'96 Blazer fuel pump problem

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Chuck Jurgens - 06 Apr 2006 14:48 GMT

I have a '96 Blazer 4x4 with 156K miles. It runs fine - no hesitation, no
loss of power, good acceleration. However, when the tank is less than 1/3
full and I park it on a downcline (front lower than the rear), it won't
start. AND if I park it on a downcline with the engine running, it will die
after a couple of minutes. When this happens, I can hear a "whir" coming
from the gas tank area. I assume the noise is the fuel pump.

One guy told me that the fuel pump assembly needs to be replaced. Not sure
I agree with that. If the fuel pump were bad wouldn't I have problems with
hesitation, acceleration, loss of power, etc?

Any helpful suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks.

Chuck

Reply to this Message

Advocate - 06 Apr 2006 15:16 GMT

>I have a '96 Blazer 4x4 with 156K miles. It runs fine - no hesitation, no
>loss of power, good acceleration. However, when the tank is less than 1/3
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Any helpful suggestions will be appreciated.

Is it possible that your gas gauge isn't particularly accurate and you have
well less than 1/3 tank of fuel when this happens? You don't describe the
situation other than it's a "downcline"...how steep is it? I've seen this
happen with vehicles in my driveway (it's steep) with only a few gallons of
gas in the tank.

Don't let the fuel pump "whir" or you will burn it out.

Reply to this Message

Chuck Jurgens - 06 Apr 2006 16:06 GMT

>>I have a '96 Blazer 4x4 with 156K miles. It runs fine - no hesitation, no
>>loss of power, good acceleration. However, when the tank is less than 1/3
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Don't let the fuel pump "whir" or you will burn it out.

Reply to this Message

SnoMan - 06 Apr 2006 19:36 GMT

>>I have a '96 Blazer 4x4 with 156K miles. It runs fine - no hesitation, no
>>loss of power, good acceleration. However, when the tank is less than 1/3
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>Don't let the fuel pump "whir" or you will burn it out.

Yes running the tank low is a good way to greatly shorten the life of
the pump. I agree that gauge may be off and you are lower on fuel than
you think. I inspection of tank sending unit and pump may be in order
too.
-----------------
The SnoMan
www.thesnoman.com

Reply to this Message

Steve W. - 07 Apr 2006 02:14 GMT

> I have a '96 Blazer 4x4 with 156K miles. It runs fine - no hesitation, no
> loss of power, good acceleration. However, when the tank is less than 1/3
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Chuck

Pull the tank and see if the fuel pump pickup is in one piece. Sounds
like it isn't. The other problem may be that the tank has been hit and
that bent the fuel pick up. Either one will stop the pump from getting
gas. Depending on how steep the area is it could also just be that the
gas is pooling away from the pickup. The gas gauge float goes towards
the front of the tank so it will read higher when the nose is down than
the level actually is.

Reply to this Message

SnoMan - 07 Apr 2006 12:51 GMT

>Pull the tank and see if the fuel pump pickup is in one piece. Sounds
>like it isn't. The other problem may be that the tank has been hit and
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>the front of the tank so it will read higher when the nose is down than
>the level actually is.

On that model truck, the pump is in the bottom of the tank as the fuel
cools and lubes the pump. There is no pickup tube

>----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
>http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
>----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

-----------------
The SnoMan
www.thesnoman.com

Reply to this Message

Steve W. - 07 Apr 2006 18:55 GMT

It still has that plastic piece with the fuel sock stuck on it though. I
have seen them come loose and float around in the baffle on the tank
bottom. Also have had a few where the baffle came loose from the tank
and was causing problems on off angle maneuvering. Either way the OP is
going to end up pulling the tank and checking what is really going on.

Signature

Steve

> >Pull the tank and see if the fuel pump pickup is in one piece. Sounds
> >like it isn't. The other problem may be that the tank has been hit and
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> The SnoMan
> www.thesnoman.com

Reply to this Message

js - 10 Apr 2006 13:48 GMT

I picked up a repair kit for a great price at www.jobberonline.biz.

The fuel card at the bottom of the page fixed my sending unit.

The socks get plugged too.

The dealer wanted to sell me the whole pump module for almost 500 dollars,
and this got me a new pump and sending unit for just over 100.

Im not sure if my sending unit was bad, the socks on the pumps were so
clogged up that it really plugged up the works.

> It still has that plastic piece with the fuel sock stuck on it though. I
> have seen them come loose and float around in the baffle on the tank
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption
> =----

Reply to this Message