Fuel pump shot?

My 2000 2500 has the telltale whine and all but stalled out accellerating on the highway at approx 2500 rpm. I figure the two things are related but is there anything else I should look at first?
I know it needs plugs and wires but the problem is sporadic and developed suddenly.

When was the last time you changed your fuel filter?

It's cheap and only takes a few minutes to change....

Could be a fuel pressure regulator.

Could be a fuel pressure regulator.
See what some people do is they don't change there fuel filters and that puts alot of stress on the fuel pump and they go out quick, but these fuel pumps are not very good to begin with, ya but try the simple stuff frist like fuel filter, and this has nothing to do with it but the throttel body on these get DIRTY!!!! So take the intake box off and clean the throttel body with gum out and a rag, and unscrew the little sencer on the throttel body and WIPE IT, don't spray any thing on it cuz it is plastic and you will damage it.Good luck!

Actually, I just recently purchased the truck and I haven't done much to it . It has 108k miles on it so I figure it needs some TLC. It has a warranty to cover anything major but I know it needs some maintainence. I'm bringing it in on tuesday to my mechanic for oil and tranny service, plugs and wires and whatever else it might need. I was figuring on fuel and air filter but the fuel pump whine concerns me. Fortunately I have a good mechanic who feels bad taking my money. :biggrin: I may have to leave it for a few days but it will be right when I get it back.

From my experience, the fuel pumps in the late 90s trucks and possibly (never owned one) the 2000 trucks always whined and wasn't a sign of a bad pump. I had a '98 Tahoe which I bought used whose fuel pump whined from the day I bought it to the time the pump died about 50,000 miles later. The reason I knew my pump was dead and something else wasn't the culprit? The truck died and when I turned the ignition to the ON position, there was NO whine.

My guess would be same as those who posted above... you probably have a horribly clogged fuel filter.

Is th fuel filter a PITA on these trucks? I remember spilling gas all over my motor in my old Subaru. Am I going to be covered with fuel since the filter sits so low relative to the rest of the fuel system?

Is th fuel filter a PITA on these trucks? I remember spilling gas all over my motor in my old Subaru. Am I going to be covered with fuel since the filter sits so low relative to the rest of the fuel system?

No, they actually got the fuel filter placement right on these. The fuel filter rests inside the driver's side frame, and has a "gutter" below it. If any fuel leaks out, it will go into this gutter and out a drain hole about 2' away from where you'll be, and then to the ground. It's easy to change, and you get to stay pretty clean. Make sure you have some fitting wrenches so as not to damage the fittings with pliers or an open end wrench.

If it needs tune up go for it.
But to check fuel pump.
And or Hard to start cold.
Check cold start fuel pressure.
Check engine running fuel pressure.
Check engine running on the road fuel pressure.
Then shut it off and watch for fast leak down.
Pinch off at rubber part or block off return line and check full pressure.
Later V6 and V8 gm engines should have 60-66 fuel pressure.
Cold start should be 64-65 lbs of pressure.
If you do not have full fuel pressure on a cold start the injectors will not squirt fuel.
Do not leave home without it.
Engine running should be 60-66 lbs pressure depending on engine load.
Full pressure with return pinched off should be 75-85 or more.
And if it has a fast leak down after shut off you have a leak.
Post back fuel pressure readings.
MT

Unfortunately I don't have a fuel pressure gauge or I'd check it. I figured I'd change the filter today since I have to drive it tomorrow. I need my mechanic to check my transfer case and front diff anyway so while he has it he can check the fuel system and address a few other issues.
I just don't want to be a cause of rubbernecking on the LIE on my way to work.

I changed my filter. I'm off to work,so wish me luck

I changed my filter. I'm off to work,so wish me luck
I have the same sporadic symptom; also bought my 99 1500 truck used with 126k miles. I looked at my fuel filter and I think it's rusted beyond removal. The rust goes past the fuel filter/fuel line fittings and onto the fuel line. And there's an assload of silt in the channel under the filter. I sprayed teh fittings with silicone, but I still couldn't break the rust. I have a baaad feeling its gonna need the fuel line replaced.

:smokin: What a difference! I don't think the filter was ever changed before. The truck is way more responsive and I have to watch my speed on the highway now. It even made the tranny shift better. Today it's at my mechanic's shop for the rest of the neglected maintainance :rolleyes:

WooHoo!
:biggrin:

:smokin: What a difference! I don't think the filter was ever changed before. The truck is way more responsive and I have to watch my speed on the highway now. It even made the tranny shift better. Today it's at my mechanic's shop for the rest of the neglected maintainance :rolleyes:

Hehehe... did the fuel that came out of the filter look like chocolate milk? I just changed the filter on a friend's car and that's what came out of his when I dumped it. Nasty!

My fuel pump makes that same whine but only when it is cold out usually below -5ºc, it started last winter. Sometimes it whines and other times it does not, it seems to help quiet it down a bit if i put some isopropyl in the tank, but that does not always work either.

No, they actually got the fuel filter placement right on these. The fuel filter rests inside the driver's side frame, and has a "gutter" below it. If any fuel leaks out, it will go into this gutter and out a drain hole about 2' away from where you'll be, and then to the ground. It's easy to change, and you get to stay pretty clean. Make sure you have some fitting wrenches so as not to damage the fittings with pliers or an open end wrench.

What he said............. I opened my old filter after 75k and it was black and gunky. Should have changed sooner.

As far as the whine,...mine has worried me with lots of noise for 50k mile. 90k on odometer, so far so good. The whine changes tune all the time, sometimes worrysome, sometimes not. If wasn't such a big job, I may have replaced it along with a new fuel sender(bad gas guage).

The fuel didn't look that bad but there was pressure in the lines on both sides of the filter. It runs so much better now it's like a different truck. As for the whine I'll find out today.

Update: The whine is nothing to worry about, yet.
After a tune up and throttle body cleaning the truck runs MUCH stronger. It even sounds better. The transfer case oil was completely cooked so my mechanic put in some new blue goo. The binding and noise are now pretty much gone. It's like a new truck.

Excellent!

I have a 2000 1/2 ton with 82K miles that just had the same problem. I dropped the tank, replaced the pump/sender unit, and the fuel fillter, but I still couldn't start the truck. A couple hours of trouble shooting later I find that the ECM B 20A fuse was blown. Replaced that, and everything was good. Just reading the posts you guys left helped alot.