Fuel pump for a Hemi in a 2004 LJ

NashvilleTJ

NashvilleTJ

I miss the snow...
Ride of the Month Winner
Lifetime Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Messages
6,866
Location
Nashville
If you follow my build thread, you may recall that during a wheelin' trip last weekend I began having trouble starting the rig. Long story short, the problem is most likely the pressure regulator in the pump not holding pressure, and leaking down when not running. If I cycle the key a few times, it fires right up. It could also be a leaking fuel injector, but I think that is highly unlikely.

The stock pump in my '04 puts out 49 psi, while the Hemi requires 59. In '05 Jeep went to a 59 psi pump, but the pump is different and does not fit the '04 style tank as I understand.

When I built and installed the Hemi in 2018, I picked up a fuel pump (among many other parts for that matter) from Red Rock Off Road. This pump puts out 59 psi and fits the '04 style tank, but does not have a built in filter. Guess which one it is:

Jeep - 5.7 Hemi 7-7-2017 689.JPG


Yeah, the cheap looking plastic piece of crap on the right. It worked, but I was disappointed with the apparent quality of the thing from the start. Well, now I think that has come back to bight me.

I pulled pictures of the box and all the documentation I have on the pump, but there is nothing that helps identify it. I have an e-mail and call into Jim Beebe over at Red Rock to get the info, but have not had a response.

All that as background to my question: Does anyone know of an in tank, no return fuel pump which will fit an '04 tank, and puts out 59 psi?

Thanks in advance.
 
I donot have an answer to your final question, but that pump is very much like the pump that is used on the 2011 JK 3.8L.
There is a sock filter of sorts attached to the suction inside the lower section.
To access the filter; you would need to gently release the plastic clips holding the lower section to the housing assembly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NashvilleTJ
Jeff,

I'm wondering if the stock pump can be used as a pickup, which is connected to an external, maybe frame mounted, pump/filter. I'm unsure how the current electronics work in the stock pump, but it is an alternate path to explore. Maybe someone else here can speak to how the stock pump works? :unsure:
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlueC and NashvilleTJ
Irun said:
Jeff,

I'm wondering if the stock pump can be used as a pickup, which is connected to an external, maybe frame mounted, pump/filter. I'm unsure how the current electronics work in the stock pump, but it is an alternate path to explore. Maybe someone else here can speak to how the stock pump works? :unsure:
Click to expand...
I could definitely go to an external pump and use the existing pickup with just a bit of plumbing work, I'd just have to find a solution for the pressure retention - but if I found an external solution for the pressure retention, I could continue to use the current pump. At this point I'm trying to stay with an in-tank solution if possible. As a last resort, I could go to an '05 tank, which I assume would fit (or I could make fit) in my rig, and use a stock '05 pump which I assume would last much longer than this thing did, but that's a pricey solution to avoid having to turn the key a couple of times....

Edit: 'course, I guess replacing the pump is a pricey solution to avoid having to turn the key a couple of times...
 
I think it is winter mix gas on a warm day. I don't know when they switch to summer mix. You might read a little about the different mixes and their reid vapor pressure. I had a few episodes that day too and no problems before or since.
 
Any way to take the pump from the plastic piece and get it into the stock unit? Or rig a holly mat to the bottom.
 
NashvilleTJ said:
If you follow my build thread, you may recall that during a wheelin' trip last weekend I began having trouble starting the rig. Long story short, the problem is most likely the pressure regulator in the pump not holding pressure, and leaking down when not running. If I cycle the key a few times, it fires right up. It could also be a leaking fuel injector, but I think that is highly unlikely.

The stock pump in my '04 puts out 49 psi, while the Hemi requires 59. In '05 Jeep went to a 59 psi pump, but the pump is different and does not fit the '04 style tank as I understand.

When I built and installed the Hemi in 2018, I picked up a fuel pump (among many other parts for that matter) from Red Rock Off Road. This pump puts out 59 psi and fits the '04 style tank, but does not have a built in filter. Guess which one it is:

View attachment 314722

Yeah, the cheap looking plastic piece of crap on the right. It worked, but I was disappointed with the apparent quality of the thing from the start. Well, now I think that has come back to bight me.

I pulled pictures of the box and all the documentation I have on the pump, but there is nothing that helps identify it. I have an e-mail and call into Jim Beebe over at Red Rock to get the info, but have not had a response.

All that as background to my question: Does anyone know of an in tank, no return fuel pump which will fit an '04 tank, and puts out 59 psi?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Use the 05 pump and just carefully sand the flange down until it fits the 04 lock ring. This is a JK pump with the flange sanded down to fit the lock ring set up on a custom fuel tank I built.

