ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP

[Stu Jackson]

Being out on the boat more than being home for the past month has been great.  

We went out yesterday for an overnighter.  When we engaged the engine key, the electric fuel pump did NOT start clicking - Cory noticed it right away.  

References are made to previous posts, including this one, found, along with many other great posts and information, with the new search engine at:

(Note: the old message board is disabled, so clicking on the link below will not take you there...)

Fuel Pump: see: http://c34.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=329609511&f=829605811&m=817606394&r=105604816#105604816

This one should get you to the NAPA replacement #, it's called "Tech notes Mainsheet 11/03," in the search results

http://www.c34ia.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1328&highlight=fuel+pump

I have a Facet installed, the one that stopped working.  I also have, thanks to the PO, another Facet replacement!  Wow  

Question is    in your experience, do these pumps just stop working all of a sudden?  

Of course, I know that I'll have to check the wiring to the pump that's in, but it may be simpler to swap the old one with the new one.  I could also try powering the old one that's in with wires directly from the house bank to see if it works, which would confirm whether or not it's an electrical power wiring problem.

Any other ideas?

[Ron Hill]

Stu : As I previously wrote (Mainsheet)& mentioned, the new Facet pumps are electronic rather than mechanical like the older models.  I'll guess that your's is mechanical.  The older pumps have a tendency to get "stuck" when they age.  Your wiring is probably OK, but check the ground (to be sure).  
I found that a good check when it's not clicking (with the key on) is to give the cylinder a thump with the handle of a screwdriver.  Common or Phillips - your choice.  If it was stuck you'll immediately hear it start clicking(pumping) again.
The new electronic pumps have a much longer life the older mechanical ones.  Even the pump without the filter that I wrote about is electronic.  The model without the filter is 1/2 the price of the pump with the filter.

Happy "Thumping"!   :)

[Stu Jackson]

Guess I didn't hit it hard enough, although I did try.

Used Ron's idea of filling up the fuel tank.  We were about half full from our Delta cruise and the Fleet One Clambake in Richmond last weekend.

A full tank will allow engine running when the pump is out. It DOES work, as we found out yesterday and today.  Try it, you'll like it.

I'll whack it a tad harder tomorrow and let U know.

"Thanks for the memories" on the earlier postings.  I've been adding "reminders" like this from stuff we've found from our month (more-or-less) on board.

What fun - I could do this full time (yeah, right!!!)

[John Langford]

Anyone who had an English sports car in the bad old days will recognize the need to beat mercilessly on a balky fuel pump. I used to carry a small hammer in my bug-eyed sprite to whack on the Lucas pump. Worked every time!

Cheers,
John

[Stu Jackson]

The new fuel pump is in and working.  Before I took the old one out, I checked the new one by connecting it to the battery with a pair of wires.  I also checked the wiring to the old pump's site by diconnecting the wirng first and checking it with the new pump, to assure that it wasn't a wiring problem.

A little tight getting the new one in, and had to remove the hose barbs from the old pump and reinstall them in the new pump.  Works great, and I noticed that I'd had a reduced idle RPM (800 to below 600) for the past few months.  Not anymore.