Fuel Pump Problem?

[cowtownkid]

Hellow All,

Great Websit and the posts here have been extremely helpful. I recently purchased a 1993 4.0 with 73,000 actual miles. On Thursday I had some brake work done, replaced the gas fuel filler neck and fuel filter. After driving the truck home from the shop (about 30 miles) I let my son take the truck. He goes 4 miles to a park and stops. When ready to leave the truck will not start. I knew it was low on gas but not empty so I took him 1.5 gallons which we added and the truck immediately started and he drove it one mile to get gas. after putting 10 gallons in, the truck would not start again. When hitting the key, it fires weakly for a very brief split second then sounds like its not getting any fuel or even firing for that matter. After checking wire connections and everything else I could at the time, we had to leave it. I drove by the next morning on the way to work and bingo, the truck fired right up. I started it several times and drove it on home where it has started everytime. My mechanic said my fuel filter was the orginal and was badly clogged. Would this cause the pump to work extra hard and cause a premature failure and can the fuel pump work off & on intermitintently before completely failing? Any help would be greatly appreaciated. No check engine lights are on on the truck.

Thanks

cowtownkid

 

[Explorin94]

A clogged filter along with running the tank low on fuel alot contributes to most fuel pump failures. A plugged filter will over work the pump. Then with running the tank low on fuel heats the pump up. When the tank is at full or half the pump itself is sitting in the fuel which is actually cooling the pump as it runs. When the pump runs when it's low on fuel it gets hot and starts to drag.

 

[cowtownkid]

After this incident, I ordered one online...I will go ahead and replace it to be on the safe side. Would it be easier to drop the tank or go the route of pulling the bed off. I have heard pulling the bed is the best method to replace. I am going to add some RXP and fill it up all the way and put some miles on it and cross my fingers till I replace the pump.

Thanks,
cowtownkid

 

[shadetree]

You don't have to take it off. Just unbolt it, and tip it up on blocks, and yes, it is easier than dropping the tank.shady

 

[cowtownkid]

I'll unbolt the bed then. Anything else to look for/replace while I have the bed lifted?

 

[Explorin94]

I've done it either way. Sometimes with Ford beds it is easier to drop the tank as you may break the clips that hold the bed bolts on the frame. I would rather take the beds off as opposed to fight a full tank of fuel.

 

[AllanD]

A clogged filter along with running the tank low on fuel alot contributes to most fuel pump failures. A plugged filter will over work the pump. Then with running the tank low on fuel heats the pump up. When the tank is at full or half the pump itself is sitting in the fuel which is actually cooling the pump as it runs. When the pump runs when it's low on fuel it gets hot and starts to drag.

Running the tank low has NOTHING to do with clogging the fuel filter.

How ANYONE can think it can defies any concept of logic and reason.
because the pickup is ALWAYS at the bottom of the tank, the crap (if any)
gets sucked up FIRST.

What was likely happening here was that the check valve in the
pump is less than perfect and the pressure was gradually bleeding
down and some of the heavier crap on the filter element was falling off
allowing the fuel to flow until it was stirred up again.
This is a relatively typical problem.

As for the fuel cooling the pump if the pump is moving fuel at all it is cooling the pump because the fuel is pumped DIRECTLY through the motor
The armature is literally spinning in fuel... because there is literally
no other path for the fuel to follow...

the pump can only actually overheat if it is sucking air, in which case
it isn't supplying fuel and the engine isn't running, and if the engine stops,
so does the spark no spark and the fuel pump relay drops in 8-10 seconds....

The guys who have dual fuel tanks in F-series trucks
run "out of gas" all the time" the engine "goes flat"
under load (or dies all together) and all you do in response is flick the tank selector switch... to the tank that (theoretically atleast) has fuel in it.

Personally I "run out of fuel" a couple of times a month.
when one tank or the other goes dry.
I have dual tanks in my Ranger, and I AM running high pressure pumps
in both tanks.

Drop my tank? no way... I'd FAR rather pull the bed.

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[Explorin94]

Running the tank low has NOTHING to do with clogging the fuel filter.

How ANYONE can think it can defies any concept of logic and reason.
because the pickup is ALWAYS at the bottom of the tank, the crap (if any)
gets sucked up FIRST.

What was likely happening here was that the check valve in the
pump is less than perfect and the pressure was gradually bleeding
down and some of the heavier crap on the filter element was falling off
allowing the fuel to flow until it was stirred up again.
This is a relatively typical problem.

As for the fuel cooling the pump if the pump is moving fuel at all it is cooling the pump because the fuel is pumped DIRECTLY through the motor
The armature is literally spinning in fuel... because there is literally
no other path for the fuel to follow...

the pump can only actually overheat if it is sucking air, in which case
it isn't supplying fuel and the engine isn't running, and if the engine stops,
so does the spark no spark and the fuel pump relay drops in 8-10 seconds....

The guys who have dual fuel tanks in F-series trucks
run "out of gas" all the time" the engine "goes flat"
under load (or dies all together) and all you do in response is flick the tank selector switch... to the tank that (theoretically atleast) has fuel in it.

Personally I "run out of fuel" a couple of times a month.
when one tank or the other goes dry.
I have dual tanks in my Ranger, and I AM running high pressure pumps
in both tanks.

Drop my tank? no way... I'd FAR rather pull the bed.

AD

AD

Allan I said nothing about running a tank low being a contribute to clogging the fuel filter. I merely said that if you run a tank low on fuel constantly you run the risk of damging that pump as the fuel inside the tank cools it thus giving the problem contributed like a pluggged fuel filter