fuel pump problems

[jeepxjga]

ok, jeep just died on the road on the way to go somewhere. but only a few hundred feet from my house. it just randomly died when i was making a left turn onto the main road. now the fuel pump isn't getting any power at all? weird. ok, so i checked all the relays, all the wires/grounds to the pump and tank, i had a ballast resistor but i bypassed it and it has been that way for quite some time, also have a fairly new cps, tps, pump, filter, fuel pressure reg., plugs, wires, dist cap and rotor. i'm stumped, i'm about to hardwire the pump to make sure it still works. if its toast, that'll be number 5 in like 2 months! anyone else got any ideas?

 

[zero2fearo]

I had my ground wire burn out once. Right by the pump.
Sorry if that is no help.

0

 

[jeepxjga]

yeah i checked for shorts, i think i'm just gonna replace the pump....again.....for the 5th time. thanks for the reply though.

 

[89xj]

i would put the ballist resistor back in. its only a $10 dollar part and is much cheaper than a new fuel pump. it may not fix the problem, but it will at least eliminate that as a cause.

 

[satan]

Whose pumps are you using? Many of the aftermarket ones just don't hold-up well at all (I'm sure that's exasurbated by running a hotter than spec voltage on those weak units) --

Rather than hopping in for a new pump every few months, you may wanna consider an OME pump...

 

[jeepxjga]

well i'm getting the pumps from napa, not sure if thats OEM or not though. the weird thing about the ballast resistor is that i bought one, put it back in, and then it didn't run at all when i put it in. it acted like it did before....very weird. any other thoughts?

 

[homey_15]

i agree with the others, its best to go OEM on fuel pumps and i too would definetly get a new resistor, its cheap insurance and i think in the long run you'll save money unless theyre warranting you pumps every time you toast one, in which case its saving you the hassle of putting in a new pump every time you turn around. plus you wont look like a dork when your rig breaks down on the highway.

 

[RichP]

Left turn huh.. how much gas is in it ? My 98 does that when it's down to it's last 2 gallons. OEM pump is the way to go just like with the slave cylinders and thermostats among other things.
The gas in the tank actually cools the pump, run it dry a couple of times and the pump overheats real quick and seizes.

 

[Greg Smith]

Go OEM. I did aftermarket on my 89 and although it works (w. ballast resistor) for 2 yrs, it craps out turning hard w. a low tank. I ordered OEM for 40% off from Stephen (ask for internet discount) at Springdale Dodge 1-800-25-9686. Also note the OEM pump kit requires you to use part of your old pump attachment bracket. Hope you kept those parts when you installed your NAPA pumps. My aftermarket pump (a neihoff) did not need them but I fortunately kept the parts. I have the new OEM pump (cost about $130) and hope to do the install this spring. Keep your balast resistor and keep your tank at least 1/4 full - we keep ours around 1/2 full for pump cooling. Good Luck. Greg

 

[jeepxjga]

alrighty, well i went and got a new pump, and it still isn't turning on. i was reading somewhere about fusible links that can crap out? i know its no the relay, i already tried that. anyway, who knows where these links are, i have been dreading following wires all over the place but it looks like thats what i'm gonna have to do.

 

[Chad88xj]

Try this.

I had this same exact thing happen to me a month or so back. I put in a new fuel pump (Auto Zone) and a few days later it breaks down on me. I was getting no power at all to the pump.

I took the pump off and just wired it straight to the battery as a test. It was fine. So just to get home I just ran some wires straight from my batter under the chassis and straight to the pump. Worked fine for the mile or so I had to drive.

A guy who stopped to help me suggested the ignition switch. He was totally right. Bought one for about 12 bucks and put it in the next day. Old one had burned out. New one got juice to the fuel pump relay and my problem was solved.

You might also check out those fusable links. They should be right there in front of your relays. Just poke a tester into the wires on each side of the links and that'll tell you whether juice is even getting there. You'll have to have someone engage the ignition, though.

Also, I downloaded a PDF schematic on the Web once of the entire fuel system. It proves very helpful. You might do a search for it.