Fuel pump : replace/rebuild

[Sergei]

This is for those who are interested in getting FP replaced. I guess i should send it to Sam or Andy as tech article , but what the heck.

Pre-history:
I been experiencing awkward stalling from time to time, while running trails in mountains of Colorado. New LR fuel pump assembly did solve some of it, but not all. I done numerous pressure test in garage and it always was ok.

After some thinking and pondering on how things are going i figured that it may be caused by unsufficient flow in fuel line at high altitude. So..

Parts:
Old fuel pump assembly
Borg Waner P39 fuel pump (actually analogue of it, bought from NAPA)
Small hoose clamp (you need whole fuel retainer for real, but my old one was welded to assembly so i went with plan B - cut and clamp)

Assuming you already removed assembly..

0) remove old pump from assembly. Cut fuel retainer (i.e hoose that going on top of fuel pump). Unsolder power leads from plug. Mark which one is positive, which one is negative lead.
1) analyze which wire to to be positive (just assemble plug, and verify it by putting power from battery) and which negative.
2) now just put some heat shrinking sleeves on end of contacts just for the heck of it Optional, as you may guess, but it makes me feel better when contacts surrounded by this stuff.
3) put pump into assembly..
4) press contacts onto leads on upper assembly plug. They fits nicely and snuggly. NOTE: GOT TO BE SNUGGLY! NEVER LEAVE THAT PART BEING LOOSE. YOU DONT WANT SPARK IN YOUR FUEL TANK.
If you feel like being **** - you can solder those ends to leads.
5) put clamp on old retainer or new retainer in place. Either way you need to get those to be REALLY tight.


Now its usual routine of putting pump back, making sure plumbing is tight & etc.

I used P39 b/c it can develop much better flow that original specs pump, and price is anyway about same (75$). If you dont feel like getting adventurious - get Airtex #E3240 or crossreference. It should be 50-70lb, which is above 37lb. P39 should give about 75


Either way it beats buying new assembly for 180$ or more.. Wish i been more brave in first place - would save me some money. Now i got two assemblies

 

[redrover51]

How much do you want for the extra assembly? My 95 D1 is acting the same way....it sometimes stalls after start-up....

 

[Sergei]

Joseph - why? Spend 75$ at your local autostore and get yourself new rebuild better pump. I can walk you through all the steps if you like.

Thing is - mine is original LR pump assy, and its got less than 1K on it. Its not that i mind selling it off, its just that i dont want you to waste money

Rebuild literally takes like 10 minutes at most.

 

[RoverChic]

Thanks Serg

Serg: Thank you for that write up! It is appreciated! I might try this.

 

[redrover51]

Thanks Sergei...I will do!

 

[Sergei]

My pleasure, folkz

One more thing - you may find some weirdo resistor-like things on wires that are attached to pump. Discard those. You dont need them for new pump. I have no clue why LR put them there in first place, but i know that newer pump assemblies dont have them either (i looked at mine).

 

[Sergei]

Update: hour ago %&*& thing broke. Original P39 got metal blades, and this NAPA (Carter built) one got plastic. One of blades broke, entire blade assembly went off center & etc. Luckily it happened when i was going uphill, so i managed to get off from road, called home, and got another pump delivered in 15 mins. I am soooooo ****** off right now.

Morale of story - use original P39, if you gonna do it Or keep spare somewhere, just for the heck of it.

 

[RoverChic]

"hour ago %&*& thing broke"...SH**. Oh well @ least someone came to help !!

 

[Sergei]

Yup.. It just snuffed it right on the way uphill, as i been turning headlights on, so i figured - damn, some electrical thingy snuffed it. Checked out fuses (total joy to do when its dark), all wires - nope, no start. Swearing to buy new starter at last, i listened closely, and surely - fp relay kicked, but no buzz. So after trying typical remedy of pressing inertia switch and checking out connection to pump (gawd, i been like those one of those pit crews) - issue been located. Pity it was dark outside, overwise i would make few shots of me, swearing there and replacing fuel pump assembly right out there in wilderness...

Good thing it didnt happen on the trail run Bad thing - i needed that hour to fix my ARB , and now its pushed on tomorrow, as i am in no shape of mind to get that work done tonight.

 

[Sergei]

Update: pump that goes as analogue of P39 actually got 40 unrestricted and shuts off at 80.
I picked up airtex one (good guys at local autopalace place were nice enough to let me browse catalogs and helped me out), with 50-60 / 80. That should cure hesistation up on 10+K altitude that i had before. This one is a tad pricier, but seems like made better - got own tiny prefiler & etc.. Only problem that this kit does not have wiring harness included. But oh well.. Its not like i will suffer large over it .