Full Size Jeep Network

Did you check for spark? See if lightning comes from your spark plug when your wife cranks.

Well installed a FP gauge today to find that there is zero pressure. Pretty sure I have fried the pump from running it low/dry. I figured 5 gallons in the tank was enough but I guessed wrong. I'm probably unable to use anything under 1/4 tank, so I'm assuming it sucked air too many times and died.

When I started researching fried Walbro pumps, I did come across quite a few posts about fried Walbro pumps due to running dry. Because of sloshing, low fuel levels, Walbro pumps are susceptible to this due to the fact that they don't scavenge the bottom of the tank to maintain a filled sock filter full of fuel. It seems like there are some people that are using OEM style venturi pumps that lay in the bottom of the tank and are basically pushing the low level fuel into the top of the fuel pump using the flow (air/fuel) from the return line or brake booster. Regardless of the source, it seems like a good idea to make sure this doesn't happen again. I'm worried that once the truck is on the road, only being able to use 3/4 of the tank will not get me very far on the trips I'm hoping to take in this thing! Thoughts?

Not sure how yours is set up, but on mine the pickup screen is almost touching the bottom of the tank.
I have run it down to fumes requiring 19+ gals. to fill tank many many times.
Someone even siphoned my tank once while I was on vacation, and I ran it bone dry.
I have also purposely run it dry when I was switching from e10 to e85, and then again when I switched back to e10 from e85.
Pump is still working flawlessly and it's an el cheapo stock style OE pump.

Being unable to use last 1/4 of a tank, says the pump isn't installed/set-up correctly.
A pump should not die from running out of gas a couple times.

Well after all of this, the culprit is really the "best" case scenario. I took the pump unit out of the tank to find the fuel pump hose attached to the pickup tube disconnected. Looks like the shop that did the work didn't tighten the hose clamps very well and it simply slid off! Anyway, I made sure to clamp them nice and tight, put everything back and it fired up first crank. I guess it's my fault for assuming that by paying a reputable shop to clean my old tank and modify a sending unit to add the pump, that they would have tightened the clamps too! I never look at it as they gave it back to me all assembled into the tank, so assumed it was all good and it was for a while. Ah well, lesson learned.

Does anybody use the siphon method I mentioned above, or will the standard setup work without issues so long as it stays together?!

ShagWagon wrote:Did you check for spark? See if lightning comes from your spark plug when your wife cranks.

Always works for me.