I've noticed that my fuel pump doesn't seem to stay primed. It makes a lot of noise until it loads and then quiets. After being parked for a week on a slope it didn't want to pump until I disconnected the fuel line from the T. This appears to only be when the fuel tank is below 1/4. Is there a check valve I should put before the pump? Is the pump fixing to take a dump? Should I take out a second mortgage and fill the tank?
The glorious, original SU fuel pump is a wonder of mechanical engineering. It will work fine with any amount of fuel in the tank, other than none. It will pump up to operating pressure every time you start the car since it is not advisable to keep the fuel system pressurized full time. You didn't say if you are using the SU or some other, lowly, after market version. On the SU, there is technically a built in "check valve", but I would guess that a fault would be more likely to be found in the vacuum valve from what you mentioned. The old pumps can be rebuilt to fix any problem.
Thanks for the reply Greg! I have the small square pump like Delta sells for $45 only I paid more than 3 times that out in El Cahone. It is mounted rather high on the LR wheelwell, maybe a lower mounting would help. It was only the one time that it has given trouble and that was only after sitting for over a week with the car high in front on ramps, and the tank low. It still gave me pause, though. You have thrown me a curve with mention of a vacuum valve , however. Could you expand on that for me? I was in town this morning and thought the pump wasn't working on start up because I couldn't hear it and and the park brake light wasn't on. I popped the hood to check my fuse box fix and realised that the brake light was off because the park brake was off. so I opened the trunk with my new remote release cable and stuck my head in to hear the pump going merrily along. I worry when I hear it and I worry when I don't. Well , thanks again and take care. Dale
