useful life of a Wrangler fuel pump

OK, I own 2 Wranglers. One, a '94, with the 6 cyl/5speed. The second, a '95 with the 4 cyl/5speed. They both just turned over 205,000 within the last 2 or 3 weeks.

My Jeep(the '95)started bucking and cutting out, but only after driving it about 50 miles at a shot, and then, only on the way home, never on the way to work. You'd get home, park it for a few minutes, then you could drive away with no further problems. Did the usual tune-up stuff(f/filter, cap, rotor, wires, plugs)just 'cuz it was time, with no improvement. Then, several days later, I took the wife's Jeep to work. Well, on the way home, her's started acting the exact same way, at almost the exact same place(did I mention that my Jeep did this like 5 days in a row within a 1/4 mile of the same place each time?). Well, since both Jeeps were acting up I really had to find the problem. I brought a fuel pressure gauge home from work, and when the wife's Jeep started to act up, I stopped on the side of the road, hooked up the gauge, bungeed it to the hood and took off again. Sure enough, after a few minutes I noticed the fuel pressure start to drop off. When it got below 20 psi the bucking and cutting out began. OK, needs a fuel pump. So, Tuesday I loaded the gauge into *my* Jeep and off we went. The outside temps had dropped some, so it didn't act up on Tuesday night(or maybe because I actually had the gauge with me and wanted it to act up?). Well, we kept at it, and last night on the way home, I was able to verify that my fuel pressure also is dropping off. Great, now I need 2 of them damn pumps. It's just weird that both Jeeps would develope the exact same problem, and manifest the exact same symptoms(down to acting up within a 1/4 mile of the same place)at the same time. I can only conclude that the design life of the electric fuel pump is

200,000 miles. Anybody know a cheap on-line source for gen-u-wine, Jeep replacement pumps? Don't want an aftermarket, since the originals lasted so long, I want to use a factory part.

-- Old Crow '82 FLTC-P "Pearl" '95 Wrangler YJ TOMKAT, SENS, BS#133, MAMBM, SLOB#?

Reply to
Old Crow
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Old Crow did pass the time by typing:

Going by your description I'd be thinking fuel pump also. Espeically since you already did the fuel filter.

I have used these folks and been happy:

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You are correct about the aftermarket. I've heard of several times where even a good NAPA replacement has been DOA.

Reply to
DougW

It sure seems odd that both pumps would fail the same week.

Reply to
Billy Ray

Yeah, I thought so too, but it's also a coincidence that both Jeeps hit the 205,000 mile mark the same week. I just figure it's my luck. It's a big hit on the wallet to replace one of these pumps(even if I *am* doing the labor myself, but to do 2 in one week? There goes the beer money for this month :-(

-- Old Crow '82 FLTC-P "Pearl" '95 Wrangler YJ TOMKAT, SENS, BS#133, MAMBM, SLOB#13

Reply to
Old Crow

If you hadn't already said you changed the fuel filters I would have said you put a load of bad gas in the tanks.... the only other possibilities I see are both intank screens clogging or perhaps a neighborhood hooligan adding something to the gas tanks.

None of those three possibilities seem real likely but.... usually things don't break at convenient times.

I think I would just do one at a time....

Reply to
Billy Ray

We thought of that, but used two different stations for the gas. I drive 135 miles a day to work and back. My wife works within 20 miles of the house. I usually fillup near where I work, as it's about 10 cents cheaper than the stations near my house. No neighbors within 1/4 mile, and the 5 or 6 nearest houses don't have any kids.

Tell me about it. I do this for a living(although for GM, not DC)and I know what it's like to be on the road and broke down.

After looking at the price of the pumps, I'll have to agree with you here. I did find out that since the people that own the dealership I work for also own a Chrysler dealership, I can get employee price over there. Should save me a couple of hundred bucks(on the pair). Funny thing, the outside temp dropped off yesterday, and last night on the way home, the damn thing didn't miss a lick. Maybe if the fall weather holds I can put one of them(guess which one?)off for a while.

-- Old Crow '82 FLTC-P "Pearl" '95 Wrangler YJ TOMKAT, SENS, BS#133, MAMBM, SLOB#13

Reply to
Old Crow

Reply to
Jim Gemmill

My 94 YJ is also closing in on 205000 miles. The fuel return line started acting up in hot weather. While taking town the tank, one of the tank straps had to be cut. Waiting for that part now. Before that, I was driving around with a 1.5 gal can to get as low as possible before removal. I did notice that that return line wasn't leaking at all since the weather got cooler. While inspecting the hose, it was a no-brainer to also have the fuel line replaced as well.

How did the fuel pump work out for your hesitation problem?

Reply to
Peter Parker

Well, I've been under them to change the filters, and didn't see any other leaks anywhere, but I'll sure inspect the lines when they're apart. Now the funny thing. Fall has arrived in Arkansas, and the temps have gotten more moderate. Since the 90's went away, neither Jeep has acted up...at all. I know I'll have to replace those pumps, but it's just gonna have to wait a bit until I slow down long enough on the weekends to drop the damn tanks out.

-- Old Crow '82 FLTC-P "Pearl" '95 Jeep YJ Rio Grande SENS, TOMKAT, BS#133, DOF#51, MAMBM, SLOB#13

Reply to
Old Crow

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