GhrarhG Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I have run out of gas twice now because of this damn thing. First time I didn't realize that I couldn't access the last 1/3 of a tank, second time the woman was driving and said the gauge shows half (and the gauge always reads high). 1) I thought I read about other people having trouble accessing the whole tank with the Walbro. If this is common has anyone found a fix for this? 2) If there is not a fix, is there another pump possible? When my car was empty, and I mean the would not start type of empty, I was able to put in 10.7 gallons into my tank. This is really pissing me off since I drive 100 miles a day round trip to work and filling up every other day is a whore. EDIT: Fuel pump does not appear to be the problem, looks like it was the FPR the whole time. Sorry Walbro, I still like you, don't take it personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 are you sure you put the pump in properly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 I'm relatively sure it went in properly; however, it was over a year ago, and I don't remember much of the install, except that I have no desire to do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 well, it is not "the pump" that is the problem, but rather the fact that it does not reach the bottom of the tank. Did you put a strainer on the pump bottom? are the plastic baffles in the tank in place??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Yeah, the strainer was on it when it went back in, and the baffles are still in the tank. I thought I remembered reading posts from people that couldn't use the last 1/4 of a tank when they switched to the Walbro pump. Maybe I'm thinking about the second gen W's that had that venturi deal on the end. So I guess the better question would be: Is anyone having trouble using the whole tank (within reason) that is running a Walbro, or am I the only one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 who knows. from the factory our cars got a pulsator, which is the the funny little box that the top of the pump goes into, and fuel flows though it and into the rest of the system, it's designed to reduce pulsations form the pump. Does you car still have the pulsator, or to the instructions tell you to replace it with a short piece of hose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 I took the pulsator out and replaced it with the hose. I don't remember having this much trouble with it last year. I'm starting to think something got lose in the tank, but I also kept it pretty full so it's hard to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 your only option is to drop the tank and see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 The accessing the last little bit left in the tank was on the 1997+/2nd Gen Grand Prix's. Your fuel gauge inaccuracy is likely the only reason you're running out of gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 When my car was empty, and I mean the would not start type of empty, I was able to put in 10.7 gallons into my tank. This is really pissing me off since I drive 100 miles a day round trip to work and filling up every other day is a whore. The accessing the last little bit left in the tank was on the 1997+/2nd Gen Grand Prix's. Your fuel gauge inaccuracy is likely the only reason you're running out of gas. If this was the case, I'd be able to put more than 11 gallons into the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 If this was the case, I'd be able to put more than 11 gallons into the tank. Oops, I only read as far as "1)" in your first post, and didn't see that part. Several TGP owners have ran Walbro's in the past and I don't recall them ever mentioning running out of gas early or not being able to use the last 1/3rd of the tank. EDIT: I think you're looking at either a problem w/ the fuel hose you put in place of the pulsator or something else wasn't installed right. If the hose were leaking, it seems like you would have noticed other issues by now(maybe hard starting due to the reduction in fuel pressure getting to the engine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 my guess is the pump is not down low like it should be. When I installed a bosch pump in the 93 vert, it said to use the piece of hose that came with it, but I left the pulsator in instead... no ill effects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 It seems like it would be something on the suction side. I have no trouble supplying fuel to my 30# injectors under boost, so that makes me think if the hose was the problem I would be seeing it there. I had some trouble driving home yesterday. On my way home after sitting in traffic I took off and the car suddenly started to run lean as hell. It got progressively worse until it actually died. I was able to nurse it to a parking lot near my gym. Worked out for an hour or so, and started it up and drove home no problems. Fortunately I was logging my car at the time so I can try and find out what happened, but it seems like something is definitely wrong in my tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern8tion9l Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 i recently installed the walbro and took out the pulsator. i've since run the car down to 1/16 of a tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94GPGTP Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 i have a similar problem with my walbro.. but.... my gauge is WAY off.. at 3/4 tank i decided to fill it up and it took 11 gallons.. i was WTF.. i ran out of gas once and it read 1/4.. the pump is smashed to the bottom of the tank i know that because i forced it down trying to get the ring to grab.. so its the sender not my pump.