I originally posted this issue thinking it was my drum brakes in the rear, but I know now it is the fuel pump. I stuck my ear up against the trunk of the car and it is definately it.

Ever dip your finger in water and run it around the rim of a wine glass that was half full? Well that is the noise my fuel pump is making. In all sorts of conditions, wheter I am cruising on the highway, low speeds, braking (seems to be more apparent then...which is why I thought it was the brakes), and at a dead stop...this thing wont stop whining, unless I shut off the car.

Does this indicate that the fuel pump is on it's way out? It had acted finnicky a while back...whenever I filled up my tank, my car didn't want to start...got spark, got crank, no fuel. But mysteriously, that issue has fixed itself.

Help??

 

Anyone have a quick answer here?

 

It's a possibility that it could be going out. I know on all of my cars when I first turn the ignition to power everything up but not actually turn the vehicle on the pumps make a whine from just pressurizing. I never pay attention to the noise after I start it up because the exhaust on all of the cars/truck I own are loud. If you do tackle replacing the fuel pump you might consider upgrading your entire fuel delivery system and increasing the size to give your engine some more juice. I guess I should ask how loud is this whining, because I understand your explanation, but if it is just silent then you may have no problems at all.

 

No, the sound is apparent. I mean, my car is loud...check out the link in my signature. I can hear it over that.

 

Whenever i am low on gas my fuel pump makes that whine that you decsribed. But after i fill the tank over 1/4th it goes away. It's been doing that since 2002 so i don't think that my pump is bad.

 

same here. Whenever my gas is approaching the red, i can hear the fuel pump at all times. Once i fill it up about quarter tank, it goes away. I havent had the car too long so i dont know if this is normal?

 

You'll cook your pump if you run your tank low as it uses the gas to keep the pump cool.

It's it's moaning it's fair to say it's passed its' best but it's not a guarantee that it's about to fail.

 

You know, come to think of it, it might only do that when it is low, because I filled up yesterday and I didn't notice it. Good to know it might still have some life left.

 

the reason you can hear the fuel pump whine when the gas is low is because the pump is coming out of the gas that muffles the soud (which is normal) nothing to worry about. all electric pumps whine to an extent, but.... if the pump whines really loud (i mean like you can hear it going down the road over the engine) the bearing in the pump itself might be going dry, i had that happen in my race car a couple years back and actually stopped the pump. all we had to do was take the pump apart and lube the bearing for the compressor pump but i dont know how you feel about dropping the tank and disassembling your fuel pump.

 

I guess right now, I'll play it by ear. The pump seems excessively loud, more-so than it used to, but if I can get another year out of it, then I can tolerate it.