Intermittent Loud Fuel Pump

[02CustominFL]

Noticed last week that after an hour or so of driving my fuel pump got really oud, to the point where sitting in the car with a/c on low and stereo off, you could hear it running. I changed the filter thinking maybe it was getting clogged and overworking the pump, but I've heard it a time or two since then. Is this common or is it the beginning of the end?

 

[dcraig1000]

could have sucked something up from the bottom of the tank. not sure what to do there, except pull it out and check it.(easier said than done)............
what year lesabre?

 

[02CustominFL]

It's an 02, pretty easy to pull the pump (already tried to fix the fuel level sender to no avail). I may just buy a pump and keep it in the trunk.

 

[cgjcapri]

With it being intermittent I have to ask are you sure it is the fuel pump and not the compressor for the air ride, assuming you have the air ride system in the rear?

 

[02CustominFL]

Oh yeah, sounds nothing like the air pump. The air pump sounds like, well, a little air compressor (go figure) and the fuel pump has more of a high pitched whistle almost to it.

 

[HotZ28]

When the fuel pump noise becomes noticeable with the engine running & accessories OFF, you have a total failure progressing. It is that not that hard to change the pump on this model. You have an access point in the trunk on the hump that allows easy removal, just pull back the cover to see it. You should replace the complete assembly (pump/sending unit) when doing this. Use quality parts (ACDELCO Part # MU1791) or (DELPHI Part # FG0162) Do not use the China brands when replacing the assembly; otherwise you will be stranded within the next year. (They have 1-yr warranty)

 

[02CustominFL]

When the fuel pump noise becomes noticeable with the engine running & accessories OFF, you have a total failure progressing. It is that not that hard to change the pump on this model. You have an access point in the trunk on the hump that allows easy removal, just pull back the cover to see it. You should replace the complete assembly (pump/sending unit) when doing this. Use quality parts (ACDELCO Part # MU1791) or (DELPHI Part # FG0162) Do not use the China brands when replacing the assembly; otherwise you will be stranded within the next year. (They have 1-yr warranty)

Because my funds are incredibly limited right now I'm going to have to go with an el-cheapo pump for now, but while the old one still works I'll keep it in my trunk along with all the tools needed to change it if I have to. But at least my gas gauge will work.

 

[HotZ28]

The pump usually fails when you are in the most inconvenient places. Good Luck!

 

[journeyforce]

To be honest with you, I would just change the pump now and then clean the old one up(get the gas off it, so it is safe to store in the trunk) and put it in the trunk as a back up. The reason your old pump is dying is most likely in part because the gauge did not work or was not working well and might have caused the car to run out of fuel a few times thus damaging the pump because the fuel in the tank keeps pump temp low.

Try to get the best aftermarket pump you can afford and change the old one out