Help! Stuck in the desert! Fuel pump?

KevbOliver

Well.... We are bummin right now, 83.5 westy fuel pump seems to have gone out and tow truck says 5 hour wait. I'm wondering if there are some things I can do while I wait. Engine turns.over but no starting up. I put my ear right on the fuel pump and its dead silent, both while starting and just turning the key to on. I tried to test the wires with my multimeter but not sure exactly what I'm doing with it yet. I set the meter to 20V dc and I read nothing from the pump, so I tried 2V and got nothing there either... If anyone has any suggestions to get us going we would really appreciate it. We are stuck right near pyramid lake in Nevada. Thanks,
Kevin
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79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 20162

If you are not getting any power to the pump it could be your fuel pump relay. It is in the black box on the left side of the engine compartment. There are two relay, a fuel pump and a fuel injection relay. You can try swapping them and see if that makes any difference. Do the relays click as you turn on the ignitions?

You should be able to jump power right to the pump as well.

KevbOliver · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 2:13 pm Post subject:

Thanks wildthings for the response! I switched the two relays and now can hear a buzz at the pump. I guess that means I need a relay. Our battery is now too low to try starting, so I'm wondering if the broken relay now in the fuel injection slot still would mean that we are stuck, or would it be worth trying to jump the battery and see what happens??
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THANK GOD FOR THESAMBA!

79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 20162

Ahwahnee · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject:

If that realy fails you before you can get somewhere safe, cool and selling auto parts...

In a pinch you can replace a failed fuel pump relay with a jumper wire to power the pump. As I recall, you remove the relay and connect a jumper between the fittings for pins 30 & 87.

This is not ideal (I think the pump will run constantly) -- sort of the equivalent of sticking a penny in a fuse box -- but beats dying of heat stroke waiting for help.

Ahwahnee · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 3:56 pm Post subject:

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 20162

funagon · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 6:57 pm Post subject:

My van has another one of those relays above the fuse box, that I can steal to replace one of the FI relays if necessary. Yours is a different year van but it might be worth a look.
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1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX

KevbOliver · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 9:26 pm Post subject:

I got the tow to a parts store in reno, put in the relay and it worked. Drove a hundred miles and when getting gas, I could hear the pump running when the key was off. Then when I turned the key to on it shut the pump off, now it seems as though the switch has failed. Any idea on why this is still happening? We need to drive another 150 miles to get home tonight. Thanks for all the comments.
_________________
THANK GOD FOR THESAMBA!

79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 20162

KevbOliver · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:04 pm Post subject:

Unfortunately, I already used my 2000ct mile tow on my bay window a few weeks ago... And unfortunately, I bought two new relays and replaced both the old ones so now I'm not sure which of any of them are good anymore... But I stole a wire from the engine compartment and made a jumper but our battery ran out of juice again before I could try it, so whenever this aaa guy shows we can try jumping it first with the jumper wire and hopefully get back to my garage for some real work. Thanks again.
_________________
THANK GOD FOR THESAMBA!

79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

IdahoDoug · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:12 pm Post subject:

Man, good luck. Sounds like your battery may need replacing too.
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Two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2013 Subaru Impreza boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V

KevbOliver · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 10:15 pm Post subject:

The hangover isn't helping either Crying or Very sad

But its all part of living with these beautiful machines.

*edit^ 200 mile tow
_________________
THANK GOD FOR THESAMBA!

79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

KevbOliver · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:23 pm Post subject:

We made it home real late last night, got the jump from AAA and used the jumper wire to get home. Thanks for all the help. I plan on getting a quality relay(or 3) and seeing if it holds strong and going from there.

Thanks everyone!!! Smile

_________________
THANK GOD FOR THESAMBA!

79 2.0L FI SeaFoam Baywindow (Oliver)
83.5 VanagonL 1.9 Westfalia
90 Syncro

dobryan · Posted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:33 pm Post subject:

Maybe check out replacing your ignition switch as well. It is an inexpensive part and it is nice to eliminate it from the troubleshooting equation.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 w/ TBD and Locker

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stephenson

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