Fuel Pump Buzzing

[scottmueller<scottmueller@xxxx>]

I just made the 2000 mile round trip to the Cleveland show.

During the Rally last Friday, I stopped at a BP station to fill up. Shortly after the fill up, my 
fuel pump started to make a terrible racket with a full tank. The noise would come and 
go.

When I got home, I pulled the pump. The suction strainer was jam packed with debris. 
Looked like "Coke Fines", thats a term from the oil refineries. Please, no jokes. This 
debris causes the pump to cavitate. After I drain the tank, I am going to clean it.

As far as the gas heating up while in the tank, there are three main sources.
1-The engine cooling lines that run along both sides of the tank.
2-Hot air from the radiator.
3-Engine heat into the fuel lines.

The reason the pump makes that horrible noise is that it is caviating, that is there are 
vapor bubbles being formed and then collapsing. Cavitation can be caused by 
1-In sufficient suction head, ie: low fuel level
2-Increased line loses, ie: plugged suction strainer or collapsed hose.
3-Hot gasoline, which vaporizes more readily.

How can we correct this problems?
1-Keep the gas tank full when driving, do not let the level drop to empty.
2-Make sure that the suction strainer is clean.
3-Make sure there are no kinkes in the suction hose.

I am currently working on a replacement suction hose that will not collaspe, and is 
impervious to the reformulated fuels. The reformulated fuels have different additives 
which chemically attack the rubber used in the suction hoses that you are currently able 
to buy.

I have been running a prototype suction hose and strainer for the past two years. The 
prototype components are not pretty, but strictly functional. They are inside the tank, so 
you can not see them anyway.

I will keep the group posted on my progress.

Scott Mueller
002981


Get 100% FREE Internet Access from Freei.Net. 100% FREE, 100% Anonymous, 100% Jam Packed with features. Check us out at http://www.freei.net.