99' burb- 2 fuel pumps in under 2 months!

[mikeinut]

I'm at my whit's end!

OK, two months ago my wife's 99 suburban just suddenly "died." It worked the night before but the following morning it would just turn over and wouldn't fire up. Starting fluid made it run so common sense told me it was the fuel pump. I also read some threads and easily determined it was my fuel pump. The original pump had 90K at it seemed like a very common problem. I replaced the fuel pump with a Master fuel pump from Autozone ($250.00 with lifetime replacement warranty). I also installed a new fuel filter. Everything worked great, I was a hero and did the job in a couple of hours.

Not even two months later my wife calls from the grocery store....her car will not fire up. No fuel pump noise when I turned the key to the on position. Fuel pump right? I dropped the tank and stuck in yet another brand new fuel pump and changed the fuel filter again. Viola! It worked again.

One week passes...I'm on an archery elk hunt at 10,000 feet. I get a signal on my mobile and call my wife. She tells me her car has puked it up again!

At this point and time I don't know if the pump is toast or if something else is not allowing the pump to get juice. (I've rarely heard that the fuel pump relay solves a problem) When I turn the key to the on position...the fuel guage needle spikes hard to the F (full) side and then goes back to the actual fuel reading. Simultaneously, I can also hear 3 distince clicks under the dash. I might point out that my fuel guage has always "fluttered" even after replacing the fuel pump two times. The idea of a $1,000.00 mechanic bill causes nausea. Does anybody have any ideas?

Before I drop in yet another fuel pump I need to figure out where to begin. I'm pretty handy but feeling hopeless at the moment.

Thanks for your time guys!
Mike

[flht]

Soory to read that, I hope I am not to late. the 4 wire connector in the tank may be corroded, If I recall right the gary wire is one to the fuel pump. Same thing happed to me, I raised alot of stink then had to eat crow due to the wires.
Later

[erniepad]

Originally Posted by mikeinut

I'm at my whit's end!

OK, two months ago my wife's 99 suburban just suddenly "died." It worked the night before but the following morning it would just turn over and wouldn't fire up. Starting fluid made it run so common sense told me it was the fuel pump. I also read some threads and easily determined it was my fuel pump. The original pump had 90K at it seemed like a very common problem. I replaced the fuel pump with a Master fuel pump from Autozone ($250.00 with lifetime replacement warranty). I also installed a new fuel filter. Everything worked great, I was a hero and did the job in a couple of hours.

Not even two months later my wife calls from the grocery store....her car will not fire up. No fuel pump noise when I turned the key to the on position. Fuel pump right? I dropped the tank and stuck in yet another brand new fuel pump and changed the fuel filter again. Viola! It worked again.

One week passes...I'm on an archery elk hunt at 10,000 feet. I get a signal on my mobile and call my wife. She tells me her car has puked it up again!

At this point and time I don't know if the pump is toast or if something else is not allowing the pump to get juice. (I've rarely heard that the fuel pump relay solves a problem) When I turn the key to the on position...the fuel guage needle spikes hard to the F (full) side and then goes back to the actual fuel reading. Simultaneously, I can also hear 3 distince clicks under the dash. I might point out that my fuel guage has always "fluttered" even after replacing the fuel pump two times. The idea of a $1,000.00 mechanic bill causes nausea. Does anybody have any ideas?

Before I drop in yet another fuel pump I need to figure out where to begin. I'm pretty handy but feeling hopeless at the moment.

Thanks for your time guys!
Mike

Mikeinut
Did you find the source of your fluttering gas gauge? I am experiencing a simular problem with my gas gauge and am trying to figure this out as well.
I have a 1998 suburban that I had to replace the fuel pump already twice because I thought it went bad.
Just as you mentioned I have always had an irratic fuel gauge. I thought by replacing the whole fuel pump module this would cure my problem but it hasn't.
After the second time that I replaced the pump I checked the old pump to satisfy my curiosity and it checked out fine. So to avoid repeating another fuel pump change I cleaned the connections. I thought this would solve my problem but I am still getting irratic readings on my gas gauge.
I still had one of the original fuel pumps so I looked INSIDE the female electrical connecton part of the pump and I noticed that the plastic around the large black wire's metal pin was melted. I'm assuming that this is the ground wire. I followed the wire to the firewall and cannot visably see anything abnormal.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

[rbenson]

I'm new here and am having the same problem. I replaced my pump about a year ago. I found that the pump wasn't bad, it was the harness. I replaced the harness and it worked great until a couple of months ago when fuel gauge quit working.I dropped the tank yesterday and messed around with the wires and the gauge works now but the needle vibrates and bounces around.Also when I turn the key now the needle goes way past full then returns.
Rob

[wafrederick]

Quit getting fuel pumps from AutoZone!I hear all but problems with fuel pumps from AutoZone.There is another brand to stay away from,Airtex.Airtex makes fuel pumps for Napa and Carquest.Carquest just went to another supplier for fuel pumps and did away from Airtex.Carter makes the best fuel pumps,my father only had 2 go bad so far.I know about Airtex fuel pumps,put six of them in a row in a Chevy truck and warrenty claims denied.

[bxj6]

How is your oil pressure safety switch. No oil pressure no juice to the fuel pump no gas? Worth a look?
Good Luck

[big dove]

I had the same problem 2 months ago with my 99burb I changed my fuel pump almost 2 years ago I got it from the dealership but 2 months ago I want to start it so it could warm it up but it just turned over an over so I thought it was time for a fuel pump so I disconnect the fuel line at the fuel filter an turn the switch on no fuel so I drop the tank forgetting the switch was on a no, no the tank hits the ground an start pumping disconnect the battery go buy a harness an still running strong

[mikeinut]

I haven't been on here in forever but I thought I'd at least give a recap as to what was wrong with my 99 burb. It was the wiring harness! Something inside the male end didn't make contact or had enough resistance that it burned out my pumps. A mechanic friend had some wacky little tool that expanded or somehow bent the contacts inside the harness so it made solid contact when plugged into the fuel pump. My fluttering guage never went away but my 3rd fuel pump was running strong 6 months later...when I sold it and bought a newer burb. The 5.3L engine makes that 5.7L Vortec feel like an old dog.

[flht]

Glad to hear it is running fine. I posted awhile back that when the pump is changed that you need to change the wiring harness. This part was 3 dollars . As you said the connector is crap again glad it worked. I have a new 5.3 2006 and my old 97 5.7 the old one will smoke the 5.3 (but I do have chip, exhaust and K&N intake. Not sure if it would stock

Later Tom

[incus]

I running into a similar problem and hope someone can help. Our fuel pump went the morning of a 700 mile return trip home from my grandmother's funeral about 1.5 years ago. Installed by a mechanic and used a fuel pump bought from the dealership. Everything seemed fine until I restarted the SES light came on. Light reset/cleared, but did notice bouncing fuel gauge, then SES light turned on again halfway home. Truck runs fine, no changes in MPG or power/torque. Only problem is we just started emissions here in Wilmington, NC and I can't pass inspection until problem fixed. I really don't want to pay to have it repaired again, but a $250 fine from the state is looming 4/01. If I buy a OBDII can I check/clear code and how long might that last for?

Any idea of the cost of the harness? Does the tank need to be dropped to replace the harness?
Any help really appreciated,
Incus