Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Lift Pump: Divine Intervention or Dumb Luck

[jerryrigg]

I'm out driving today, engine shutters just a little, does it a few more times, Fuel Pressure bouncing..... Figure Lift pump is going, race for home. Got to thinking, I filled the tank yesterday, maybe bad/dirty fuel. It's been about 10K since filter change. Drain the bowl, yank the filter... dirty and nasty, LOTS of grit in the bottom of the bowl. So I cleaned the bowl out, filtered some "Good" fuel into the bowl. Siphoned out about 3/4 tank, thats alot of jerrycans, glad I have extras. Put 10 gallons in the tank. She fired right up, pressure steady and rattling like she should. Need to see if the station will hook me up on dumping the fuel and at least a partial refund.



Was it Divine Intervention that the Lift pump is working or just dumb luck. If it was just luck I'd rather have the luck picking Lottery Numbers then I can buy all the pumps I want.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Glad you made it home before it puked. There seems to be quite a bit of the dirty/bad fuel syndrome goin' around. Just curious, where are you guys buyin' your fuel? Big name places, mom-n-pop places, truck stops?



I usually get mine from big name places, but occasionally do puchase at small town fillin' stations, and have been lucky not to recive a bad load. I realize the fuel comes from the same place, but don't the individual stations have a filtering system? Maybee they should change the filters more, or add more filtration, or don't they give a *****?



Later, Rob

 

[jerryrigg]

I've been buying mine at the same place for 10 years without a problem... I'd say they somehow got a bad load of fuel, or maybe their underground tank has cracked. . who knows. . I'll be buying fuel elsewhere until they can determine the problem.



-Matt

 

[illflem]

Most station fuel pumps have a large spin-on filter on the suction side of the pump down in the base. They don't want crud stopping the meter and giving you free fuel. How often they service them is a big question, I would bet that some get so clogged that the media ruptures giving the unlucky person the full load of crud.

 

[Rob Thomas]

Thats pretty much what I figured, Bill. Locally, I get my fuel from the same place, eveytime. I'm gonna' start watchin' the gallon 'o meter on the lower part of the pumps. Maybee even write down the date, and see how long between filter changes they go, in time and quanity. Also I'll see how much rust is on the filters, that should give me a good indication, of the duration. Not that I've had any problems, yet, just more curious now.



Later, Rob

 

[THancock]

I always try to get fuel from a olace that sells a lot of Diesel. I usually get it from truck stops. Haven't had any bad stuff yet, "knock on wood".