Well, its DEAD!

[SilverToy]

Sigh -

My 1st major problem with the TV happened today....

Left the house on errands with all 3 kids in the Burb... No AS. Drove into town (17 miles) with all running well as usual... Get to town, make a quick stop to run into a store - left it running with the kids in it (watching a video) and come out to find a stalled vehicle. Just quit.

Cranked, but no catch, no start, nada.

Added fuel just to be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it wasn't outta gas... it wasn't.

Tow truck driver, after getting outta his rig, said... '80 to 90K, cranks but won't start...?" Yup. 'Fuel pump!'

Checked the VIN as he explained that the Mexican made (VIN starts with a 3XXX...) seem to have a bit of a history of this.... Dealer says $700-800 bucks.... Yeah right! Local place will get it up and back to tip top condition for 1/2 that....

Getting the rotors resurfaced, new pads and such while it's there....

Guessing at $800 total... we'll see....

Anyone else know of this 'fuel pump' issue with Chevys????

[guy99]

My 2000 Yukon/XL needed a fuel pump at ~150,000 miles.

[Silvertwinkie]

Though not a Suburban, my '96 Impala SS needed a new fuel pump too. Folks say that since the pump is in the tank that the tank should never be let run dry or near empty as the gas actually cools the pump. Seemed like snake oil to me, but since never getting far below 1/4 tank, I've never had the issue surface again...maybe just by chance, I don't know.

[Aerowood]

I would not assume that it was a fuel pump untill it has been fully checked out by a quilified mechanic.

[moosetags]

I had a similar dilemma with my 2001 2500 Suburban about 2 years ago. We were in Orlando on a trip when the fuel pump went out at 140,000 miles. We had the repair/pump replacement done at a local shop vs. the Chevrolet Dealer and saved about $150.00 over the dealer. Smart move---NOT! The new fuel pump turned out to be bad out of the box. About two weeks later, after we returned to Santa Rosa Beach (400+ miles from Orlando), the fuel pump went out again. The local shop waranteed their work and the part, but I would have to return to Orlando to have it replaced. Obviously, this was out of the question. I had the Suburban towed to the Chevrolet Dealer in Fort Walton Beach, and had the fuel pump replaced again.

This incident taught me a costly lesson. If you do any amount of traveling, have expensive repairs done by the dealer. If I had had the fuel pump replaced at the dealer in Orlando, the dealer in Fort walton Beach would have replaced it under the GM repair warranty. That $150.00 I saved ended up costing me over $1,200.00

[overlander63]

Mexican-produced light trucks of that era had an issue with the sending unit/fuel pump. The fix is to replace both, which comes as a "module". The other problem is the gauge stops registering.
It is no old wive's tale about the fuel level. Even my old Ford owner's manual advised me rather strongly not to let the level drop below 1/4 tank, as the pump is immersed in fuel, which does keep the pump motor cool.
Since the truck stopped running, I would have it checked over, rather than just assuming the pump is bad. You know what happens when you assume.
Since you were having problems on the way in to town to begin with, you may have other issues.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by SilverToy

Sigh -

My 1st major problem with the TV happened today....

Left the house on errands with all 3 kids in the Burb... No AS. Drove into town (17 miles) with all running well as usual... Get to town, make a quick stop to run into a store - left it running with the kids in it (watching a video) and come out to find a stalled vehicle. Just quit.

Cranked, but no catch, no start, nada.

Added fuel just to be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it wasn't outta gas... it wasn't.

Tow truck driver, after getting outta his rig, said... '80 to 90K, cranks but won't start...?" Yup. 'Fuel pump!'

Checked the VIN as he explained that the Mexican made (VIN starts with a 3XXX...) seem to have a bit of a history of this.... Dealer says $700-800 bucks.... Yeah right! Local place will get it up and back to tip top condition for 1/2 that....

Getting the rotors resurfaced, new pads and such while it's there....

Guessing at $800 total... we'll see....

Anyone else know of this 'fuel pump' issue with Chevys????

Had the same thing happen. Only mine did not stall, but rather refused to start at times. A sharp rap on the bottom of the tank fixed the problem temporarily, got me going again about 10 or so times.
I found an OE pump and strainer assembly, and was able to replace the pump only, re-used the old bracket and sending unit.
In my case, I was able to drive the truck intl the tank was almost empty, making the job of dropping the tank somewhat easier.
I have not had a running problem since.

[overlander64]

I too, have had the inevitable dead fuel pump on both my Suburban ('99 K2500/7400 VORTEC) and my father's S-10 Blazer Tahoe ('94 4.2 Liter V6).

With the Suburban, the pump gave ample warning that it was failing; but I didn't properly interpret the warnings -- unpredictable stumbling at highway speeds -- something that it hadn't done before, but did for about two weeks prior to the failure. At the time of the failure, the truck was 8 years old and had 166,000 miles on the odometer; and at my mechanics suggestion, I had never run the vehcile to less than 1/4 tank of fuel.

My father's '94 S-10 experienced its pump failure at 129,000 miles. With his truck, the fuel level rarely was permitted to fall below 1/2-tank. His truck displayed the same unpredicatable stumbling at highway speed that my Suburban did -- he asked me to drive it and I thought it was acting just like my Suburban, and headed to the Chevrolet garage -- made to within two blocks of the garage before the pump quit.