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dohc v6 Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 I am listening to this thread. I have replaced my Walbro 4 times, 3 times cause the gauge read wrong. How about a Racetronics pump? If my pump goes out again, its not gonna be a Walbro as a replacement and thats for sure.. subscribed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 21, 2009 Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 most likely you have a dirty sender, and it has nothing to do with the pump, unless the pump blocks the sender? I always clean my sender while I am doing a pump. a little elbow grease and a pencil eraser go a long way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I put a Walbro in my 1st gen and used a pulsator since I already had a spare brand new one and both Walbro and GM instructions say to use it. I routinely take it low enough to have to refill with 13-14 gallons with no problems. Maybe the piece of hose you used in place of the pulsator wasn't long enough? Or maybe the sock filter at the end wasn't installed all the way? I remember that sock filter was TIGHT to get on and took some persuasion to get it all the way on as high was it would go. I didn't have any problem at all with my gauge, but since it was working fine to begin with, I was super careful. Those things can be kind of touchy and fragile so I treated it as delicately as I would a live grenade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I'm guess it's the sock filter on the end that's screwing me over. I'm going to start tearing it down tonight. Hopefully pics to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Small update: Haven't had any free time lately until about an hour ago. I jacked the car up, loosened the supply line from filter, and pumped the tank into some gas cans using the fuel pump test circuit and 3' of 5/8" hose. With the car pitched forward, I was able pump 9 gallons out of the tank. Dropped it back, and pumped the last 3/4 of a gallon out. On top of this, I already had 150 miles on the tank, so I figure it was probably down at least 5-6 gallons. This seems to show that in the right circumstances, the pump will empty the tank. I've now had 3 instances where it wouldn't. My money is on the sock being loose and getting sucked up. Hopefully I'll have more free time in the next few days to actually drop the damn thing. Edit: My guage reads 1 bar flashing too. So it seems that everything makes sense, and the times that it died at 1/2 tank something was wrong in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Finally got the tank out last night, only to find nothing wrong. Filter still attached, and no visible holes in the hose. You can see the filter was all the way to the bottom since it's dirty from where it was contacting the tank. Everything in the tank looks good too. Baffles are still in the correct place and intact. No pieces floating around or anything. I'm starting to suspect the pump itself. Anyone have other ideas? I cut the fuel filter open too, and it was perfectly clean and not the problem. How many people have had trouble with the pump itself? What kind of miles/years are people getting out of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 it does indeed look correct to me, though I'd much rather have the pulsator on there too... take the time to look at the level mechanism and use an eraser to clean it. I've done that and then applied di-electric grease, thought I'm sure that gets washed away quickly... and where did you get the pump? e-bay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 It looks fine to me too. Does this car ever take unusually long to start, as in several seconds of cranking rather than starting instantly? I'm wondering if maybe the little brass ring came off the outlet allowing the drainback valve to come out. This would make the car much more difficult to start with a lower fuel level because fuel rail pressure will bleed off more easily with a lower tank level. If you inspect this by removing that hose section, be very careful pulling it off because the brass ring can come off fairly easily. The way you pull the fuel pump on these cars is one thing I hate about them. I wish they had an access cover in the trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 No, the car starts fine. It runs great until it decides to act like it's out of fuel. The way you pull the fuel pump on these cars is one thing I hate about them. I wish they had an access cover in the trunk. I was thinking that too. I remember hating dropping the tank the first time, but this time it was a lot easier. I think I had it out less than 2 hours. I can live with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhrarhG Posted September 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Hopefully last update: While in the bathroom at work it dawned on me that it might be the FPR. I replaced the regulator and haven't had a problem since. It's only been a few weeks, and since it was an intermittent problem I can't say that it was it for sure. If it turns out to be something different, I'll revive this post. I thought I'd update for anyone with this problem in the future. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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