Thread: Second blown fuel pump fuse in 6 weeks. Help...

After getting stranded the last time, I started carrying spare fuses and a needlenose pliers in my car with hopes of never needing them. Well today I did and for the same fuse.

The first time I accelerated pretty hard around a corner and the fuse blew. This time was under acceleration too, but not real agressive. I also have noticed lately that when I really step on the gas, about every other time the car just doesn't want to accelerate. It doesn't sputter or anything, but the boost gauge will go up like usual but no acceleration. I let off the gas and try again, usually more conservatively, and it seems fine.

Is it a fuel pump or something else? Any helpful ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

try replacing the fuel filter and then run a bottle of lucas fuel injector cleaner. the fuse blowing could be a chafed wire somewhere that shorts out when it hits the right spot. or the fuel pump could be trying too hard when u accelerate and something is clogged but i dont know that for a fact, its just a theory

Fuel filter, eh? Hmmm. I wonder how hard they are to replace. They are only like $20 I think...

Yeah, the fuel pump is like $300. A bit pricey for a "just try this..." attempt.

Not saying that isn't the problem, but I was hoping for something else to test, and maybe the fuel filter is it.

FYI my car just hit 60,000 original miles (very low miles for a 2000 GTP), and I've heard that the pump should last longer than that...

my stock pump went around 90k, every car is different. but from my experiance random stalling out if bad wires somewhere.

fuel filter is easy but the nuts holding it on there can be rusted making it tough and easy to round them off, been there done that , use the 5 point open end wrenches, i forget there actual name, or vise grips.

damn i wish i had 60k on my 2000. i got it with 46k in 03

What about those non-AC/Delco fuel pumps from WBS and the like? Any good at all?

Did you get the Airtex Master one that they sell? Looks like $259 online. WBS sells a non-AC/Delco one for $159 with a 1 year warranty as well.

I kind of wish that ZZP had a drop in one like that. I am getting a credit on a defective wheel bearing I got from them so I will have $80 there.

Alright. This is getting worse. Can anyone recommend the one from WBS for $159 or the Airtex E3973M for $259? I need to order something or pick one up as soon as possible. Fuse blew yesterday and then again today (although I drove it 200 miles between the two times)...

Or do I go OEM? Heck, I am starting to see a few choices if I buy one online. Rock Auto has pumps by:
Airtex - $242
Bosch - $267
Carter - $288
Delphi - $291
AC/Delco (out of stock) - $287

I'm finding others for even better prices too.

Also, it looks like I am finding 2 AC/Delco ones. A MU227 and a MU241. Both claim to fit the 2000 GTP, but prices are different, and I don't know which is actually the best to use....

So Delphi is the "spun off" AC/Delco for the most part. So it should be OEM. It says on their page Fit note: ENGINE VIN "1"

What does that mean? I know that it means that there is a number in my VIN that is a "1" somewhere, but which number? I want to make sure that I look at the right one and get the right part.

I will also see if I can find anything about where the fuel pump wires are located under the seat. I am currently working 2 hours from home, so I stay with relatives during the week and don't have access to my tools. Heck, I don't even think that they have a flashlight, so that will have to wait until daylight tomorrow.

Here is what I've sort of figured out as common elements for when the fuse blows.
Started when then weather started getting cool (45F was the first time), it seems to happen under acceleration only (hard or light) and possibly after the traction control comes on. At first it was under hard acceleration around a corner where the wheels probably spun a little. Lately, it has been under light acceleration atfter the tires have been covered in snow with light slippage. Every time the car has been sitting outside for at least 90 minutes (most times for about 4 hours).

I looked under the back seat (passenger side) and the wiring seems to be intact and it is inside a plastic corrugated sheathing that looks undamaged. I think that the pump is the problem. Wish is wasn't...

I just ordered the Delphi fuel pump. I will swap out the filter this weekend when I am back in my own garage with my own tools. I will also take the back seat out even further and look for wire issues, but I don't know. I have had this problem only while driving by myself, never when anyone or anything has been on the back seat increasing pressure on any wires.

I just hope that I didn't make a $250 bad investment. Man I hate electrical issues!

Replaced the fuel pump today. Was pretty easy. Heck, I did it all from inside the car on the back seat and didn't even put on any "work clothes". The biggest problem was that the car was cold from sitting outside prior to me pulling it in to the garage so the fuel lines were a little stiff, making the 3 lines somewhat hard to pull off of the connections (once the connectors themselves were unhooked). Other than that, it was easy.

Need to still drive the car tonight, but it started up and doesn't appear to be leaking, so that is good. Time to eat supper and then I'll give it a test drive. Hopefully I will be able to drive "like a mad man" without any fuel issues. If so, then I will feel pretty comfortable that when I drive like normal I will be OK.

I'll report back later.

Car seems to be running just fine. So far anyway. One thing I noticed was with my original fuel pump, when I turned the key (almost ready to start the engine) and I heard the fuel pump kick it, it was sort of a noticeable, somewhat high pitch buzzing sound. Now it isn't so loud and sounds less "strange". I know, not very descriptive. It looks like they changed a few things in 2007 with the replacement fuel pump, so maybe it is just an affect from the redesign, or maybe it means that the fuel pump buzzing sound was a sign of the problem before...

I'll post back if the fuse blows again, but otherwise assume that no news is good news.

Another interesting note. I got a lot better gas mileage last night when I made my 2 hour highway drive to the city that I work in during the week. I went from about 23 MPG on the highway to about 28.5 MPG... Time will tell if it will stay that way or not...