DSC_6031.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jamison C, williambmac, Irun and 1 other person
CharlesHS said:
I donot have an answer to your final question, but that pump is very much like the pump that is used on the 2011 JK 3.8L.
There is a sock filter of sorts attached to the suction inside the lower section.
To access the filter; you would need to gently release the plastic clips holding the lower section to the housing assembly.
Click to expand...
The JK pump is much shorter. The same pump is used for all years.
 
NashvilleTJ said:
I could definitely go to an external pump and use the existing pickup with just a bit of plumbing work, I'd just have to find a solution for the pressure retention - but if I found an external solution for the pressure retention, I could continue to use the current pump. At this point I'm trying to stay with an in-tank solution if possible. As a last resort, I could go to an '05 tank, which I assume would fit (or I could make fit) in my rig, and use a stock '05 pump which I assume would last much longer than this thing did, but that's a pricey solution to avoid having to turn the key a couple of times....

Edit: 'course, I guess replacing the pump is a pricey solution to avoid having to turn the key a couple of times...
Click to expand...
The 05 tank will bolt right in place of yours. You will have lots of plumbing differences to figure out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NashvilleTJ
He says it's only good for up to a 2002 but your fuel pump assembly looks just like the one in mine so IMO it should fit. I'd asked him once before about this but can't find his reply.

https://stores.hi-potek.com/fuel-pump-module-adapter-for-full-feed-return-fuel-system-jeep/
This replaces the fuel pressure regulator on the top of your assembly. But you'd have to install a external fuel pressure regulator and a return line.

I installed the kit in mine starting on page 200 in my build thread.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/wildmans-tj-is-getting-a-face-lift.19356/page-200
 
  • Like
Reactions: NashvilleTJ
mrblaine said:
Use the 05 pump and just carefully sand the flange down until it fits the 04 lock ring. This is a JK pump with the flange sanded down to fit the lock ring set up on a custom fuel tank I built.

View attachment 314752
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, Blaine. If a little trimming is all it takes, that sounds like a good solution. I assume it’s also a returnless system, and that I can make the wiring work for the fuel level sending unit. I much prefer an off the shelf piece over what I have in there.

Thanks again.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
Isn't the pump on the right in your photo a standard 05-06 pump? I'm a bit confused why you don't just run a Bosch replacement. I did one and it looked exactly like that with one line, it just has a plastic fitting instead of the 2004 metal but the important part is it looks like that's what you already are running.

Edit: I guess that's what Blaine is saying and Red Rock might have done that work.
 
Wildman said:
He says it's only good for up to a 2002 but your fuel pump assembly looks just like the one in mine so IMO it should fit. I'd asked him once before about this but can't find his reply.

https://stores.hi-potek.com/fuel-pump-module-adapter-for-full-feed-return-fuel-system-jeep/
This replaces the fuel pressure regulator on the top of your assembly. But you'd have to install a external fuel pressure regulator and a return line.

I installed the kit in mine starting on page 200 in my build thread.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/wildmans-tj-is-getting-a-face-lift.19356/page-200
Click to expand...
Thanks Rick. I‘d like to stick with a returnless system.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
pagrey said:
Isn't the pump on the right in your photo a standard 05-06 pump? I'm a bit confused why you don't just run a Bosch replacement. I did one and it looked exactly like that with one line, it just has a plastic fitting instead of the 2004 metal but the important part is it looks like that's what you already are running.

Edit: I guess that's what Blaine is saying and Red Rock might have done that work.
Click to expand...
Not sure. Does the standard ‘05-06 pump have a built in filter? The one I have does not.
 
NashvilleTJ said:
Not sure. Does the standard ‘05-06 pump have a built in filter? The one I have does not.
Click to expand...
If the aftermarket replacement does or doesn't have a filter doesn't make it not a 05-06 pump, it just means that particular pump didn't have one. The thing is you already have the new style pump in there, you can see the pump you have uses the newer mounting flange so that means you already have the correct gasket to seal it. There's a thread over on Jeep Forum with an 05-06 genright tank and an 04 pump and it worked fine. Overall they are about the same size. It might be some other pump that just happens to look like a duck and quack like a duck, who knows?

JF/threads/04-to-05-fuel-pump-seal-differences.1001904/
 
  • Like
Reactions: NashvilleTJ
NashvilleTJ said:
Thanks for that, Blaine. If a little trimming is all it takes, that sounds like a good solution. I assume it’s also a returnless system, and that I can make the wiring work for the fuel level sending unit. I much prefer an off the shelf piece over what I have in there.

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
All TJ pumps are returnless. You do need to check the pin out on the connector and make sure that they are the same. I believe Scotty ran into that where the pump wouldn't run due to the + and - being reversed. If the sender isn't correct but works, I have a solution for that as well.

You just de-pin the connector and move the pins if needed to make the pump turn the right direction.
 
  • Like
Reactions: toximus, pc1p and NashvilleTJ
Top Bottom
Back