lines?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Earle
>
> "Retiredff" > wrote in message
> ...
>> '89 YJ/ 258
>> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>>
>> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
>> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July
>> '07, which replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>>
>> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
>> driving, but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you
>> are way out in the middle of no where.
>>
>> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem,
>> so I installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>>
>> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
>> narrow wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way
>> across.
>>
>> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The
>> filter should answer that one.
>>
>> Larry

Retiredff wrote:
> '89 YJ/ 258
> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>
> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07,
> which replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>
> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
> driving, but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you
> are way out in the middle of no where.
>
> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem,
> so I installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>
> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
> narrow wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way
> across.

Could be the pump lobe. My last chevy 305 V8 tended to wear lobes
and after two pumps and one cam I went with an electric.

> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter
> should answer that one.

At this point I'd just slap on a blockoff plate and install an electric
pump and pressure regulator.

--
DougW

DougW wrote:
> Retiredff wrote:
>> '89 YJ/ 258
>> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>>
>> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
>> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07,
>> which replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>>
>> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
>> driving, but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you
>> are way out in the middle of no where.
>>
>> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem,
>> so I installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>>
>> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
>> narrow wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way
>> across.
>
> Could be the pump lobe. My last chevy 305 V8 tended to wear lobes
> and after two pumps and one cam I went with an electric.
>
>> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter
>> should answer that one.
>
> At this point I'd just slap on a blockoff plate and install an electric
> pump and pressure regulator.
>

....and a rollover killswitch.

clay wrote:
> DougW wrote:
>> Retiredff wrote:
>>> '89 YJ/ 258
>>> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>>>
>>> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
>>> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07,
>>> which replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>>>
>>> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
>>> driving, but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you
>>> are way out in the middle of no where.
>>>
>>> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem,
>>> so I installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>>>
>>> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
>>> narrow wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way
>>> across.
>>
>> Could be the pump lobe. My last chevy 305 V8 tended to wear lobes
>> and after two pumps and one cam I went with an electric.
>>
>>> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter
>>> should answer that one.
>>
>> At this point I'd just slap on a blockoff plate and install an electric
>> pump and pressure regulator.
>>
>
> ...and a rollover killswitch.

oops. Guess you wouldn't need one on an injected motor.

If you don't have the correct fuel filter, with bypass back to the tank
is plugged, you'll cut the eccentric cam lobe off as Doug as said. And you
have another filter inside the frame rail, on the drivers side above the
front half of the spring. There's a shield you have to remove to get to it.
They're shown in this parts view page:
http://www.billhughes.com/temp/88yjFuelPump.pdf
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O



"Retiredff" > wrote in message
...
> '89 YJ/ 258
> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
>
> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July '07,
which
> replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
>
> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while driving,
> but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you are way out in
the
> middle of no where.
>
> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the problem, so I
> installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
>
> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very narrow
> wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way across.
>
> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The filter
should
> answer that one.
>
> Larry
>
>

You're dyslexic, too we can't see it even if we proof read.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

"clay" > wrote in message
...
>
> oops. Guess you wouldn't need one on an injected motor.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

The fuel tank will also have short rubber hoses connecting it to the
steel lines that run along the frame rails. A tiny suction leak could
be the root of your problem. Metal tanks are bad news if you live in a
high humidity area. I am wondering myself how long the polyethylene
tanks last though. If you are retired and have time, well drop the tank
and replace all the rubber that is associated with it. Then take a
look inside with a flashlight. They put ethanol in the fuel now too,
which might not be compatible with the fuel pump internals you are
getting. I don't know what you could do about that though, except maybe
switch brands of supplier.

Good luck,

Earle

"Retiredff" > wrote in message
...
> Earle,
>
> I'm also thinking the wear mark just shows the lever was not correct.
The
> others I replaced showed wear across the lever.
>
> The clear filter was just put on today, so stopped up was not the
issue in
> the past. And, yes, it is a metal tank, which is what made me start
thinking
> there might be a crud issue.
>
> Every time I replaced the pump, I also replaced the regular fuel
filter at
> the carb, and there has never been any debris come out of it when I
pour off
> the fuel from the filter. I also replaced all the short pieces of
rubber
> fuel lines connecting everything together each time.
>
> As for the lines to and from the tank, I have not messed with them. To
me,
> it would not make sense that they might be the trouble, just based on
> everything being trouble free, then sudden failure. But then, what do
I
> know?
>
> When it fails, fuel flow drops to near zero when I take the line off
of the
> carb filter and turn the motor over. When it is working, I get a
strong flow
> from the line.
>
> Larry
>
> Earle Horton wrote:
> > That narrow wear mark could be the cam going bad or just that the
> > lever wasn't made properly. Suction filters have the disadvantage
> > that pressure loss in the suction side is going to hurt performance
a
> > lot more than in the pressure side. On the other hand they do
> > protect the filter from crud. Is the filter stopped up? If that is
> > a metal fuel tank, which I think it is, then it is probably full of
> > nasty stuff. How about the fuel lines?
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Earle
> >
> > "Retiredff" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> '89 YJ/ 258
> >> 313,000+ miles (re-man motor 11,000+ miles)
> >>
> >> Over the last few years, I have had several fuel pumps fail. I just
> >> replaced one that failed yesterday, which replaced one from July
> >> '07, which replaced one from Oct. '06, etc.
> >>
> >> So far, they have always failed at start-up, so no problems while
> >> driving, but it can be a little scary to think 'what if' while you
> >> are way out in the middle of no where.
> >>
> >> I started wondering if crud from the fuel tank might be the
problem,
> >> so I installed a clear filter just prior to the pump this time.
> >>
> >> One thing I noticed on this one was that the lever only had a very
> >> narrow wear mark (at the most, 1/16") on it, instead of all the way
> >> across.
> >>
> >> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The
> >> filter should answer that one.
> >>
> >> Larry
>
>
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

clay wrote:
> clay wrote:
>> DougW wrote:
>>> Retiredff wrote:

>>>> Any ideas other then I need to pull the tank and clean it? The
>>>> filter should answer that one.
>>>
>>> At this point I'd just slap on a blockoff plate and install an
>>> electric pump and pressure regulator.
>>>
>>
>> ...and a rollover killswitch.
>
> oops. Guess you wouldn't need one on an injected motor.

Nah, your right. With any electric you should have a rollover switch,
engine interlock, or at least a panic kill switch.

--
DougW