Hello All,

Following advice found here on the venerable BB, I have begun to check the fuel pumps on my fleet of 93's by individually providing power to both the main pump and transfer pump side of fuse 4.

And as you might suspect, I found that on green wagon, the transfer pump wasn't operating. So I secured a "good" JY unit and installed it only to find some 10K miles or so later that the transfer pump was again not working.

So, this time I decided to go with a new Airtex E8778 unit. After installation, however, I found this pump to be rather noisy. Of course, keep in mind that previously the pump was very quiet as it wasn't operating. Question 1: Has anyone else experienced this noisy pump issue? So I replaced it with another E8778 only to find this new unit to be as noisy.

Now onto green sedan a few days later and surprise: that in-tank pump isn't working. So I replace that one with a new E8778 and interestingly there isn't the same bothersome drone from this in-tank pump.

So I figured it's time to check the main pump. Turns out green sedan is drawing 3.4 amps and green wagon is drawing close to 4 amps. Experts have suggested putting a fuel gauge on the rail (I have a 93 which has the Schrader valve) but I almost hate to use the Harbor Freight fuel gauge because it tends to leak making me very nervous.

Anyway, is there another manufacturer of in-tank pumps other than Airtex that BB'ers have had success with.

Thanks for any input as I'm getting awful tired of being "in the tank". Bottom line is should I just live with my noisy pumps?

Marty Wolfson

Proud member of the 300K club

Hi Oleseahorse

FYI.

Last year, my main pump growled few times so I thought that my in tank pump was failing... I ordered a upgrade kit/111016 + relay from IPD. It turned out that my old fuel pump was ok but the in tank pump hose was cracked severely. Many valuable lessons learned. After the replacement, my new IPD fuel pump sounded like a MIG welding machine; sound of pig being butchered! I was so sure that my gas tank will explode any time soon. So I went back in, checked and checked... I couldn't find any cause. I called my IPD friend, he told me that based on their sales data sheet, their pumps have had 1% failure rate. I felt a little better after that so I decided to keep it. Currently, the sound is not as loud before. It now sounds like a BIG wasp flying after me; TIG welder.

Placed on 4/2012
over 40,000 miles since then.

Thank you all for the insight.

I suppose after not hearing any pump running for who knows how long, any replacement that actually works would be "noisy".

Just to add insult to injury, on my last go round "in the tank" the results ended with an inoperable sender, hence no fuel gauge. Oh my! I can say that lock ring knows I'm comin' now.

Marty

Will just have to use the tripometer to keep track of when you filled up

The Airtex pump is noisy, BUT it works and lasts under high ambient temps, which is the biggst cause of in-tank pump failure.
I've used the AC/Delco pump from NAPA (which is what IPD sells as the 740 upgraded pump) not as noisy. I've also used a Carter pump, good for 2 yrs in desert SW heat.
Note ALL of the above mentioned pumps, including the Airtex are rated at 6 psi, which is what the 740T pump is rated at. The nice thing about the Airtex is that the pump cylinder diameter isn't any larger than the stock 240 pump, and the plastic carrier doesn't need to be modified to accept the fatter AC Delco pump.

2 years for a Carter pump well thats a POS then no matter what the environment. Biggest cause of in tank pump failure is running the tank down repeatedly as the gas is the coolant/lubricant for the pump.

Also consider noises in the back of a wagon tend to be amplified as compared to the sedan. The separate passenger compartment is more isolated and muffled in a sedan.
Dan

I seem to recall IPD had a modification where they used a 740 turbo in-tank pump to increase fuel supply. Some change to the intake were needed as well but a bigger more robust BOSCH pump in the tank sure sounded like a winner to me.

Hi Marty,

The noise from the tank is, to me, a comforting noise. The noise from the main pump, on the other hand, is not.

The tank pump is a centrifugal pump, not unlike a sewage lift pump. Any buzzing noise it makes is due to brushes, commutator, imperfect balance, etc., but it pumps just the same noise or not. Some of its noise may be amplified in perception by the sock's contact with the tank bottom.

The main pump is a positive displacement pump, much like one used to chlorinate a water supply. When it has vapor to move, it is noisy, and the vapor doesn't cool it like a liquid stream. The cavitation may cause it to wear faster, I suspect. Not a comforting noise at all.

I've had no further in tank pump failures since using the 8778. 8 cars.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Draw your curves first and then plot your data!