Hi all !!

My first major issue on my truck I'm going to tackle!

Truck: 1995 F-150 XL, 5.0L 302 V8. Duel gasoline tanks.

Issue: The fuel pump(s) is not working consistently.

Symptoms: I noticed the fuel pump is occasionally not making any sound when the key is turned on. When this happens, no fuel = no start. It is intermittent and most the time it pressurizes and starts.

Today, with the fuel tank switch flipped to front it wouldn't start. I flipped it to the rear tank, the fuel pump pressurized and the truck started.

Drove a few miles, flipped to the front tank while driving and the fuel was cutoff. Switched back to the rear and kept driving.
After a couple restarts I tried the front tank again. It started right up.

From what I have read here it seems this could be a wiring issue or fuel pump(s) going bad.

Questions:
(Haynes manual cuts out on the details)

1 - Can anyone point me to a great thread(s) on how to troubleshoot this fuel pump system?
(I've searched a great deal on the forum and get lost quickly)

2 - What's the best way to decide if these fuel pump(s) are at fault rather than just start replacing?

Thanks - John

 

access the plug on top of the front tank. check for voltage. if there is power to the plug and the truck will not start on the front tank, the fuel pump is bad.
if no power it is between the tank and the switch.

 

Hey tjc, Perfect! Simple and to the point. I'll do this the very next time the pump fails to pressurize.
I assume this can't be tested when it's working, so I'll have to wait till the next fail.

Thank you for your quick and simple reply!

 

no problem.

and by the way, welcome to FTE.

 

Cheers! Glad to be here.

It's just amazing what we can teach ourselves and learn from others these days with such great resources as FTE.

 

i stopped here back in 05 with a simple automatic transmission question.
i realized i had to pay back the help i got with the knowledge i had accumulated over 40 years of pulling wrenches..

over 6 years and 23,335 posts later, i am now a moderator and still learning from others when i come across a thread where much smarter people are posting.

 

Whoa, that's pretty cool! You're totally an expert and it's great to share online.
People like you help keep the world spinning on it's axis.

I'm in the middle of swapping engines on a 1972 VW Beetle and the folks at TheSamba have been really helpful too.

Oh btw, I found the plug on the first tank. Now I'm armed and ready to probe the plug once it fails again.

 

an easy first step is to check at the fuel pump interrupter switch when you get no fuel pressure. but the fact that it will still run on the back tank when the front will not pretty much tells me the fuel pump in the front tank is just about dead.

 

Thanks. I am nearly 100% sure it's about dead too.
Between your advice and on Saturday I noticed the front fuel pump sounded different than "normal", and vs/ the rear.

I'll be dropping that tank and replacing soon.