There has to be a better fuel pump!!!!!!!

[General Mcgregor]

Ok fellas, our trucks can withstand just about any mechanical failure and still be operational in some way, but the weakest thing on the dang truck has to be these stupid IN TANK FUEL PUMPS!!!!
Seriously, did the military not see this? Was this system an afterthought?? At this point I would rather leave my house with two bald, dry rotted front tires than drive one more mile with one of these things installed on my truck.

This is the THIRD in tank pump that has failed me in the past 2 years. Today I was making a simple fuel run less than 5 miles from my house. I knew the fuel level was pretty low (hence the fuel run) but I thought I could make it no problem. I literally stalled out and died as I pulled into the parking lot of the service station. No big deal I thought, I can just put some diesel in my can and pour it in the tank. Because I had run out (or so I thought) I knew I had to re-prime it after I put fuel in the tank. So I ran the in tank pump for a while with the bleeder screw open, It was running for over 3 mins with no fuel coming from the screw. I have never run the truck out of fuel before so I was not sure how long it would take to get to the screw. After those 3 mins I knew something was wrong. I could not feel any air on my finger tip coming from the screw but I could hear that the in tank pump was running. So I unscrewed my pump screws and fuel line and pulled the pump out. It was still intact at the bottom, the pumping cavity and screen were still there. I plugged it in to check to see if it was spinning, it was. I unplugged it, placed it back into the fuel and plugged it back in to run it with the fuel line disconnected. No fuel came from the fitting at all, even though the pump was clearly running and there was a sufficent ammount of fuel in the tank. Luckily I was 100 yards away from a powerline construction company that had several deuces in their yard. I walked over and talked to one of their technicians who told me that they had already upgraded to a different more reliable fuel system and therefore had no spare pumps kicking around...
Soooo a $230 tow later (5 miles) and I am at home looking for said more reliable fuel pump. I refuse to buy another POS military fuel pump and have to have a spare with me everywhere I go. Any suggestions? Or am I overlooking something with the current one? My last two had their pumping cavity fall apart at the bottom of the tank but this one has me stumped.
-GM

 

[kc4wd]

Prepare for that to happen again. Here is what I did. I put a schrader valve in one of the fitting holes on the fuel tank. If the pump fails again and will not prime. Use a air hose to pressurize the fuel tank and it will prime the system the same way you would as if the pump was working. The deuce will run without the pump working and using air, that you already have avalible, you can get it to run, and you will save on the tow bill.

There is a pump that will work. Use the search feature and you will find it.
Here......
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-modification-hot-rodding/79191-has-anyone-tried-fit-pump.html

 

[wsucougarx]

Hmm, great idea on the schrader valve!

 

[General Mcgregor]

Hmm, great idea on the schrader valve!

I'm going to do that.

 

[kc4wd]

Just use common sense.....it doesn't take much pressure to do this. Don't fill your tank to 60 PSI. If you truck is dry on air and you dont have a compressor..........be creative......you have 10 tires with pressure as well, just be prepared to be creative on how to use it.

 

[deuceman51]

I haven't had any trouble with any of the 14 deuces I have. Are you using take out pumps or did you buy a brand new pump. I know they are spendy, but they should last 30 years.

 

[randini]

Are those In-tank pumps that bad? They look like a good design to me.

 

[patracy]

Install an external airtex 24v pump, been running one on my deuce after the in tank died.

 

[bshupe]

Im not a Deuce guy per-se but.... I think it is pretty common to end an in tank pumps life prematurely by running the tank dry like that. The pump relies on the fuel in the tank for cooling so if you are pretty consistently running it low then the pump is likely overheating or at least operating at the top end of its thermal range regularly which is just bad news for an electric motor no matter how you look at it.

 

[derby]

You do not need the pump for the truck to run. Did you run out of fuel or was it related to the pump? Also, have you replaced the rubber hose in the tank? Do You always run with the tank low on fuel? The fuel helps to cool the pump and if the fuel is low the pump will run hot.

I have had several different trucks and only had a problem with one in tank pump. I replaced that with a external mount from Napa. it was about $75 It has been in over a year and no troubles.


Looks like bshupe beat me to it!

 

[randini]

Can you run 2 pumps at the same time, i.e. stock in-tank AND aftermarket In-line pump. I cant see any problem.

 

[General Mcgregor]

You DO need the pump to prime the fuel system for starting. Yes the truck will run just fine without the pump on but it needs to start before that can happen.
I usually don't fill my tank over half and rarely go below a quarter, I meant to get fuel sooner but ended up having to pull a buddy out of a snow bank therefore running it lower than I previously have. This was not a neglegence thing I don't think a fuel pump (a good one anyway) should just fall apart if it runs out of fuel and runs dry for like 5 seconds. ESPECIALLY one that is installed on Military vehicles.
Yes these are used pumps, which is why I am going with a new one next.
-GM

 

[randini]

Why not fill up over half-full?

 

[derby]

You DO need the pump to prime the fuel system for starting.
-GM

Not so, If you need to prime the system every time you start it, you have an air leak somewhere.
A good friend of mine had a Deuce tractor that had a non working in tank pump for years and it started and ran better than any Multi I have ever seen. The pump only makes fuel maintenance easier.

Even the truck I have that had a bad pump would start, just not as swift as with the new pump.

Back to the in tank hose, what condition is it in? It could be swollen on the inside and causing your pump to work harder and failing premature.

 

[General Mcgregor]

Why not fill up over half-full?

Because Diesel is over $4.00 a gallon for a truck that is not a daily driver. If it turns out that that will help it then I would do it but I dont think keeping a minimum of 25 gallons in the tank all the time will help. If that is what I need to do to keep these pumps running as they should than I would rather get a different more reliable pump.
-GM

 

[derby]

I forgot to add, don't trust your fuel gauge. One Deuce I had would run out of fuel at a quater tank. Adjusted the pump lower in the tank and all beter.

 

[General Mcgregor]

Back to the in tank hose, what condition is it in? It could be swollen on the inside and causing your pump to work harder and failing premature.

The hose is fine.
Why do we even have these pumps then if the system works as you say it does? If the military thought along those lines than the pump would not run constantly while the master switch was on. They would instead have a switch to turn it on for priming ONLY if needed. I have talked to many who have said that the pump IS needed for starting. Am I missing something or is this entire thing just a crappy design??

 

[swbradley1]

Find a working truck, disconnect the pump, see if it starts.

Put an Airtex on it if you don't like the in-tank pump.

 

[SCSG-G4]

The in tank pump is supposed to supply 4 to 7 psi to the IP, and the IP takes it from there. The company that makes the pump has them for about $250, but I've read the literature on them - they are expected to last about 4000 hours. Remember that your engine hour gauge may not have anything to do with reality before you got the truck (or the used pumps).

 

[derby]

Alot of diesel engines do not have lift pumps, 809 series uses the PT pump to draw fuel to the engine, Mercedes 300 series has a pump on the IP to get fuel from the tank.
I am just saying that a tight fuel system will not give you any trouble with starting.

Has it ever blown a fuse, or does the pump just quit pumping fuel? Are there any pinched or half crushed fuel lines where you can't see them?

You may be on to something with the switched fuel pump , it would last forever.