Bad fuel pump?

1990RangerinSK · Apr 21, 2018

I should have updated this a month ago, but I didn't. On my way home from church a few weeks ago, I barely made it home. The truck started fine, so I put it in gear and started driving. It seemed fine, then suddenly I had to push my foot almost to the floor to keep it moving. Suddenly it downshifted, and then was fine for the rest of the short drive home, but idled really badly. Backing into my driveway, it felt like it was going to stall. A few days later I had to move the truck to plow the driveway, and it (again) felt like it was going to stall. It's been off the road since.

Yesterday I started it up just to run it for a few minutes so the battery wouldn't die, and just let it idle. It felt like it was going to stall, but it kept running. Today, I started it to move it over on the driveway, and it was the same. It's going in to replace the fuel pump as soon as I can get it in.

alwaysFlOoReD · Apr 21, 2018

No one has mentioned for you to do a fuel pressure test. You can usually borrow a tester from your local parts place. You should have 40 psi and it should stay there even with the engine off. If you have less than 30 psi then there is problems with the pump and the engine will have a hard time starting and running.

saskbill · Apr 22, 2018

Before you try changing out the pump, maybe consider the fuel filter. Has it ever been changed? Plugging filter will do some funny things in terms of on again/off again problems - the bogging down while driving then ok after you shut it down for a few minutes is classic.

Anyway, a fuel filter is about $20, jack up and put blocks under the front driver's wheel. And prepare to struggle with hose clamp holding the old filter in place, possible the fuel hose releases (can't remember what's on the 89 and up - the older ones just have plastic hairpins) and very possibly have gas run down your shirt sleeve.

But might be worth considering, though I think we're all pretty much thinking your pump is just tired.

1990RangerinSK · Apr 22, 2018

I've been thinking that I might ask the mechanic who does the pump for me to do the filter while he's got it up in the air. It's really not a bad idea.

I'd also like to (soon) do new plugs and wires (6MPG!), but that's another topic for another day.

1990RangerinSK · Sep 9, 2018

My truck will be going to the doctor, soon. So, the other day I started it up (which I do periodically anyway so that the battery doesn't die). I noticed a couple of symptoms other than the fact that it seems like it wants to stall.

1) Driveway was wet under the end of the tail pipe
2) Unusual smell (not sure if it smells like raw fuel, or not

I recorded a video so that you can here what it sounds like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EGHsvI5j5c&list=PLYofo0vfP3hXSPrfG2Muw-bIlPQGoGKXd

Other symptoms are in the post from February.

I'm still thinking bad fuel pump, but it almost smells like it's running rich, and the moisture is another tip off.

Thanks! I know, the mechanic will tell me exactly what the problem is, but I'd like to know going in what to expect.

91stranger · Sep 10, 2018

I would start with a pressure test. you can get these cheap at harbor freight. This at least gives you an idea how well its working when or if it does turn on. Next I would check all plug connections, make sure they are clean and no exposed wires. I just replaced the pump on my 99 and it wasn't too bad. They let me work on it at work on lunch breaks in the back. had to use a big breaker bar to get the bed bolts loosened, then used and impact. only 1 broke. I ended up replacing all of the bolts with 1/2" grade 8 bolts from TSC with anti seize on the threads for future. I ended up using the factory driver front bed bolt and j-clip because of the gas tank in the way. The rest were easy to put on with stop nuts and a pair of locking pliers. I was able to use the to motor to raise the bed in and out of place which was nice. Cleaned and painted the frame to prevent rust. Will make a thread showing that paint job. Bought the fuel pump on ebay for 1/3 the price local stores wanted.

Shran · Sep 10, 2018

Your mechanic will figure it out but my guess based on the symptoms would be a bad fuel pressure regulator (poor mileage and fuel smell.)

1990RangerinSK · Sep 10, 2018

Shran said:
Your mechanic will figure it out but my guess based on the symptoms would be a bad fuel pressure regulator (poor mileage and fuel smell.)

As heard in the video, it's idle is barely stable. Could that also be caused by a bad fuel pressure regulator?

1990RangerinSK · Sep 14, 2018

Update: A friend of mine picked up the truck today. It has a doctor's appointment (the truck, not my friend!) on Monday at 1:00. The mechanic is about 60 miles away from my house, my friend lives half way between. From what I gather, the truck made it to his place under it's own power.

I have seen bad fuel pumps do that, though. My Topaz was like that. The pump would cut out periodically. It did that for a couple of months or more before it finally up and quit. I know, it may not be the fuel pump.

I should know on Monday night what the mechanic has found. I'll try to remember to post an update then.

1990RangerinSK · Sep 17, 2018

Well, the bad news: The truck never saw the mechanic. On the way there, the truck started smoking really bad. When my friend got to his place, he checked the transmission fluid, and found the stick dry. So, he called the mechanic today, and the mechanic suspects that the transmission overheated (and somehow lost it's fluid). There was no abnormal load, except for highway driving, probably in overdrive. It happened once, it's pretty much guaranteed it will happen again, I'd say, and I suspect that there is a pretty good chance the transmission will self destruct in the very near future.

With everything else that it needs, it's not worth fixing. I don't know what's going to happen with it yet, but what ever happens, I think I might stick around.

pjtoledo · Sep 17, 2018

don't give up yet. that could be something simple like a broken cooler line spraying on the exhaust. BTDT

my 2000 did that. leak was fixed, been running fine for 5 years.

Bad fuel pump?

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