Is it my fuel pump or my imagination?

[JonnyTahoe]

Also, for those who mentioned cutting an access hatch under the rear seat. A lot of foreign cars actually have fuel pump access doors under the rear seat. I changed a fuel pump in a Honda Civic like that. But the main drawback is that the interior of the car WREAKED of gasoline for weeks, probably over a month. Nothing got rid of the smell except giving it time to dissipate on it's own. Yes, it makes the job a bit easier, but if you use a genuine AC Delco pump, then you should only have to replace it about every 10-15 years or so. My original fuel pump lasted 16 years! So of course that's exactly what I wanted to replace it with, not some cheap made it China crap that will save me about $30 but I will end up having to change it every year or so.

 

[JonnyTahoe]

Like I said, check that pigtail first. If the pigtail us damaged in any way, that may be your only problem. So definitely be sure to inspect and test that first. And if you end up needing just a pigtail, shoot me a private message because I did save the new one that came with my new fuel pump and you are welcome to have it. It's just collecting dust in one of my tool boxes.
You can probably also call your local Chevy dealer and give them your VIN to see what all warranty/recall work was done on your truck. If that pigtail was replaced under the recall, then you should have a newer style (and heavier duty than the original) pigtail already soldered on to your fuel pump harness. It's definitely worth checking into.

MORE GREAT ADVISE. WOW 16 years on the original pump now I'm really worried about mine. Can these OEM pumps really last that long?

 

[JonnyTahoe]

The other day while driving with the wife, she was yelling at me because the low fuel light was on. NP I told her, there are 6 gallons in reserve. 30 seconds later....rolled to a stop. Got some gas, started right up, in fact right up, didn't even cycle the fuel pump. Drove home, 2 minutes away. Went to go to take it to the gas station and would not start again. Put some more gas in, started. Drove 2 minutes away, and counting the gas I put it, it only took 26 gallons. In other words I was not out of gas. So I got out the old fuel pressure gauge. This is where it gets confusing.

When I cycle the engine, I get 58 psi, but after 3 seconds, it drops to 49 psi. After 5 minutes it drops maybe a lb. So, is this normal and I have a problem somewhere else?

2005 GMC Yukon Denali XL 6.0 AWD

 

[ScottyBoy]

Well, I have owned my truck for 11 years now and I can say that I have not replaced the fuel pump in all that time until just recently. I bought my truck in January 2006, and it's a 2001. So unless it failed in the first 5 years and they replaced it with a genuine AC Delco pump, then this was indeed the original pump that I replaced because it was an AC Delco pump.
Another thing, I have always heard that if you keep more fuel in your tank then that will make your fuel pump last longer. I can't say for sure if that is true or not, but MANY mechanics swear that if you are always running with a quarter tank or less and only putting in another $5 in fuel at a time, that will make the pump run hotter and fail faster because it isn't completely submerged in gasoline which is basically what helps cool the pump off. It makes perfect sense, but like I said there is no hard evidence anywhere about it. But I can tell you that I almost never let my truck get below 1/4 tank, and when I add fuel I just go ahead and fill it all the way up. Had this helped prolong the life of my fuel pump? Who knows. But I do know that I sure as hell believe that rumor so I ain't letting my tank go under a quarter if I can help it! It's lasted 16 years, with 11 of those years me driving it. I plan to get at least another 10-15 years out of this pump that I just installed.

 

[JonnyTahoe]

The quarter tank debate makes perfect sense and is something I have heard too. I have let mine go many times till the Low Fuel light comes on and rarely fill it full. I guess that would change after I had to replace it.

 

[JonnyTahoe]

UPDATE; I looked over all the service records that came with my truck and the Fuel Pump was replaced when the truck was six years old with 113k miles. The dealer replaced it with the OE pump part #19121628 W-Module kit, 468.00 plus Labor of 441.70 for a total of 909.70. The service advisor wrote ''Vehicle was losing power and quit.

 

[swathdiver]

Well now your new one has 167,000 miles on it!

 

[Matahoe]

MORE GREAT ADVISE. WOW 16 years on the original pump now I'm really worried about mine. Can these OEM pumps really last that long?

It's possible. But I usually see them crap the bed after about 8-10 years of hard service. It's not unusual for a pump to go out at anytime before that it's just not common.

Pump life mainly depends on environmental factors. People that drive in the Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania regions of the US (typically called the Rust Belt) encounter dirt and salt on the roads.

The factory fuel pump that came in my Tahoe was Bosch. When I took it out it was unpainted and heavily rusted with holes leaking fuel from the top. It worked but my truck had so much gas vapor rolling out underneath that I was afraid it was going to go off with just a tiny spark.

 

[ScottyBoy]

It's possible. But I usually see them crap the bed after about 8-10 years of hard service. It's not unusual for a pump to go out at anytime before that it's just not common.

Pump life mainly depends on environmental factors. People that drive in the Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania regions of the US (typically called the Rust Belt) encounter dirt and salt on the roads.

The factory fuel pump that came in my Tahoe was Bosch. When I took it out it was unpainted and heavily rusted with holes leaking fuel from the top. It worked but my truck had so much gas vapor rolling out underneath that I was afraid it was going to go off with just a tiny spark.

Correct, there's many factors that can contribute to fuel pump life (and many other parts for that matter as well). I live in Louisiana, so we have no snow and no salt on the roads so rust isn't as issue at all down here. It's actually Uncommon to see a vehicle covered in thick rust. Surface rust maybe, but thick bubbling rust is actually rare on a vehicle that has spent it's entire life down here and it has NOT been flooded. If it was flooded, then of it will rust but that a whole nother story.
Aside from rust, miles driven will definitely affect the life as well. Back in 2007 or 2008 gas climbed up to well over $4 a gallon. It was costing me $150+ to fill my tank up completely full. I ended up buying a shit Honda Civic to commute to work and save on fuel. Within a few months it actually paid for itself in what I was saving in fuel costs driving the Burban every day. So while I had that Civic my truck did actually sit parked most of the time. I only drove it on my off days or when the whole family was going somewhere and I needed the massive interior room of the Burban.
Another possible factor is the fact that I very rarely let my tank get below 1/4 tank full. I know there is no hardcore evidence proving or disproving this theory, but many people and mechanics swear that constantly driving with less than 1/4 tank of fuel will drastically shorten the life of a fuel pump because the pump not only has to work harder, but because the pump is not submerged and being submerged is what fools the pump off. If the pump is running a lot harder and a lot hotter, then common sense would say that doing that is going to shorten the life of the pump.
So even though my truck 17 years old, and the pump was replaced at 16 years of age, I don't think I have 16 years of solid wear and tear on my truck. It was not my daily driver for several years so that reduced to miles and wear quite a bit. Most 2001 trucks have well over 200k miles, yet mine is nowhere near that yet. So yes while my pump was indeed 16years old when it crapped out, it had 160k miles on it so I guess as far as miles that's about normal life for a AC Delco fuel pump or maybe just a bit more than average.

 

[Justinj360]

Quick question - In A 2004 Yukon 5.3 flex what brand is the factory fuel pump? ACDelco or Delphi? Thanks.