hey guys

i've 'just been living' with a weak & whining fuel pump (probably the check valve) and an intermittant slow-start + highrev problem for the past 6mo. or so

it's still running and a pump is $$, so i would like to wait til it dies before replacing it, but, is it harmful to put this off?

it takes on average 9-11 cranks (4-5secs) to start the car. which is much longer than other fbodies (3-4 cranks), and the pump whines pretty bad now.

 

i dunno how harmful it is, but im sure it doesnt help...IMO i would go ahead and change it now, better to change it while it works then to change it after its dead and your stranded somewhere....but thats just my .02

 

3 to 4 cranks? Mine starts just by looking at the key. On a bad day I might have to actually touch the key. Seriously, my car sits for 6 to 7 months at a time in the winter, and it always starts in 1 to 2 revolutions.

 

If you suspect the pump, cycle your key on and off several times, waiting about 5 seconds in between cycles to build up fuel pressure. Then try to crank the car and see what it does. If you have not changed your fuel filter, do so.

 

yeah, check the filter as well... alot of times its something simple... maybe thats all it is for you...

 

Try changing the fuel filter. I just did this weekend and the one I took off said AC Delco on it. I am worried it was the original at 145k. I had trouble blowing air through it. When I got the new one on there, I noticed the fuel pump whine was almost gone while sitting inside the car. The fuel pressure between the pump and the filter was probably in the 50s or worse.
Mine takes a few cranks to start, as well. I also have the hesitation/miss/stumble from idle to 2000rpm. I wonder if these things are related.

 

i changed the fuel filter about 6 mo ago hoping it was that, but it didn't make much of a difference. also ran chevron fuel treatment twice in the last year.

so, a shop ran a fuel-pressure test and found out that the psi falls from ~40 to ZERO within 2sec of turning the engine off - i suspect it's the check valve or dying pump, the whining has gotten louder as of late, esp when below 1/2 a tank. btw, car runs strong, no hesitation.

i've posted this before, so i apologize for repeating. i mainly wanted to know if the slow-starts are very bad for the car. in that case i may shell out the $4-500 for pump & labor. btw, priming the pump 2-3 times before starting doesn't help, prolly b/c of the fast psi dropoff?

 

u could prolly do the pump yourself.. save on the labor...