Fuel Pump Issue - 1988 31' Fleetwood Bounder

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Andyscamp

Active member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Posts
37
Location
Fort Myers, Florida
The issue I have is on a 31' 1988 Fleetwood Bounder (Class A) that we just spent a year renovating. All was perfect until the other day I went to give it its weekly startup. It ran for about 30 sec and then quit. It does have an electric fuel pump and a Holly carb on a Chev 454. When it ran, it ran perfect. Only 37k on odomiter and engine is imaculate. No oil leak or burn, ran cool, engine ran smooth as can be. I do know it has an electric pump because I used to hear it running. Now I do not hear anything My question is, where do I start the troubleshooting process.

Things I have done:

-Tried locating the pump but there is a 100 gal gas tank in the way, that is also about 3/4 full of gas. The fuel lines lead to the top of the tank but thats as far as I can see without dropping the tank, which I really want to avoid doing.

-Removed fuel line at regulator (that was replaced) and no fuel is comming out.

-Tried finding a fuel pump fuse, no luck, nothing marked fuel pump.

-Tried finding a pump relay or inertia switch, could not find anything like that, but I dont know an approx location where to look.

-Tried tapping tank with a rubber hammer, no luck.

My questions:

-How many pumps are there

-Is pump in the tank or external

-Is there an easy way to access pump

-Where is the fuse or fuse link

-Where is the fuel pump relay and/or inertia switch

-Are ther any other components that need to be checked

-Basicly, where do I start

We have spent a year of "Labor of Love" and only took it for 1 weekend test run, In Florida this is the time of year that is best to use it due to cooler weather. So any help I can get would be so greatly appreciated so we can finnally enjoy all the pain we spent on the renovation.
I am open and will try ANY input I am given.
Thanks

 
I have a '90 Fleetwood Class C. Mine has one fuel pump, inside the fuel tank. It is only accessable by dropping the tank. You should probably start by tracing the wires back on the chassis from the fuel pump back to the the front and look for loose connections and/or chewed or broken wires. Mine had at least two waterproof connections in the lines to the fuel pump. If the wires are intact, you might have to drop that tank...

Good luck.


Mylo
 
Thanks for suggestion, there is not much clearance underneath to trace the wiring, and Im not as young as I used to be ;D But the wiring eventually goes into a bundle, and there are many bundles under the hood and dash. Unfortunatly It doesnt run, for me to be able to take it somewhere with a lift. And I cant see the wire color at the pump end. Making it almost impossible to trace.
 
You may be able to get along for awhile by adding a electric pump wherever feasible near the tank.

The Ford chassis has the pump in the tank, but don't know about the 1988 vintage P30 (Chevy) chassis. Dan2's comment suggests it is not in the tank like the Ford.
 
Thanks for input !!  If its not in tank, where on frame would it be ? Above the tank ?? If so would it be accessible via floor above ? I noticed a small square cut out in the floor when I was replacing the carpet, it was filled with wood and I didnt think to see what was under it.  :-\I would like to know for sure before I start ripping up carpet.
 
You didn't mention checking the fuel filter. Maybe it's just plugged? 

Might be integrated with the pump, don't know.. just tossing that out there.
 
First thing I checked, It has 2 canister style filters in a compartment on pas side. they where clean but I repl anyway. Also I used to hear it humming if I listened underneath, no humming now. And I opened the line at the regulator ahead of everything and no flow.
 
My 1990 Ford 460 (Newmar Kontry Star) Has 2 pumps. A high pressure in tank pump and a in line booster pump in the line (in frame). I had the in tank pump go out. We replaced the filter first, but had to drop the tank to replace the pump.
 
Im trying to avoid dropping tank at all costs, I would like to make sure all the simpler causes are checked. I have a feeling it might be an electrical issue (relay) but I just cant find em
 
The fuel pump should be located on the lower front half of the engine block on the passinger side (mechanical). Also a
woven plastic filter is located on the lower end of the fuel pick up pipe in fuel tank, this filter prevents dirt from entering the
fuel line, fuel stoppage at this point indicates that the tank contains an abnormal amount of sediment; consequently,
the tank should be removed and cleaned thourghly.  :(  You may also have an external pump (in some cases) Check rockauto.com
hope this helps....

Dan
 
No mechanical pump on engine, only electric somewhere either in or on top of tank. Does anyone know for sure if its in the tank or on frame. I could find out easy if I drop tank, but I want to exhaust every other option before I do that as its full of approx 75 gal, and I dont see a drain plug on it anywhere,
 
There won't be a drain plug. Your options are to try to snake a siphon down the fill hose, or to (as I had to) disconnect the fill hose at the tank and siphon out the gas. I made sure all the rest of my vehicles were close to empty, and filled them both up, 5 gallons at a time. You can use a jack to lower the tank slowly, and to raise it back up when you are through.

Before I did that, however, I would try to scoot under there and trace the fuel lines and or fuel pump wiring harness... Some jack stands might make that an easier task...


Mylo
 
You can have DW sit in seat as you lay by tank and listen for click or hum of motor as she turn the key on and off. It sound like you are dropping a tank however. I would consider either a transmission jack or motorcycle lift. Trans one also has a large area and a strap to hold it to the jack.

You can also pull every fuse and check them each just to make sure.

Since it is carbed you could try starting spray to make sure its the fuel system be VERY CAREFUL with the spray it can cause backfire.
 
I need to find and chk the relays first before I start dropping the tank. I would hate to go thru all of that and all it was was a bad relay
Thanks
 
Ive already gone that far, pump used to humm, now it doesnt. Thats why I want to chk all elec components first because I want to avoid dropping the tank at all costs. I just cant seem to locate the pump relay. Its easy to say to trace the wire from pump but there are many wires from that area that end up in many bundles. Not knowing the wire color @ pump makes it virtually impossible. An approx area where the relay may be would be a plus. I have searched everywhere that you would think it should be but it is not. One I confirm that the voltage makes it to and from relay then I will start the task of dropping the tank.
 
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