Fuel Pumps

[312]

Re: Fuel Pumps

Kokomo and MATbird. The fuel pump relay is just a magnetic coil which when energized makes(or breaks) a switch. On most cars the CPU sends out a voltage to the coil of the relay when the engine is running to establish a "holding" circuit and maintain power to the pump AFTER the key goes from start to run position. One indication of a bad relay is that the car starts and then immediatly dies , and will keep right on doing this.A quick fix is to examine other un-needed relays (like a/c) for their diagram on the side of the relay.If its the same and the same part number,you can just switch them and be on your way and pick up a new relay at the auto part store. If you don't want your bird stolen and it must be parked some where for a while (like an airport) you can remove the relay and put it somewhere like the trunk or put a blown fuse in the CPU socket. Car thieves are generally not looking for that. Glad to be part of the forum! Thanks Randy

[leisha]

Re: Fuel Pumps

A friend with an 02 reported at 15,000 miles a fuel pump replacement was required $740 at a Ontario dealer. The car was being driven and stopped after about 20 minutes on a secondary highway. Needed to be towed.

Just stopped running!

Checked this thread to see if this was getting more common as the cars are getting older.

Mine is still on Warrenty till next June!

[PBocciardi]

Re: Fuel Pumps

I have a 2002 and just had my first repair -- a bad fuel pump! After a 900-mile trip from San Francisco to L.A. and back, I had blithely taken the 'Bird in for its first-ever smog check, left it at the service station, and half an hour later they called to tell me that it wouldn't start! Had it towed to the nearest Ford dealer and it was the fuel pump. Uncharacteristically, I was incredibly lucky because I had bought a 7-year-warranty that is about to expire in November.

While the car was at the dealership, by the way, they discovered a misfiring cylinder and fixed that under warranty, too. My battery was also getting low after 7 years so they put in a new one for $99 plus $20 labor. So at least I was out of there cheaply.

I'm so glad the car hadn't stopped dead on the dreaded Highway 5.

But sheesh, it has only 27,000 miles on it. I shouldn't have to be replacing a fuel pump!

[PEBAEB]

Re: Fuel Pumps

After getting the pump replaced in my 2002 and requesting the parts be returned to me I found out that there is only one pump. The other part they changed was just a sending unit that there was nothing wrong with. I pitched a B---H and they are refunding the cost of the sending unit, $226.84 plus tax. Unfortunately I did not check the fuse or the relay first. Could have been one of those. The dealer that I had to take the car to has a bad reputation and I would not have taken it there if I had a choice. The full cost of the replacement for both parts was $970.00. Pretty high for a fuel pump replacement. By the way the car has 24000 miles on it and is driven weekly.

[fxstsb]

Re: Fuel Pumps

sweet02,
I believe you caused the problem when you added Stablilizer to your gas. I assume you put more than one bottle of it in for a full tank of gas. That Stablilizer is made with very high proof alcohol and mixes with any water in your tank which lays in the low point of the tank where the pump is, or where the pick-up tube is. Alcohol can deteriorate seals, gaskets, O rings and hoses rapidly under pressure. Putting a tank of E-85 in your car may have a similar effect.
Leroy

In Georgia it is law that all gasoline has 10% ethanol.

[ChromeDome]

Re: Fuel Pumps

In Georgia it is law that all gasoline has 10% ethanol.

I buy Chevron gas at Exit 345 on I-75. It is posted on a lighted street sign and on the pumps that their gas contains no ethanol. It may be a GA law, but I doubt there is any effort to enforce it.

[Leroy]

Re: Fuel Pumps

FXSTSB, Isn't that a BadBoy? I had a 1996 Black with Blue trim. 10% ehtanol isn't enough to do any damage to cars that aren't made to use E-85. But a tank of E-85 is 85% ethanol and that can do some damage. Leroy

[funnyfingers]

Re: Fuel Pumps

Just would like to say that my car wouldn't start this morning and it sounded like no fuel was going to the engine. My first inclination was the inertia switch. Thanks to this thread I found it and fixed the problem. Thanks!

[tbinil]

Re: Fuel Pumps

Add another to the list...
Last Sunday we took RETRO55 out for a belated (Nov. 1) eighth anniversary ride. A beautiful central Illinois fall day, not a cloud, no wind, 65 degrees. After driving around for about 45 minutes, we decided to top off the fuel tank in preparation for winter and head for home. About eight gallons of gas later we left the gas station and made it about 100 yards down the road before the car shuddered and died. It would turn over but did not attempt to fire. We had coasted to a person's driveway, and, fortunately they were sympathetic to our plight. We had the car towed to our Ford dealer and left the key and a description of our problem in the night deposit box. Monday morning we got the diagnosis; the fuel pump. So, at 9487 miles our car joined the above lineup of 02s with failed fuel pumps. Paula Bocciardi's yellow 02 was probably within sight of ours on the assembly line, and we noticed her posting of the same problem above. I have a friend in the parts department who listed the part at their cost, so with labor and the car's eighth annual oil and filter change, the damage was $638.15. From the postings above it sounds as if we got off easy. Car is now home in the garage, and, at least in a cursory inspection, I didn't see a mark on it anywhere. We have been fortunate that the local dealer seems to treat Thunderbirds with extra care. They said it was the first retrobird fuel pump they had changed.

[MATBird]

Re: Fuel Pumps

Just would like to say that my car wouldn't start this morning and it sounded like no fuel was going to the engine. My first inclination was the inertia switch. Thanks to this thread I found it and fixed the problem. Thanks!

William:
3 pges of posts and which post is the one with inertia switch? Is it the one by the left foot?

[justjon]

Re: Fuel Pumps

low miles, storage .... These same problems are on the Cadillac Allante net. Low mileage Allantes are full of demons but they look great

[MikeB]

Re: Fuel Pumps

Add another to the list...
Last Sunday we took RETRO55 out for a belated (Nov. 1) eighth anniversary ride. A beautiful central Illinois fall day, not a cloud, no wind, 65 degrees. After driving around for about 45 minutes, we decided to top off the fuel tank in preparation for winter and head for home. About eight gallons of gas later we left the gas station and made it about 100 yards down the road before the car shuddered and died. It would turn over but did not attempt to fire. We had coasted to a person's driveway, and, fortunately they were sympathetic to our plight. We had the car towed to our Ford dealer and left the key and a description of our problem in the night deposit box. Monday morning we got the diagnosis; the fuel pump. So, at 9487 miles our car joined the above lineup of 02s with failed fuel pumps. Paula Bocciardi's yellow 02 was probably within sight of ours on the assembly line, and we noticed her posting of the same problem above. I have a friend in the parts department who listed the part at their cost, so with labor and the car's eighth annual oil and filter change, the damage was $638.15. From the postings above it sounds as if we got off easy. Car is now home in the garage, and, at least in a cursory inspection, I didn't see a mark on it anywhere. We have been fortunate that the local dealer seems to treat Thunderbirds with extra care. They said it was the first retrobird fuel pump they had changed.

My '02 failed earlier this year (~20,000 miles on it). Was covered by my Extended Warranty. Seemed like poor service to me also; fuel pumps should last a lot longer than that.