fuel pump woes
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Joined: Mar 2008
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fuel pump woes
my 2000 f-350 has 212,000 miles on it and has gone through 7 fuel pumps. the first one went out at about 68,000 and their life span has gotten less and less. i started running blended fuel at around 150,000 and changed from ford pumps to carter pumps. no better. went into the fuel tank and did the hutch mod after finding screens plugged. reinstalled pickup back at same level as original, but seemed rather tight against botton of tank. thinking i need to raise it a bit. any suggestions.
thanks in advance
thanks in advance
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,549
Likes: 14
From: Payson, AZ
It may seem tight when the tank is sitting on the ground but the bottom will sag a bit when the tank is re-installed.
Have you measured the voltage at the pump. The fuel pump will run at a lower voltage but a lower voltage may shorten it's life.
Have you measured the voltage at the pump. The fuel pump will run at a lower voltage but a lower voltage may shorten it's life.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,144
Likes: 11
From: Rochdale MA
This is along my lines of thinking Robin. If the voltage is low the amperage is higher thus more heat.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,549
Likes: 14
From: Payson, AZ
The pump needs to be running when you check the voltage. I would check while it is running and use the voltage at the battery as a reference. The voltage at the pump should be within at least a half volt of what you get at the batt. Causes for low voltage could be bad wiring or bad relay contact (there is a fuel pump relay) on the + side. Or a bad ground circuit on the - side. Measure across the + and - terminals right on the pump, that way you are using the ground circuit for the pump. If the voltage is low move the - lead to a good frame ground. If voltage increases it is probaly a problem on the ground side. If the voltage is still low using frame ground then the problem is on the + (battery) side. To eleminate a bad relay contact swap the relay with another of the same type. Hopefully the voltage will be ok, but then what is causing all the pump failures?
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fuel pump woes
thanks robin. after posting yesterday, i called a service tech friend at ford who said they check it at the plug along the frame rail with just the key on and it should be around 12 volts. so i did that and it read 6 volts. i will try your suggestions and see what happens. he also said when this problem has cropped up in the past it was clogged fuel lines, both to the fuel bowl and also the return line, making the pump work harder.
i think i saw sunnyvale in your post: i grew up in san jose and now live near grass valley in the foothills.
thanks again for your help and detail. will let you know whats up.
bill
i think i saw sunnyvale in your post: i grew up in san jose and now live near grass valley in the foothills.
thanks again for your help and detail. will let you know whats up.
bill
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,549
Likes: 14
From: Payson, AZ
thanks robin. after posting yesterday, i called a service tech friend at ford who said they check it at the plug along the frame rail with just the key on and it should be around 12 volts. so i did that and it read 6 volts. i will try your suggestions and see what happens. he also said when this problem has cropped up in the past it was clogged fuel lines, both to the fuel bowl and also the return line, making the pump work harder.
i think i saw sunnyvale in your post: i grew up in san jose and now live near grass valley in the foothills.
thanks again for your help and detail. will let you know whats up.
bill
i think i saw sunnyvale in your post: i grew up in san jose and now live near grass valley in the foothills.
thanks again for your help and detail. will let you know whats up.
bill
I lived in Sunnyvale from 1958 until 2001. Love the Grass Valley. Was my second choice to live when I retired. Chose Payson because I have a son and grandchildren in Phoenix. Payson is at 5,00 ft and in the forest. Actually reminds me of the Sierra foothills.
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fuel pump woes
so robin, i have 13.5 volts at the batt and at the fuel pump. guess i'll be dropping the tank and trying to clear the lines. on the fuel bowl where the filter goes in, do you know where the return line is? i am assuming the one on the top right (looking front to back of engine) is the "in" line. on the other hand, rather than trying to get it off at the bowl, could i take out the filter and drain the bowl and blow backwards from the tank end?
how much air pressure it too much?
since i have a large, spin on fuel filter before the pump do i still need the original one in the bowl?
as always, thanks in advance.
bill
how much air pressure it too much?
since i have a large, spin on fuel filter before the pump do i still need the original one in the bowl?
as always, thanks in advance.
bill
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,549
Likes: 14
From: Payson, AZ
I believe it is Diesel Innovations that has a good install guide for the in-tank pre-pump filter mod.
Stick with the stock filter if the pre-pump filter is not a water separator type. If it is make sure it will filter down to the same micron size as the stock filter. Sorry I don't know thw mocron size of the stock filter.
I am catching a plane this morning and will be gone for 3 weeks.
Good luck getting things squared away.
Stick with the stock filter if the pre-pump filter is not a water separator type. If it is make sure it will filter down to the same micron size as the stock filter. Sorry I don't know thw mocron size of the stock filter.
I am catching a plane this morning and will be gone for 3 weeks.
Good luck getting things squared away.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,541
Likes: 2
From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
I don't like the idea of deleting the stock filter -- if your pump lets go and sends shrapnel up the line, getting it out of the heads won't be fun, and you could lose injectors too. I went with a large micron pre-pump filter instead and kept the stock filtering up top.
When you said you switched to "blended fuel", what did you mean? And if your pump goes again, you might have a look at this one. I'll be switching mine out shortly -- it's a nice replacement.
http://www.aztpi.com/product.php?productid=41
When you said you switched to "blended fuel", what did you mean? And if your pump goes again, you might have a look at this one. I'll be switching mine out shortly -- it's a nice replacement.
http://www.aztpi.com/product.php?productid=41
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fuel pump woes
instead of using diesel from the gas station, i blend my own fuel from waste vegetable oil. add some kerosene, gas, diesel kleen, and naptha, stir it up, pump it through some filters and into the tank. i have run just the blend, but usually mix in some pump diesel with my blend. runs quieter, doesn't smoke when i get on it pulling a load and costs about a buck a gallon to make.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,111
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
instead of using diesel from the gas station, i blend my own fuel from waste vegetable oil. add some kerosene, gas, diesel kleen, and naptha, stir it up, pump it through some filters and into the tank. i have run just the blend, but usually mix in some pump diesel with my blend. runs quieter, doesn't smoke when i get on it pulling a load and costs about a buck a gallon to make.
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 593
Likes: 1
From: Frankfort, KY
I have been running straight vegetable oil (no blending) through the stock pump for 20,000 miles with no problems. The oil is filtered to less than 5 microns and heated before it hits the (separate) veggie oil filter. The pump is relocated to the engine bay in order to filter and heat the veg oil before it gets to the pump. The pump is not pumping cold veggie oil. The pump I have is:
Bosch 0580464074
7 fuel pumps is definitely a problem. Do you have a veg oil conversion, or are you 1 tanking it and blending? Are you filtering the veg oil to 5 microns?
I would cut the veg oil out of my blend for a while and see if that is causing the problem.
Bosch 0580464074
7 fuel pumps is definitely a problem. Do you have a veg oil conversion, or are you 1 tanking it and blending? Are you filtering the veg oil to 5 microns?
I would cut the veg oil out of my blend for a while and see if that is causing the problem.