EvanR
Reader
8/20/12 2:36 p.m.
When we last left the S-10, fuel was pumping, but it wouldn't run.
Finally got back to it today. Switched the TBI injector for a junkyard unit, still nothing.
Last time, the pump seemed to be working fine. Now, even with the relay jumped, I can hear it whirr, but nothing comes out.
This leads me to two possibilities:
a] the pump was dying, and now it's just dead.
b] the tank is empty and the gauge is wrong.
Should I... [a] add a couple gallons and see if there's a change? or just change the pump?
/begin:vent
I'm nearing throwing in the towel on this one. With a new pump, I'll have about $1300 into this one. The brakes still empty the M/C with one pump. It probably needs all new steering bits.
And I've driven it a grand total of 6 miles.
Sorry, just needed to let off steam.
/end:vent
Only need a gallon or 2. That way when you have to drop the tank, or just remove the bed, it doesn't weigh a lot.
Brakes, bummer. BTDT.
the potential-for-awesome:dollar ratio is still favorable with this project, you gotta keep hope alive!
Dannng. The fuel pumps on these are known to fail readily if they're run dry. I don't know if they still whir after failing, though. The fuel pump in our boat (which is an s10 chassis) failed shortly after we ran it out of fuel on track. Fortunately after the race but sadly before it was on the trailer. It's better to push it on to the trailer than to lose laps though so we weren't complaining ... too much.
That said, the fuel gauges sometimes stick if the thing's been sitting for a while. I spend over an hour diagnosing an empty tank on my '66 Pontiac, the gas "went away" during long term storage. (Probably siphoned off.) Added gas and away it went. Certainly before throwing in the towel on the whole truck I would try adding gas. But if you've run the pump dry it probably won't be long for this world any way.
Iffen ye dumps fuel down the throttle body, does she run for a few seconds or no?
How old is the fuel that's in the tank? Months? Or years?
You can get a new pump for pretty cheap. Cut a hole in the bed of the truck so you don't have to drop the tank. Put a panel over it later. (of course, this only works if you don't really care what the bed looks like.)
Put a fuel pressure guage on it first.
There should be a rubber line running right off the top of the fuel tank. Put the fuel guage there. Check pressure before doing anything else.
replacing the pump is simple and you don't have to pull the entire bed off OR drop the tank.... unbolting the bed bolts will let you lift the front of the bed up high enough that you can get to the fuel pump...
(the vid is pretty suck but you can see what I mean about not completely removing the bed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQd0oIk62aw
better vid but done with a lift... same concept though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ctjI-rdJoo
granted moving the bed is easy enough as long as you've got 2 people...
er and I showed you what my fuel pump hoses looked like in the last thread... i'm sure it was progressive... and from what I was told the truck would work sometimes then stop... then work some more (i'd guess the pump overheating then it would work again for a bit) untill the hose was totaly to far gone
EvanR
Reader
8/20/12 7:14 p.m.
Okay, yeah, I will be unbolting and tilting the bed next. Not gonna be easy as a one man job, but I will make it work!
Even if the tank is dry, and it just needs gas, I really don't want a truck with a broken fuel gauge, so something in that tank needs fixed!
EvanR
Reader
8/20/12 7:15 p.m.
1988RedT2 wrote:
Iffen ye dumps fuel down the throttle body, does she run for a few seconds or no?
How old is the fuel that's in the tank? Months? Or years?
yes, it runs for a second if fuel is put straight in the TB. I don't know how old the gas is, but it sure smells like years!
