Purchased a fuel pump for a 2002 F350 way sooner than I wanted to

How do you know that you don't have another clogged fuel filter?

How do you know that you don't have another clogged fuel filter?
My fuel filter was replaced with a OEM last summer, about 3k miles ago. Since I moved last summer, my F350 did one trip to Orlando, FL to pickup a car and that is it.

I have not replaced the fuel pump yet. But when I have the time and a empty fuel tank.... I will be replacing it. The fuel pump is working, it just is sending a signal that the tank is empty.
 
Were you regularly running your tank down below 1/4?
Likely. I use the truck for a lot of heavy trailer towing on I80 through Wyoming. V10, heavy trailer, lots of grades= 6 MPG. Shortbed = small gas tank (long bed gas tanks have 8 more gallon capacity).

6 MPG means having to stop often for fuel. Choice becomes to run the fuel under 1/4 tank or stop for fuel and greatly impact travel time. And I80 in Wyoming has limited gas stations. Ended up buying a 5 gallon gas can and kept the can in the bed as I was fearful of running out of fuel on I80 in Wyoming, even with a working fuel gauge.
 
I know your fuel pump lasted for you, but before I retired I worked with a guy who drove a Ford Excursion with a V-10. He was one of these guys who never bought more than $10 worth of gas at a time. He ran out of gas a lot, in spite of gassing up daily.

He went through 3 fuel pumps in the time I worked with him. It seemed odd, because the fuel pumps on my 31 year old F-150 are original. After his third pump went out, ($750.00 each with parts and labor at the dealer), I told him to fill his tank, and top it off when it got below a half. Instead of running around on fumes all the time.

He did, and was still running the same fuel pump when I retired. I explained to him that having the fuel pump constantly submerged in fuel helps keep it cool. Running around on fumes allows the pump to run hotter. That, combined with Summertime temperatures out here, was cooking off his fuel pumps left and right.
 
Likely. I use the truck for a lot of heavy trailer towing on I80 through Wyoming. V10, heavy trailer, lots of grades= 6 MPG. Shortbed = small gas tank (long bed gas tanks have 8 more gallon capacity).

6 MPG means having to stop often for fuel. Choice becomes to run the fuel under 1/4 tank or stop for fuel and greatly impact travel time. And I80 in Wyoming has limited gas stations. Ended up buying a 5 gallon gas can and kept the can in the bed as I was fearful of running out of fuel on I80 in Wyoming, even with a working fuel gauge.
I'm experiencing this right now in my '11 F350 with 6.2 from CO to NC and now in TX heading home as I type this. I've got the big 35 (or 37, depending who you believe) gal tank but even so with a heavy 16' enclosed trailer fighting the wind and holding interstate speeds means that you're gonna be in the bottom half of the tank a lot -- or stopping more than even my aging bladder dictates, which is ridiculous.

I'm still not convinced the "pumps need to be submerged to cool" thing isn't more than an old wives tale, despite some anecdotal evidence in this thread to the contrary
 
Last edited:
This might be a good one for PF: run a pump supplied by only a fuel line and identical pump submerged for same amount of time, take some temp readings....

....how do we submit ideas to him I wonder?
 
Back
Top