Risk Driving on Failing Fuel Pump

Chuck Gillming

Chuck Gillming

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2022
Messages
34
Location
Chicago Area
Have a "99 Sport 4.0, feels like fuel pump is going. Hard starting, bucks under heavy load... While engine is warm it won't start unless I drip some gas down the throttle body. After it starts it drives fine with a moderate pedal and holds speed of 70 MPH well (tested it over about 60 miles). Again it only bucks under load or heavy throttle. So anyway, I need to drive it about 200 miles on the highway to get it home for the repair. Am I taking too big a risk based on how it's acting or a not so big risk? Chime in thanks. BTW 180,000 miles on it.
 
  • Dislike
Reactions: jjvw
I keep a spare fuel pump in a box under my seat. I have a small aluminum floor jack in the back. Had the tank out twice and could easily pull the assembly, swap out the pump and filters, and be back on the road in a couple of hours.

-Mac
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
macleanflood said:
I keep a spare fuel pump in a box under my seat. I have a small aluminum floor jack in the back. Had the tank out twice and could easily pull the assembly, swap out the pump and filters, and be back on the road in a couple of hours.

-Mac
Click to expand...

LOL kinda what I do, when I know a new part is going to be needed and don't have time for it I buy the part and put it in the vehicle along with the tools. I drove my Superduty for a couple of years with a water pump in the back before I finally got around to changing it, and there's a fuel pump and a accelerator pedal assembly back there now that I've hauled around for years. Oh and a rebuilt starter.
 
  • Like
  • USA Proud
Reactions: hear and macleanflood
macleanflood said:
I keep a spare fuel pump in a box under my seat. I have a small aluminum floor jack in the back. Had the tank out twice and could easily pull the assembly, swap out the pump and filters, and be back on the road in a couple of hours.

-Mac
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response... My skills aren't there yet. If I they were I'd change it before I attempted the trek.
 
B1Toad said:
LOL kinda what I do, when I know a new part is going to be needed and don't have time for it I buy the part and put it in the vehicle along with the tools. I drove my Superduty for a couple of years with a water pump in the back before I finally got around to changing it, and there's a fuel pump and a accelerator pedal assembly back there now that I've hauled around for years. Oh and a rebuilt starter.
Click to expand...

My Superduty has a couple of coils, PCV and lots of oil and transmission fluid. 256k miles on a 6.8.

I think you'll be fine...but have the pump JIC.

-Mac
 
B1Toad said:
LOL kinda what I do, when I know a new part is going to be needed and don't have time for it I buy the part and put it in the vehicle along with the tools. I drove my Superduty for a couple of years with a water pump in the back before I finally got around to changing it, and there's a fuel pump and a accelerator pedal assembly back there now that I've hauled around for years. Oh and a rebuilt starter.
Click to expand...

Ha. Thanks for response. Hope I get lucky like that.
 
Chuck Gillming said:
Thanks for the response... My skills aren't there yet. If I they were I'd change it before I attempted the trek.
Click to expand...

It's a couple of hoses, less than 10 bolts and an electrical connector. You can drop the tank with a floor jack. First time it's a PIA and then you realize it's not too bad.

You can do it!

-Mac
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ronutz
Well, if you don't drive it, you will have to tow it. If you don't make it, you will have to tow it. It you make it, then you won't have to pay for the tow. It sounds to me, that you have nothing to lose, except saving a possible towing fee. If you have AAA, then you have nothing to lose either way, except maybe saving yourself some time waiting for a tow service. It's not like it is a bad radiator or water pump where you could possibly damage your engine if it overheats.
 
If you buy the part and throw it in the Jeep for the trip, and your old one goes out, you would just have to pay someone labor to put it in if you didn't want to do it yourself.
 
Stay in the right lane, I think worst case if it dies and someone rear ends you. What have you saved?
 
ChasUGC said:
Well, if you don't drive it, you will have to tow it. If you don't make it, you will have to tow it. It you make it, then you won't have to pay for the tow. It sounds to me, that you have nothing to lose, except saving a possible towing fee. If you have AAA, then you have nothing to lose either way, except maybe saving yourself some time waiting for a tow service. It's not like it is a bad radiator or water pump where you could possibly damage your engine if it overheats.
Click to expand...

Agree
 
1690278011233.png


1690277920163.png
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: tworley, GPK03X and John Cooper
Luckily my fuel pump went out at the gas station, unluckily I had just filled up!!!!!

Got it home, tank dropped old pump out and waited on UPS to deliver the new one.

BB was back on the road in 3 days.

If I thought my pump was failing I would change it now, instead of waiting for it to fail!!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheBoogieman
John Cooper said:
Luckily my fuel pump went out at the gas station, unluckily I had just filled up!!!!!

Got it home, tank dropped old pump out and waited on UPS to deliver the new one.

BB was back on the road in 3 days.

If I thought my pump was failing I would change it now, instead of waiting for it to fail!!!!!
Click to expand...

Yep
 
Top Bottom
Back