Need some help quick. Chevy Silverado

[Exitspeed]

I have an issue now.

My father-in-law has a 97 Silverado. He has replaced the fuel pump SIX times now and it just went again on him yesterday. It's costing him about $1000 between the repair and the towing every time it goes.

What could be causing the pump to go because it's obviously a problem with something else.

Anyone work at a deal he can bring it to that would be able to take care of him?

And yes, I realize he needs to buy a new truck, but he's a hard headed SOB.

[GRNDNL]

Is he putting a Aftermarket or OEM in?..............

[pOrk]

Aftermarket Fuel pumps are bad news.

[juicedimpss]

has the fuel filter been changed?
does he run the tank dry?

[jbiscuit]

Aftermarket Fuel pumps are bad news.

+1.... Chinese garbage. Is he buying a GM pump every time?

[Crawlin]

The Astro van had that happen all the time...

Braeger kept replacing pumps. Right until they checked the fuel pump relay and that was on it's way out which cause it not to start and shut off randomly. Fixed that, no more issues.

Just tossing out ideas

[Exitspeed]

I'm not sure if he's buying OEM or not, but even if he is I find it hard to believe that 6 of them would go including the OG OEM one.

You guys don't think it's something else causing the pump to go that a machanic could look into?

[Exitspeed]

The Astro van had that happen all the time...

Braeger kept replacing pumps. Right until they checked the fuel pump relay and that was on it's way out which cause it not to start and shut off randomly. Fixed that, no more issues.

Just tossing out ideas

That's a good start. Thanks.

[wrath]

Running the tank dry all the time (so the fuel pump overheats) shortens their life greatly. Like to less than 10,000 miles. Especially if it's got the 33 gallon tank and the baffle has been removed (since most of them break loose in those trucks anyway). So if he's one of those goofballs that never has more than a 1/4 tank in it that's probably most of the problem.

Shit gas will eat up junk chinese fuel pumps faster than you can believe.

Since the fuel pump has been recently replaced it's actually a cake job. The hard part is not breaking the sending unit ($250+ for a decent one) and either dropping the tank or lifting the box.

My Dad has 260,000 miles on his 89 pickup. He's on his third fuel pump (and third sender since they broke each time removing them from the tank). Granted, it's a TBI 14psi pump as opposed to a high pressure MPFI pump but still.

On my GMT800 Silverado I went through unit bearings every 10,000 miles. They were junk chinese $140 ones. A decent one I paid $250 for (OEM) is still in the truck as far as I know.

[Exitspeed]

^
Good to know. I'll ask him about his gassing up habits.

[sloLs1]

all of those are good points... BUT he really needs to have a OEM pump in the truck... the reason i say that being if he buys one directly from GM it should come with a new connector that has to be spliced in. they had problems with the grounds and the new pump will more than likely come with a new sending unit if im thinking of the right year/model truck. GM cars/trucks are very wierd and picky about using OEM fuel pumps. at my work, we will never put an aftermarket fuel pump in a GM product.... any other car aftermarket works just fine!

[Irish]

Just throw an aeromotive external fuel pump on it and call it a day. Fuck internal pumps.

[BAD LS1]

Put a good walbro 255 pump in it once, those trucks need 60 psi all the time which is why the pumps are SO LOUD which taxes the shit out of them. You wont get much life out of anything aftermarket at what the 96-98 vortec trucks put them through.

[Sleeper Sierra]

I could replace the pump for him, would not cost nearly 1000 dollars I would put in an oem pump I would supply the pump and install it for 600, let me know, I could also look into possible electrical issues that could be causing the problem.

[Russ Jerome]

What could be causing the pump to go because it's obviously a problem with something else.



Weak ground will eat up pumps. Splice into the black
wire to the 4 wire pump/sender and add a frame ground.
The factory ground at the frame gets corroded.

Weak power from the underhood fuse block to the mini
relay in the same cavity. They get corroded under neath
and at its power supply by junction terminal.

Weak power accross the mini relay, swap it with one of
the headlamp hig/low relays, should be same 4 pin
mini relay.

All the above can be verified with a DVM under load.

Fuel pressure regulator, check to see actual pressure
driving, pump may be under too much load. Depending
on setup the pum may be pulse modulated or use an
underhood regulator (im home sick and my brain is
fuzzy, have alldata if you want to PM me thurs).

I dont buy the "driving with 1/8 of a tank not allowing
to cool the pump", feel the pump after an hours driving
with 3/4 tank, pretty dam warm to the touch.

[Exitspeed]

I could replace the pump for him, would not cost nearly 1000 dollars I would put in an oem pump I would supply the pump and install it for 600, let me know, I could also look into possible electrical issues that could be causing the problem.

Ok thanks. The $1000 comes in because of the towing expenses eveytime it goes too.

Where do you work and can I have your contact info?

[Yeehaw]

$104 bucks for a delphi OEM pump....change the fuel filter since they tell you too or else the pump is not warrantied. might as well do the relay also but what is the symptoms of the truck. hard to believe 6 pumps went out?

[Exitspeed]

$104 bucks for a delphi OEM pump....change the fuel filter since they tell you too or else the pump is not warrantied. might as well do the relay also but what is the symptoms of the truck. hard to believe 6 pumps went out?

Yea 6 pumps.

He doesn't have time to work on the car himself so I'm trying to gather some info for him to see if he can actually get the damn thing fixed and solve the problem.

[UnderPSI]

Weak ground will eat up pumps. Splice into the black
wire to the 4 wire pump/sender and add a frame ground.
The factory ground at the frame gets corroded.

Exactly what I was going to say. Add two extra grounds. Same happened to my dads suburban. Ground corroded and broke = pump died.

We added the grounds and replaced the relay just in case. No problems for the last 70,000 miles.