Fuel Pump Question

My 96 Roady has about 85,000 miles on it. I've obviously seen lots of guys here have the fuel pump stop working at the worst possible time, and it got me thinking. Is there a point where you just replace the factory one to be sure you don't get stuck somewhere on the side of the road? At what mileage did most of you guys experience the pump failing? My wife and I and our two dogs drive from Pittsburgh to Florida at least once, and sometimes twice a year. The thought of the car just stopping on the side of the road who knows where is kind of scary. We plan on keeping the Roady forever, so your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

Mark, I know what you mean,I have 103k miles on my 96 Roady with the orig. pump.I did purchase
a new pump,screen ,wiring harness and whatever else you are supposed to change when you
replace the fuel pump,however I have not changed it as yet. I dont know the exact answer
as to when to change your fuel pump but I would like to do mine soon. After pulling the fuel
tank I think I am going to cut a door in the floor to make the pump easier to change.(Just in case I ever have to change it on the side of the road) A couple things that I do to help with the longetivity of the pump is ;never run it low on fuel,always at least a
quarter of a tank, change the fuel filter about every 20k miles. My wife and I travel from Jersey to Maine at least twice a year with 4 cats,so I dont want to break down either! ed

Replaced mine at about 104K. Having done - so cutting the access door in the rear cargo floor to make any future replacements and/or tweaks easier is a GREAT idea.

Nah. Just let it be. If you get a good deal on a real AC Delco pump? Buy it. But don't stress about it. Like you say, it will happen whenever. Mine happened the night before college graduation in a restaurant parking lot with no warning.

Such is life.

FWIW, I got 130k out of my pump.

Do they make a high pressure rail pump?  When I did the diesel conversion on the L03 Buick, the first thing to go was the in-tank pump.  Plumbed in a rail pump from the GMC diesel trucks (6.2/6.5) and it drew through the busted tank pump just fine.  Both put out about the same pressure, about 10 PSI. Never did replace the bad pump, just used it as the pickup tube.

Perhaps picking up a high pressure rail pump, some fuel line fittings, some wiring and keeping this stuff in the car as a backup would be a good idea.  If the tank pump tanks, at least it would get you home.

Bill

When you decide to do this, the tools you will need are:

Tank pivot bolts (rear) 1/2" socket and 1/2" wrench
Tank front bolts 5/8" socket with 6" extension
Heat shields 10MM and 6" extension
Tank filler to body bolts 9/32" socket
Fuel line tool
Fuel pump unit to tank 10MM

I did not have the 9/32" and had to purchase a screwdriver/socket thingy....

added about an hour to the job.

ALSO, there is an anti-siphon ball in the tank so you will have to drop the tank with whatever fuel is in it.

In my first 1993 wagon my pump lasted over 140,000 miles before it failed. I took the old one apart and found the brushes and commutator were shot.

I refurbished the sending units on both of my LT1 fuel tanks in 2008 and haven't had a fuel pump issue since. Original pumps with 170k and 154k as far as I know.

My 94 RMW made it to 180k on the original.
My 91 olds went 40-50k on a replacement pump.
Other two TBIs suffered from the split hose in the tank around 140 and 200k but the pumps were good.