fuel pump failure after trickle charge connected

[Geo]

looks like my (relatively new) fuel pump, on my 94 Chev Impala SS 5.7L V8 car, failed after GM dealership trickle charger connected to battery.

has anyone seen these two things happen? dealership deemed it to be pump failure after car cranked but wouldn't start.

what is the strainer component? can the filter clog causing pump failure in future (is that something that should be changed as well)?

[JBeezy]

I could be wrong, but I personally think it was just it's time to fail. That's one thing I've noticed about GM cars, the fuel pumps are going to fail its, just a matter of time . I owned a 96 Impala SS and a 94 Chevrolet Caprice. Pump died on both. Both tanks were full of gas.

[Badass_forever]

there is nothing that they could have done to make that pump fail.

[JBeezy]

Out of curiosity what type of pump is it?

[alec2538]

GM's are notoriously hard on their fuel pumps. It seems that running them at 55-65 PSI stock all the time doesn't work all that well. I can't even count how many fuel pumps I've done over the years on GM cars/trucks, yet Ford pumps rarely seems to fail. HOWEVER, the FPDM's on the Ford's do like to fail, so there is that.

There's always exceptions, though. Ford Focus' love to eat fuel pumps, they were actually recalled at one point. Their cousin the Mazda 3 is the same way. The Taurus/Sable twins seem to enjoy eating their pumps as well.

But to answer your question, no a trickle charger would have no effect on your fuel pump. The "strainer" is attached to the pick up of the fuel pump, in the tank, and is there to catch large debris that's floating around in the tank.

As for the main filter: normally a plugged filter will NOT kill a pump. What does kill a pump is replacing a clogged filter (that the pump has been fighting to flow through) with a new filter. This in turn "shocks" the pump due to a sudden increase in fuel volume and can kill it in short order.

[Geo]

thank you Alec,Badass_forever and Jbeezy for your response


Bbeezy, I am presuming my mechanic had put in the AC/Delco unit when he had done it.

[Geo]

I've been thinking, what if the connectors from the trickle charger were put on backwards

[fastblackmerc]

I've been thinking, what if the connectors from the trickle charger were put on backwards

Then the trickle charger most likely would not have worked.

I think the pump just failed. You can try to justify anything.

[Marauderjack]

I've been thinking, what if the connectors from the trickle charger were put on backwards

There would have been a BIG spark followed by lots cussin'!!:argue::argue:

[JBeezy]

thank you Alec,Badass_forever and Jbeezy for your response


Bbeezy, I am presuming my mechanic had put in the AC/Delco unit when he had done it.
That Delco unit is more than likely the problem then. Go with an aftermarket pump. Preferably Walbro IMO

[Geo]

Then the trickle charger most likely would not have worked.

I think the pump just failed. You can try to justify anything.

well of course, yes it would not have worked, I mean, if they connected the leads backwards first, then the spark show occurred, and then they reconnected them properly.

In the meantime, they could have killed the pump when the leads were on wrong after such a spark show.

When i was there days later, the guy handling the trickle charger hung the leads on the charger when it was still on and a huge spark show occured.

When the body shop manager heard about that, he wanted to check out the video surveillance footage. When he realized the leads weren't on the car when the sparks happened he decided not to check, however, I will get him to check footage from those days anyway, to see if the guy(s) running the charger created any sparks from incorrectly applying the leads.

[Geo]

That Delco unit is more than likely the problem then. Go with an aftermarket pump. Preferably Walbro IMO

so like Alec said, do you think the GM 55-65psi is flawed and that the Walbro unit has a better psi spec?

[Badass_forever]

GM's are notoriously hard on their fuel pumps. It seems that running them at 55-65 PSI stock all the time doesn't work all that well. I can't even count how many fuel pumps I've done over the years on GM cars/trucks, yet Ford pumps rarely seems to fail. HOWEVER, the FPDM's on the Ford's do like to fail, so there is that.

There's always exceptions, though. Ford Focus' love to eat fuel pumps, they were actually recalled at one point. Their cousin the Mazda 3 is the same way. The Taurus/Sable twins seem to enjoy eating their pumps as well.

But to answer your question, no a trickle charger would have no effect on your fuel pump. The "strainer" is attached to the pick up of the fuel pump, in the tank, and is there to catch large debris that's floating around in the tank.

As for the main filter: normally a plugged filter will NOT kill a pump. What does kill a pump is replacing a clogged filter (that the pump has been fighting to flow through) with a new filter. This in turn "shocks" the pump due to a sudden increase in fuel volume and can kill it in short order.

If you ever get the chance, look at the pump location on both, GM pumps sit higher then ford pumps do, its the way they design there tanks. so i'm guessing it runs hotter when people let their tanks get low.

my buddy has a gmc 1500, after replacing the pump 5 times, i took it right off the hat the let it lay in the bottom on that tank as a test, its been in there 5 years now and hasnt failed. he just cant go below 1/8 a tank or it wont pickup lol.

[Geo]

If you ever get the chance, look at the pump location on both, GM pumps sit higher then ford pumps do, its the way they design there tanks. so i'm guessing it runs hotter when people let their tanks get low.

my buddy has a gmc 1500, after replacing the pump 5 times, i took it right off the hat the let it lay in the bottom on that tank as a test, its been in there 5 years now and hasnt failed. he just cant go below 1/8 a tank or it wont pickup lol.

interesting

[Geo]

That Delco unit is more than likely the problem then. Go with an aftermarket pump. Preferably Walbro IMO

yes, this faulty GM fuel pump scenario is troubling

that Walbro unit may be a bit custom however. I'd hate to install another defective factory OEM GM AC/Delco unit just for it to fail again. I'm damned if I start it too much and I'm damned if I let it sit for too long; lovely.

[JBeezy]

yes, this faulty GM fuel pump scenario is troubling

that Walbro unit may be a bit custom however. I'd hate to install another defective factory OEM GM AC/Delco unit just for it to fail again. I'm damned if I start it too much and I'm damned if I let it sit for too long; lovely.
Shouldn't be much to it.

[marauderthis]

MY 96 ss has a trickle charger too ----- continuously for 3 years no issues

12 volts 100 mili amps



looks like my (relatively new) fuel pump, on my 94 Chev Impala SS 5.7L V8 car, failed after GM dealership trickle charger connected to battery.

has anyone seen these two things happen? dealership deemed it to be pump failure after car cranked but wouldn't start.

what is the strainer component? can the filter clog causing pump failure in future (is that something that should be changed as well)?

[alec2538]

If you ever get the chance, look at the pump location on both, GM pumps sit higher then ford pumps do, its the way they design there tanks. so i'm guessing it runs hotter when people let their tanks get low.

my buddy has a gmc 1500, after replacing the pump 5 times, i took it right off the hat the let it lay in the bottom on that tank as a test, its been in there 5 years now and hasnt failed. he just cant go below 1/8 a tank or it wont pickup lol.

I've NEVER thought about that... yet it makes a ton of sense. Thanks for the insight!

[martyo]

What we have here is a coincidence.

[JBeezy]

What we have here is a coincidence.
I agree with that.