It would be much appreciated if anyone can give me some advice.

My 96 z28 ran out of gas as I pulled to the gas pump. Filled her up and the car would not start. I didn’t seam to be getting any fuel. I wound up leaving it at the shop in the station. The owner told me it was the fuel pump and replaced it for $600.

When I went to pick it up I asked for the old pump. He told me he did not have it. It was at his other shop, where he towed it and did the repair. He did not tell me all this until I asked for the old part. He had another mechanic drop it off 30 minutes later. It certainly is a 96 z28 fuel pump….but it looks NEW!

What do you guys think happened here? Should my broke pump look new? How can I tell if he did the work, or he just replaced a fuse or a wire and tried to rip me off?

 

Look at the strap nuts???????/// Exhaust removed????? Top of shock nuts removed????

He had to drop the tank......

 

hook the wires for the pump up to a power and ground quick and see if it runs

 

Without knowing whether the old pump is good or not, you can't make a determination whether is was the problem or not. Running your tank dry is probably not a good on the fuel pump and maybe you boogered it by running on empty.

The rule is, that if you own a car and have a mechanic fix it, that sooner or later you are going to get screwed. Even if you could prove that your old pump was not the problem, since whatever they did fixed the problem, you don't have a leg to stand on. If they say it was the problem, it is your word against theirs, and if they refuse to correct the charges, that's all she wrote. Even if you complained through smalll claims, they can challenge you and you would have to hire an attorney which will cost you at lot more than it is worth.

Bottom line is if you have any reason (reasonable reason) to belive you have been screwed, just don't go back to that mechanic in the future.

Given that mechanics charge anywhere from 50 to 80 an hour for labor, you are looking at more for actual labor performed than for the part itself.

My advice is to just write it off and be happy that your problem resolved----and in the future, don't drive on empty---it costs no more to keep the tank half-full than to keep it near empty. JMHO

 

I've had a 4 month old pump go on me b/c i ran out of gas, so yea, it could look pretty new and still be bad. Hook it up to a battery like stated before.

Also, double check to make sure they didn't cut a hole in your trunk because 600 is pretty cheap for a fuel pump based on the quotes I got.

 

I don’t know what I am looking AT or FOR. Are the top of the shocks in the trunk, near the seat belts and speakers? If so…..they have not been touched. What Can I look for without a lift in 8” of snow?

 

The fuel pump sits on a part of the car that really doesn't get dirty and the fuel in the tank keeps it clean... so it could very well be your old pump.

Did he give you the complete bracket/sender/bucket/pump assembly as it is typically sold in OEM channels?

 

Well, I looked in the trunk. Nothing was cut. In fact it doesn’t appear the trunk was even opened. My shopping bags are still behind the sets exactly as I left them. Along with my empty McD’s garbage. So, it is unlikely they removed the carpet to get to the shocks. And put everything back.

They did HAVE to remove the shocks right?

 

you don't have to take out the carpet to undo the shocks, there are small flaps in it to get to the top of the shocks. they can be seen if you fold down the back seat.

 

No they could have just removed the bottom bolt out of the shock/rear end mount to drop the rear.

 

Thanks for all you help guys. I really wanted to trust this mechanic…but I just know something is up. This guy was a fast talker, but as soon as I asked about the old part he was speechless for a good 20 seconds. When I asked him how he got the car to the “other shop” with a bad pump he was uncomfortable and then defensive. I suspect he was called out and had to produce a pump, so he gave me a new one.

It was all just too fishy. I will have to take it to another shop and ask them to verify he did the job. If not…I guess I can file a dispute with the credit card comp. You think that will work?

 

No, it CAN all be done from underneath. I have done it myself.

 

Does the pump smell like gas?

Either way I can't imagine owning one of these cars and paying someone else to work on it. Done it yourself for @ $100.

 

Or get the full Racetronix version with wiring for $250.

 

Unless you can prove fraud 100%, it might be cheaper just to suck it up and let it go, as a learning experience..... JMO

As far as labor/parts, it seems about right....