The other day I noticed I could hear my fuel pump - much louder than it used to be.

Formerly I would only ever hear it before I started the car. Now if I'm idling or parking I hear it clearly. Sometimes also at cruising speeds. The volume goes up and down randomly.

Is this trouble waiting to strand me? I've never done the fuel pump - its likely original - 227,000 miles now.

 

failing fuel pumps can get noisy apaprently.....but.....mine has been noisy for the past, oh, say, 5 years But with that mileage.....maybe you may want to consider changing it?

 

Sounds like the pump is toast.

 

I start getting nervous when they get too quiet. I had a whiney, noisy pump in a TBI for almost seven years, and it kept correct pressure the entire time. I sold the car with that noisy pump still running.

 

I have a fairly noisy fuel pump too, though I'm not sure how long it has been on the car, I've only owned it for a year. But it seems to me that my fuel pump is more audible at idle when I am real low on gas for some reason. But it does hold good pressure.

 

The fact that the volume of the pump is fluctuating is cause for concern IMO. Does the pitch also fluctuate?

 

My pump was silent when I first got it, but got pretty loud at about 2000 miles. It now has 4000 miles on it without a change. It is even louder when the fuel level is below the pump.

The volume would not concern me, but the sporatic changes in volume like yours would. I would say it is probable that it is on its way out.

 

You could get any electric pump that has 2 hose connections on it, 2 feet of fuel line, 2 clamps, and a chunk of wire, and carry them with you. If the pump dies, you can splice this emergency pump inline, and suck it through the dead pump to get you home.

I had to do this a few months ago - mine left me stranded out of town - I got a pump from a 1988 junker Dodge Conquest (it was lying around) and spliced it in to get her back home - taped it to the fenderwell, and connected to a hot-in-run wire. Even drove on this rigged pump setup for a month before I changed mine out. At least this way, you can wait until warmer weather, time permits, etc.

I also posted pretty much a step-by-step on the fuel pump install - search posts under my name when your ready. It took me 8 hours, and I was alone - 3 hours of it was various trips to the parts store - so it isn't that bad.