2004 Yukon SLE---is my fuel pump dying?

[rfried]

So, I've read that fuel pumps on 2004 Yukons/Tahoes and the like generally tend to die between 100 and 130k miles, mine has almost 115k on it.

A few times over the past few months, while at idle, my rpms have dropped from about 500 down to 200 and it felt like it was going to stall. I dropped it into neutral and gave it some gas and everything equalized and works fine.

No lights dimmed so I don't think its electrical (plus has a new battery), new air filter and no issues with the intake, so I'm assuming is has to be fuel related.

Thoughts? Also, is the fuel pump in the fuel tank on the 2004's? Is the fuel sending unit part of the fuel pump, my fuel gauge has never worked quite right and if I need to change the fuel pump eventually I'm going to replace the sending unit as well.

Thanks in advance!

 

[07Burb]

Sounds like the fuel pump is a good possibility here. Yes the fuel pump is in the tank and, yes, the sending unit is part of the fuel pump.

How long ago have you replaced the fuel filter? Slight possibility it could be this as well and would be much cheaper to replace so I'd replace this first if it's been a while and see what happens.

 

[blueflamed03]

cleaned the MAF or TB lately?

 

[Night Fury]

I just replaced mine at like 145k it was a defective fuel pump. i have a 2003 Yukon

 

[rfried]

TB was cleaned at the tune up at 100k...not sure what the MAF is.

Does the 2004 have a fuel filter? I've been told by independent mechanics that there wasn't a fuel filter in this model year.

@Night Fury...how much was it to replace the fuel pump?

 

[ntxstallion]

I've never heard of a car without a fuel filter. That's a first for me.

 

[gfunkfb09]

If its FLEX Fuel then it does have a fuel filter that is located under the car about even in between the front door and rear door on the drivers side. If its not FLEX I believe its actual inside the fuel tank, from what I have heard. My fuel pump in my 04 Yukon XL went out around 120K, and had to get a new one. But if you have a FLEX engine the filter is only about 10 bucks at autozone is easy the easiest and cheapest thing to try first. My engine was throwing codes and I changed the filter and it corrected the problem. Getting the fuel pump changed isn't very cheap at all!

 

[07Burb]

I've never heard of a car without a fuel filter. That's a first for me.

It is possible. A lot of newer vehicles don't have them. My 05 GP doesn't have one either. With most vehicles having plastic tanks (as opposed to metal which can corrode) the need for filters is not as great.

 

[M3PO]

It is possible. A lot of newer vehicles don't have them. My 05 GP doesn't have one either. With most vehicles having plastic tanks (as opposed to metal which can corrode) the need for filters is not as great.

Ahh, is that why? I have a 2006 and there is no listed fuel filter, now I think there is a non-replaceable one on the pump in the tank. My Infinti G35 was the same way, I think it was listed as a "self cleaning" or something like that at the dealer. Either way, yeah a lot of newer cars do not have an external fuel filter.

 

[07Burb]

Ahh, is that why? I have a 2006 and there is no listed fuel filter, now I think there is a non-replaceable one on the pump in the tank. My Infinti G35 was the same way, I think it was listed as a "self cleaning" or something like that at the dealer. Either way, yeah a lot of newer cars do not have an external fuel filter.

From everything I've read (I tend to read a lot of car mags and car tech articles) that is the case. I do believe you're right that there is a non-replaceable one on the pump in the tank but with the tanks these days there's much less chance of debris and other junk getting into the fuel lines and up to the motor.