An emergency fix for a fuel pump

[donaldderby]

Hey yall this is gonna sound like bs but it works ive done it twice. If you park your yukon and shut it off then it wont start follow these steps.
1. Remove gas cap
2. turn ign to on pos
3. crawl under car and hit around the out side and hit the bottom of the fuel tank multiple times with a hammer.
4. get out from under the yukon and start it then scratch your head to figure out why it works
5. put the fuel cap back on and drive away.

 

[Thumper8302]

ha haha i think most of us know this trick.... used to do it on my 90 suburban.. u dont have to take ur gas cap off tho.....

 

[blueflamed03]

I just kick the side of the truck................





not really, but still...

 

[Thumper8302]

lol u meant the bumper support lol

 

[blueflamed03]

ha, no, been known to smack the truck, fist, hammer, whatever I have in hand. (old vehicles, not recent)

 

[Travieso]

lol this thread

 

[scorpio]

I've done this as well but i didnt take the cap off but usually i have someone cranking so there's power goin to the pump while i smack the tank and it has worked most times unless the pump was completely fried

 

[donaldderby]

does ne one know why it works though?

 

[M.M. 700]

does ne one know why it works though?

My guess is the pump is getting weak, or dirty and can not pump by itself. By tapping the tank it will free the pump. Or a bad connection in the pump.


Have used a broom handle, or kick the tank.

 

[Jay]

The contacts on the pump motor either get worn or just lose their conductivity over many miles. When you run it for a while the whole thing expands loosening the clearances in the pump. When you turn it off while hot, the shaft can stop at the point where the clearances are too large for the current to get the shaft running again. The result is you have to wait a while for it to cool back down and then it'll start.

What's happening when you bang on the tank is you're shaking the pump and with the current running through it the shaft can start to move again.

The bottom line is that your pump is wearing out and needs to be replaced.

This has happened in about six or so of my GM fleet trucks. When it happens, usually you can LEAVE IT ALONE, wait about 15 minutes or so and it'll start again.