Replacing fuel pump?

I have a 97 Lumina and I am able to start it only after it "rests" for a day or so! Otherwise, I cannot hear the fuel pump "buzz" for a couple seconds when I turn the key, and it will not start, of course. After a day or so, it WILL buzz, and then I can start the car and it seems to run fine. I took it to a garage, and they said it needs a new pump for $800! Does this sound right? If so, I see I can get a pump "sender unit" for $250/350 on the web. Is this a doable thing for a fairly handy guy? I have worked on cars a bit. Thanks.

i would start by checking out your fuel pump relays in the black box under the hood. if they check out ok then go to the fuel pump harness and check the connector.

Its doable, just make sure you siphon lots of gas out of the tank (those things are HEAVY). Go grab a haynes/chilton, it'll practically draw what you need to do to drop the tank and get the pump out.

If you think about it, its probably a two-three hour job, 70 an hour ($210), plus a $400 pump (mechanics like to use expensive stuff, helps their rep). That's about $650 after all the little pieces are put together, and yeah, you're in that neighborhood.

BUT check the relays/connecters/wiring/etc before you sink that kinda money into the pump.

I have a 97 Lumina and I am able to start it only after it "rests" for a day or so! Otherwise, I cannot hear the fuel pump "buzz" for a couple seconds when I turn the key, and it will not start, of course. After a day or so, it WILL buzz, and then I can start the car and it seems to run fine. I took it to a garage, and they said it needs a new pump for $800! Does this sound right? If so, I see I can get a pump "sender unit" for $250/350 on the web. Is this a doable thing for a fairly handy guy? I have worked on cars a bit. Thanks.


Just had 2 installed in one year on 96 3.1.

1. First mechanic charged $270 for pump and labor but---
his pump went bad 4 months later

2. Daughter didn't trust him again and took it to a dealer who
charged $496.00 with GM pump