Manager Forum

I have a 2000 grand prix that has starting issues at times. Brought in as a no start, no power to fuel pump, checking relay and fuel pump kicked in. The amps at the pump is 12.5 amps while pump is running. The fuel pump started to work as it was here. The customer says he had to replace the fuel pump relay a month ago. What is the proper amp rating for the fuel pump. The pump is a aftermarket Airtex, the customer replaced himself. Looking for any ideas on why the fuel pump relay pin 87 gets hot, and why it keeps burning it out.

Is this engine supercharged? I don't remember if the K engine is or not. But I remember banging my head on one of these and there was a bad fuel pump resistor, I think they are located by the windshield washer bottle. Check for burnt wires. Also 12.5 amps sounds high but I'm not sure what the spec is on this.

I thought it was supposed to be around 7 amps and 10 at the highest. 12.5 sound high to be to. Personally I've never had any luck with aftermarket pumps. I only used OE type to prevent these types of problems. Have you checked o make sure all your gounds are good all the way back to the pump assembly. Also I'm pretty sure these have connector issues also. They sell pig tails for them alot.

Non supercharged, customer put in the pump and new connector, yes I usually only use OE, don't car for Airtex. I was trying to locate the resistor. I thought 12.5 amps was high also, and that where I thought there was a spec somewhere.

First of all was the relay oem or did some zipper head just look at the connector and call it correct because it looked right. Look inside the power box and make sure the wiring isn't melted at the relay wiring.

Car is supposed to be back in the morning, he took it and drove it last night since it started working, drove it about 60 miles and now its doing it again. I will do more in the am.

If someone else installed the pump, I would check for a kinked line, that would cause the pump to work too hard and draw excessive amps.

Are we working on the assumption that they changed the filter, too ???

As mentioend earlier many GM pumps come with a repair end for the harness. If the custyomer installed his own pump did they also replace the harness? They tend to overheat and make poor connections...amps then go up.

Well customer is deciding he is going to try fixing more himself. Yes he did replace the pigtail with the aftermarket fuel pump. He did put in a oem relay. Guess now to wait and see if he figures it out.

Happy hunting. Remember when he calls all flustered needing it repaired tell him to come on down and the let it sit there.......................................

12 amps sounds high to me. Easy way to check would be to current ramp the input on a scope. The resulting pattern may tell the story. If you get it back, try it.

A lot of times i see a loose pump in the module or in the mounting collar. I've gotten into a few heated discussions with suppliers about this. I've found if the pump is loose the initial draw increases until the pump torque tightens the pump. It needs to reach a certain point and if the pump is loose it takes a while to reach that load point and the amps increase until it does. I'm no drool cupper with a pocket protector but even i know it's easier to run with all your weight on the ground. Years ago when we replaced gm pumps not the modules i always secured the pump to the steel support rod with wire ties. I lost count of how many i replaced because other shops didn't secure the pump properly. Most of them came in with a banging noise while running. I had some no goes where when i pulled the pump out it the sender came out, wires attached to pump, pump and i had to fish for tank filter and clips in the tank. All it needed was wire ties at the beginning and all this could have been avoided. THe amp draw was way low because there was no resistance. If the pump was still in the retainer but loose i seemed to find a higher less steady amp load.

Well this one is fixed. Finally got the vehicle, ohm tested wires front to rear, powers and ground, no bad wires found. Fuel filter is new. Found out that the customer had put in a pump last Oct., then another begining of Jan. Both were aftermarket pumps, (won't say the name brand). Ran test power and ground with heavier wire just to make sure, even though I figured what it was, and I told the customer that. Still same draw. Finally talked him into a Delphi, and bam 6.8 amps and the relay does not get hot!!! He kept arguing saying I just put in 2 new pumps!! Told him to take that up with the place that sold them to him. Anyways he is happy and told me thanks, I told him just because the part is new that don't mean its good. They put warranties on new cars don't they!

He kept arguing saying I just put in 2 new pumps!!

LOL. Repeating the same thing expecting different results is a sure sign of insanity.

The proliferation of cheap offshore parts is making our jobs more and more difficult. And sometimes we get burned.

I just love the rare times when i turn jobs away under theses circumstances and it blows uop in the customers face. It happensn not often enough but when it does i'm all smiles.