New Fuel Pump

[Skillet]

Got myself a new fuel pump last week. On the way back from a Ham Festival in North Carolina (not Yam), I was North on 95 just miles from the Virginia border. Suddenly it was like I lost all my fuel as it just died on me, but the electrical was still working. I drifted to the shoulder and did some Googling for possible problems. Besides fuel pump, it mentioned other things and the only one I could really try was resetting the fuel cutoff switch. I accessed that but no luck. So I called my insurance and got a tow. Unfortunately, I could only go to the nearest repair center which was 40 miles away. It was a rundown, half junkyard, mom & pop shop about 50yds from 95. The tow guy said the owner is old and cranky, but knows his stuff. Told me not to worry that he tows wrecks there all the time and the State Police uses him for wrecks as well. He also works on big rigs and rv's.

I met the owner that evening and he couldn't address the issue at that time but said I could sleep in his lot. The next morning (Sunday) he did his diagnostic work and determined it was the fuel pump. His daughter was getting married that afternoon and he said he would have to drop the gas tank to replace it but couldn't get to it until Monday. I had to be at work on Monday so I left it with him and got a ride back home. It was fixed on Monday and I picked it up on Wednesday. $995 for the diagnostic time and replacement. I was told I got a reasonable rate when I asked around afterwards but it really surprised me that in the middle of nowhere he charges $95 an hour. Regardless, I was stuck and he could have charged me what he wanted. I'm really not complaining, just thought considering the area, it would have been cheaper. So now I have at least one major component I don't have to worry about.

Something I learned was that I had symptoms of the fuel pump going bad just months prior that I didn't pay much attention to. I couple times a month it would crank over quickly but not catch when trying to start it. A 2nd or 3rd try it would start up fine and I would go weeks before it would happen again. I thought it was battery-related and put it off. My gas mileage was going down. in my city driving I was getting very low 9's per gallon and once upper 8's where normally I get upper 9's. I really started to wonder when on that trip, I got mid-9's when I should have easily been in the 12's. The last thing I learned is that the gas tank is metal. As I was leaving the shop the owner's assistant came up to me and asked if I knew the tank was metal. I said, no I thought it was plastic. He said even drained, it was a bear to get that sucker out of there, it weighed so much.

I have 94 1/2k miles on my Chinook, start looking for and paying attention to minor symptoms if you are getting up there in miles!

[SMan]

Glad you got her fixed. The life of RV ownership! Things are expensive when you drop fuel tanks. $900 seems a tad high but at least it got done.

I had an 82 Corvette with under 20K on it quit right in my driveway. It also was a fuel pump. It was just shy of $600.

Anyway life is good again!

[Skillet]

Yeah, if it was going to happen, it picked the right time and place for it. A couple months prior I did a 1200 mile trip with most of it being in the West Va mountains. I would have been really stranded on some of the roads I was on. Also, it would have cost a lot more if it happened around my house. The shops work at more than $95hr here...

[Astrodokk]

You have the right attitude Skillet! Being stranded in the boonies would not have been very pleasant, mostly for the logistics of getting the rig back home. Oh the problems we First Worlders face!
And thanks for the heads up about prior symptoms. I just hit 98k miles. but so far no issues, at least mechanically!

[markatherton]

I replaced fuel pump in my 97 and, honestly, I thought it was a really easy job. I am a diesel mechanic however but I am 65 years old... Just saying because you should not be intimidated by this project.

[dougm]

I had mine replaced couple years back at the Ford dealership, i also had the fuel pump driver replaced, fuel rail pressure sensor. Before it was over the moron mechanic if he can even be classified as a mechanic, used an air impact gun to remove the nuts off of the fuel pump studs which are welded into the fuel tank. He snapped one of them off effectively ruining the gas tank since they are welded in place from the inside of the tank. Before it was over my bill was right at $4000 for a new gas tank, fuel pump, sensors, and of course labor that should have been free considering the damage done by them.