Fuel Pump Issues

[Supreme87]

hey guys

just wanted to say first of all, im a long time reader but first time poster, SAU has helped me with a few other issues in the past so thanks for that!

any ways i am having some fuel dramas with my rb20det converted s13 silvia and would love to hear any opinions.

dramas started the other day, i started to rip a donut (closed road of course) got only around once and the car completely died on me, like it was singing at pretty much redline then just lost all power and nearly stalled, once the car was stopped for a sec it revved back up like normal and kept driving fine.

i though okay must be just cause its low on fuel so i topped it up to about 2/3 full and tried again, same result.

i pulled the pump out to inspect, i was told it was a 044, it looks like one cept it has nothing stamped on it at all? ebay fake???

couldn't see anything visible wrong with it so i just put it back in and now its making a weird sound, it was already really loud but now every 20 - 30 secs it makes a really strange sound that i havent noticed before almost like a clicking or gargeling which only lasts for a split second, the fuel press drops for a moment (from ~40 to around 38) then straight back up.

im pretty sure that its broken, but i thought id see if you guys have any more suggestions before i go buy a new one as im pretty broke at the moment

i just thought that when pumps broke that was it, just died

car details

s13

rb20det swap

044 pump intank (maybe copy) re-wired

aftermarket fpr (probably ebay copy too)

Edited November 17, 2013 by Supreme87

[KiwiRS4T]

Some pumps fade gradually. Get a Walbro - 044s are so noisy (and if you still have your stock fpr stick that back in).

[hy_rpm]

I don't know about the 044 but the 040 has no sock at the bottom pickup

just mesh and it pretty common if the tank is run low often they pick up a lot of the dirt and crud off the bottom of the tank

Once that happens they start to get blocked and noisy

Just get a walbro intank 255lph there cheap these days and reliable and quiet due to the new e85 version

Only $120

[Supreme87]

thanks for the replys,

funny you say that, i forgot to mention earlier there was no sock on the pickup just the open fitting sucking straight into the pump, there is a mesh filter inside the pump that i could see a bit of crud in, pretty stupid whoever put this thing in.

i have a spare surge tank and lifter pump sitting around here, u guys think its worth going external? car isn't pushing any crazy power or anything but id like to go belt it at the track one day soon

[C4a0s]

044 is an external pump... 040 is internal. so if u took it from inside the tank... it shouldnt be an 044. if it is... it was installed dangerously wrong.

some pumps can be faulty or dying and still work from time to time

[ido09s]

I have never understood how someone can actually think that running a fuel tank low on fuel will make the dirt suddenly lift off the bottom of the tank and float around lol

[wolverine]

044 is an external pump... 040 is internal. so if u took it from inside the tank... it shouldnt be an 044. if it is... it was installed dangerously wrong.

some pumps can be faulty or dying and still work from time to time

Please explain why it is dangerously wrong (if a sock was fitted).

[89CAL]

 

Please explain why it is dangerously wrong (if a sock was fitted). 

My guess is because one is supposed to be submerged and the other isn't but not to sure?

[Ben C34]

The pumps are the same so not going to explode if mounted internally. It's the pickup area that's different. the 040 is open and the 044 has a barb. you can drop an o44 intank no worries but not using a sock is asking for trouble.

[wolverine]

^^^ exactly

My 984 has been intank for around 10 years with a modified factory sock.

[89CAL]

Yeah I didnt really know, I have a tomei lol

never really played with bosch pumps

[C4a0s]

personally i havent seen a 044 fail terribly wrong being submerged so i cant say i have irrefutable proof but yea.. other than the sock and inlet design, there's also the idea that the 044 was designed out of tank which means it might get hotter?

IMO.. why not just use a pump that was designed to be in tank instead of putting an external pump in tank.. seems dangerous to me to be messing with anything that is so close to 40-50 litres of petrol...

[Ben C34]

personally i havent seen a 044 fail terribly wrong being submerged so i cant say i have irrefutable proof but yea.. other than the sock and inlet design, there's also the idea that the 044 was designed out of tank which means it might get hotter?

IMO.. why not just use a pump that was designed to be in tank instead of putting an external pump in tank.. seems dangerous to me to be messing with anything that is so close to 40-50 litres of petrol...

It's not dangerous though. There's no oxygen so no boom possible.

[mungy]

It's not dangerous though. There's no oxygen so no boom possible.

There is some oxygen, unless the tank is full. And when idiots think that removing the charcoal canister improves power also makes it more dangerous as the canister creates the vac in the tank to remove any possible air.

but the fact stands that the only way to light the fuel is with a spark from incorrect install as well as removal of the canister

Using the 044 as an 040 is no biggie so long as a filter is there to do its job

[wolverine]

As long as the sock is on the bottom they are fine.

Given the crop of newer style pumps then there is little need to use large diameter pumps like the 040/044/984 but it simply isn't true to say they are dangerous.

[StevenCJR31]

It wont get hotter as it still has cooling fuel running through it

[Supreme87]

heres a small vid of how the fuel pump sounds,will change it out on the weekend hopefully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=126Q7bPLcyc

Edited November 19, 2013 by Supreme87

[C4a0s]

u guys are right... technically its safe if everything's done properly BUT why use an external fuel pump internally when there are internally designed ones available?

[wolverine]

Why? Have a look at the bottom of the 040 pump and have a look at the bottom of an R33 fuel tank. Nestling a sock on the bottom of the tank guarantees no pick up issues just like Nissan did it. An 040 mounted shy of the bottom can be a problem. Certainly plenty of guys have mounted them successfully without issues but there are quite a few SAU'ers who have had issues on low tanks.

[C4a0s]

Why? Have a look at the bottom of the 040 pump and have a look at the bottom of an R33 fuel tank. Nestling a sock on the bottom of the tank guarantees no pick up issues just like Nissan did it. An 040 mounted shy of the bottom can be a problem. Certainly plenty of guys have mounted them successfully without issues but there are quite a few SAU'ers who have had issues on low tanks.