1996 F150 fuel pump noise

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I have a 1996 F150 shortbed with a 302 engine and automatic transmission. It has a single tank. The truck has 132000 miles and I have owned it for two years. I have replaced the inline fuel filter.

Today I heard a buzzing noise coming from the truck while it idled in my driveway. Crawling under the truck I pinpointed the noise as coming from the fuel tank. It sounds like florescent lights when they are cold and hum.

So it seems as if the fuel pump is dying. Since I don't want to be stranded on the side of the road I plan on replacing the pump soon.

My question is, do you recommend any particular brand? Any to avoid?
Do you have any tips to make the job easier? I plan on removing the tank, not the bed.

Thanks,
Terry
 
Please not an AIRTEX!!!!!!!! I've had good luck with Denso and OEM (from the dealership) the original pump lasted 21 years, why not buy another?
 
I just replaced both fuel pumps on my 1995. I got the spectra premium. I got a tank/pump combo for the front since the old tank had tar in it from years of bad gas. The new rear pump was defective from the box. it worked but not well. I had to redo it. Also the tank seal that came with the new pump was too big and wouldn't seal the pump to the tank. I had to buy a new seal and lock ring from the parts store for an additional $20. I gots replacement spectra and so far so good. I think removing the bed would be easier but you'll need a friend. I ended up removing my bed three times this year for the fuel pumps to get them sorted. The front tank died at maybe 10 years old and was the oem. The rear pump was an airtex that lasted about 10 years so I suppose they all last about the same but spectra costs way less than motorcraft
 
I do not own a Ford , but I have replaced fuel pumps on GM cars . On them I could replace just the pump or the whole assembly with the fuel level sender .

If I ever have to do it again , I will seriously consider the latter .

For yours , I would consider how hard it is going to be to drop the tank , then decide whether to buy a Ford pump or an after market pump .

Shop around the internet to try to find the best price .

One thing I can absolutely recommend it to drive it until the tank is almost empty . The tamk will weigh much less than a full tank .

I used a piece of plywood about 2' x 2' and a floor jack to help lower the tank & then raise it back up into place .

Best of luck , :)
 
Originally Posted By: E150GT
Also the tank seal that came with the new pump was too big and wouldn't seal the pump to the tank. I had to buy a new seal and lock ring from the parts store for an additional $20.


I replaced the fuel sender on a Pontiac and had the same "seal too big" problem. I reused the old seal/oring part. The fuel sender I used was from Dorman.

Rockauto has Denso pump that fits my truck for $125. That's what I'm leaning towards right now.
 
Bosch or Denso.

Do NOT buy the "cheapest one available". They suck to replace &
always fail right in the middle of a rainstorm/snowstorm,
Far, far from home,
right after filling the tank completely full of fuel.
 
IMO as a best practice NEVER let your fuel level in the tank drop too low! I would say at least 1/4 tank is good as The gas cools the pump. If you constantly run it empty and then put another $10 in the pump wont last as long. My last ford OEM pump quit at 190K
 
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
IMO as a best practice NEVER let your fuel level in the tank drop too low! I would say at least 1/4 tank is good as The gas cools the pump. If you constantly run it empty and then put another $10 in the pump wont last as long. My last ford OEM pump quit at 190K


The pump is cooled by fuel running through the INSIDE of the pump, not by being submerged. And for the pump to be submerged, you would need to keep the tank above half full at all times, the actual pump is often near the top of the sending unit.

I always run my tanks to near empty and have never had a pump fail.
 
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Originally Posted By: WyrTwister


For yours , I would consider how hard it is going to be to drop the tank , then decide whether to buy a Ford pump or an after market pump .

go oem pump only! Don't drop the tank. lift the bed. it's much faster and easier.
 
i just installed a delphi pump and housing in my 96...good quality and actually runs the high pressure a 4.9 needs. rockauto has a good selection. you wont need the sender really unless you want to replace it anyway.

that being said, many ford pumps are loud and i wouldnt replace based just on noise. check fuel pressure, and see if it rises 7 or so psi with vacuum disconnected from the regulator or snapping the throttle. if pressure is in spec, the pump is healthy.
 
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The pump is cooled by fuel running through the INSIDE of the pump, not by being submerged. And for the pump to be submerged, you would need to keep the tank above half full at all times, the actual pump is often near the top of the sending unit.

I always run my tanks to near empty and have never had a pump fail.

[/quote]

Give this man a ceegar, he's right.
 
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Originally Posted By: terry274
It sounds like florescent lights when they are cold and hum.


Relatively low frequency hum suggests an unbalanced pump motor. The gyration caused by an unbalanced armature will cause such a sound. Maybe not a sign of failure per se, but unbalanced anything is somewhat concerning for longevity.
 
Ok, here is an update to the fuel pump.

I bought a Denso (made in the U.S.A) from Amazon for $108 and a Motorcraft sending unit from Rockauto for $124.
I dropped the tank rather than removing the bed because I wanted to take the tank and clean it out. I will never remove the tank that way again.

I put it all back together today, put 5 gallons of gas in to get me to the store. Got to the store and filled up. Gas went everywhere. Got back home and discovered I had not gotten the fuel filler pipe back on the tank correctly. The smaller hose was in the tank fine, but the bigger vent hose was not all the way on and the clamp caused it to gap open.

Spent a few minutes removing the bed bolts, taillights and tailgate. Raised the bed and slid a 4x4 block of wood between the frame and the bed. I could then easily reach the filler hose and get in on the tank properly. I then put the bed back in place and reinstalled the trailer hitch that I had to remove to drop the tank originally.

It's all good now, I have a full tank of gas and no leaks, the truck runs great.
 
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