[DML] Re: fuel pump / tank problem - Can anyone HELP???

["twinenginedmc12" <twinenginedmc12@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The fuel tank is not vented properly, given the symptoms.  Since it
started after having the fuel sending unit replaced, it seems
plausible that the venting problem started then.  It might be at the
charcoal cannister too.

The loud humming might be from the fuel pump working too hard.  It may
be from trying to work against the vacuum caused by no venting, or be
unrelated (probably not).  If memory serves, the fuel pump fuse in the
fuse block tends to run hot anyway, and sometimes melts the fuse
block.  Your fuel pump overload might aggravate this, so that's worth
checking, if plan on driving the car. (I wouldn't, except to where I'm
getting it fixed).

The gas spouting out when you opened the cap might be from the hot
fuel pump locally heating the gas to its boiling point, though I can't
see how that should be possible with the fuel pump hanging above the
fuel as it is.  Your characterization of the escaping fumes being
"extremely hot" is VERY alarming to me.

Here's some free advice.  Hope you don't mind.

Most important:  Get a good/big fire extinguisher for the car, and
know how to use it.  That's never a bad move, even for a car running
right.  I keep one in mine.

Drive it only to where you're going to fix it.  If you don't have to
drive it there, don't.  It sounds like a fire hazard.

If you have to drive it around to diagnose it, don't fill your tank up
all the way until this problem is cured, the air space will help.  

Manually vent the fuel tank by opening the cap every few minutes. 
Have the fire extinguisher at arms length when you do. Also, you might
benefit from/get away with taking the rubber gasket off the cap
temporarily, or only installing the cap part way, to allow air to leak
in/out, as if you had a vented cap, but it's bad form, and only an
emergency measure at best, and no substitute for fixing the blockage.

Don't take any passengers until it's fixed.  No sense in taking out
innocent bystanders.

I'll be interested to hear where the blockage is.

Rick Gendreau.





--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "daviddlasvegas" <daviddlasvegas@...>
wrote:
>
> Since having my fuel sending unit replaced, I've had a problem of my 
> fuel pump vibrating and humming loudly. I thought the problem was 
> heat related, but recently the problem started occuring in cooler 
> weather too. Its now so bad that within 10 minutes of running the 
> car, the fuel pump starts humming very loudly.
> 
> What's odd is that the pressure balance in my fuel tank is screwed 
> up. When you stop the engine and take the gas cap off a whosh of air 
> gets sucked in.
> 
> But tonight something different occured. I took the gas cap off 
> after drivng the car for an hour and a steady stream of hot air/fuel 
> vapors came out. It was *extremely hot*. It blew out in a stream 
> (like when you blow thru a straw) for a complete 2 minutes. Later in 
> the evening when I got home the pump was humming very loud, I took 
> the gas cap off with the engine running and boom - like Old Faithful 
> the gas gurgled up and spewed out the fill spout in a stream about 
> 12-15" high.  The entire hood of the car, windshield, and 
> myself were covered in gasoline. Thank goodness there was no 
> ignition source or I'd be a roman candle. I jumped in the car and 
> shut the engine off.
> 
> I had the guys at Delorean One replace the venting pipe and tubes 
> which did not solve the problem (don't mind though since my original 
> components were such a mess anyway).
> 
> Does anyone have any idea as to what's going on? I'm getting fed up 
> with this. I don't like messing around with fuel vapors and the fuel 
> system for obvious reasons.
>




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