In both cases, the pump replacement was approximately $750.00 at a Chevrolet dealership. The new pump in my Suburban has been trouble free from the beginning and the truck now has 183,000 miles on the odometer. My father didn't have quite as good of luck with his S-10 -- the first replacement pump lasted about two months and 2,500 miles while the second replacement pump lasted about three months and 4,000 miles -- it is going strong with the third replacement pump and now has 146,000 miles. The defective pumps were both replaced by the Chevrolet dealer at no additional charge -- the dealer even paid for the towing.

Kevin

[Streamin 65]

My '97 Chevy 1500 truck is on it's 3rd! The factory one gave up the ghost within a week of purchasing the truck (used) @ 50k miles. Just wouldn't start one morning. Dealer replaced at no charge. The next one went out @ about 100k miles. It cost me $325 plus $50 for a tow. Again, no warning signs, it just stalled at an intersection and wouldn't start. Good thing I was in town when it happened! The truck is now at about 160k and I'm wondering if (when?) it'll fail again! After fixing the last pump, I was also told to keep it above 1/4 tank and it'll prolong the pump life. To determine if the fuel pump is bad, I simply poured a small amount of gas (a capful or so) down the intake. It would start and run for a few seconds, then stall. Sometimes I miss the old mechanical pumps, they cost about $15 and could be changed out in 1/2 hour by me with a few basic hand tools. --dave

[uwe]

Makes me want to put a spare one in the tool bag. I don't want to be stranded without pars in the middle of nowhere with my Airstream on teh hitch. Plus, I run my tank low all the time, not out, but low. Definitely below 1/4 tank.

[TIMEMACHINE]

Originally Posted by uwe

Plus, I run my tank low all the time, not out, but low.

Uwe,

I thought it was Goin camping who drove a tank?????

John

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by TIMEMACHINE

Uwe,

I thought it was Goin camping who drove a tank?????

John

But he doesn't tow his Airstream with it. He can't find the correct WD equipment.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by TIMEMACHINE

Uwe,

I thought it was Goin camping who drove a tank?????

John

Tank, Shmank.....

[3Ms75Argosy]

Our friends jettisoned their 2001 Yukon for the same reason. Family of four, wife stranded for the FOURTH time... new fuel pumps every 10 months or so....

They too were told not to run the tank low, but come on, that's why the fuel's there! Ok, off soapbox.
Good luck.
Marc

[Excella CM]

Trouble is, these pumps run immersed in fuel. They are DC brush motors and depending upon how much micro contaminants (abrasives) come with the fuel, the brushes mill the commutator away until there is no metal left to conduct electricity. Toward the end they sometimes become temperture sensitive and as one person noted, jarring them will often seat the brushes and get them going again for a short while. Average life is @ 100-150K.
The big problem is accesibility for replacement. Could the pumps be improved? Yes. Will they? Probably not.

[Excella CM]

Here's a close-up.

[3Ms75Argosy]

wow.... that's some SERIOUS wear going on there! I don't know... something about metal on metal wear, electricity, and a bath of fuel......

WHAT about this situation seems wrong...

I know it's supposed to go 100,000K miles or more, but evidence here and that that I know personally tells me this isn't so.

Do Dodge and Ford do the same thing? I better knock on wood, as my Dodge (a 94) is still running strong. I know Chev Astro's have the same problem with their pumps too.
Marc

[SilverToy]

ASS/UME...... and what do you get?

Diagnostic check ($80/hr) found a blown fuse to the ECM... "Over amperage".... Will have to check my "Haynes manual" to find location, wattage and the like.... for the next time...

Now, I do live out past the sticks so I do have some fairly high wattage fog/driving lights on the truck.... but they were off in town, during daylight hours.... TV was running AOK - as normal - when on the way to town.... Also recently added the electric fan (also OFF) to aid cooling of the tranny cooler. Then there was the 2 small DVD screens running off 12V.... however, both front and rear A/C's were going.... but that should be well inside the parameters for normal usage....?! Nothing is really tripping swithches here as far as obvious draws that might cause this fuse to blow... Anyone else see things differently?

Comment about the fuel gauge registering incorrectly, prior to pump failure, was interesting, as my gauge reads full all the time, then drops slowly but never to less than 1/2, even with only 2 or 3 gallons on board.... as per pump receipts compared to tank specs. Is this the 'indicator' you referenced about a possible pump failure coming? There are NO other indicators (stumbling, etc....) that the vehicle exhibits.

More info please... the 'actual' expereinces are also very illuminating.

Brakes are being redone as I type this ie rotors resurfaced - 2 hrs labor for that.... then pads & the like. They mentioned a 'brake flush' being needed - every 80-100K. Something about brake fluid being 'hydro-static' (attracting water thru the seals & hoses) What say you? My owners manual/ maintenance log is with the car.... Seems so logical, but I'll have their bu**s if its snakeoil....

Thanks for the help and replies so far.....

Axel
SilverToy

[SlimJim]

I have always heard that it is a good idea to flush your brake system periodically. Brake fluid does absorb water and it settles in the calipers. I can't guarantee that this is all true but I do know that the brake fluid does get very dirty and I feel much better having it flushed every 100K or so.

[Excella CM]

Brake fluid is hydrophilic-loves water. It absorbs water, mainly out of the air. This water is available to corrode the shiny steel and aluminum surfaces in the master and slave and wheel cylinders. It can also boil when brakes get hot causing a soft pedal. It is good, economical practice to change out(by flushing) the brake fluid every two years. Much cheaper in the long run. Calipers tend to be less prone to damage and leaks caused by water contamination. The master cylinder is usually the first to go. The much more complex and costly ABS systems can really benefit from the protection of regular fluid changes.