General Tech Fuel Pump Failures

[KVH]

We’ve all had fuel pumps fail, in my case twice while in traffic. I was so darn lucky. Each time I was able to coast over to the right emergency lane or off the road, once incredibly close to my old man’s house. I’m the old man now.

So, I have a question of you folks here. If you were stuck at a red light with a failed pump and a line of cars behind you was honking and getting impatient the way today’s crowd seems always to be, would you: a) Do it the old fashioned way and get out and try to push the car to the left or right, whichever had the nearest escape, and enlist the aid of some other driver if need be (possibly dangerous if drivers don’t cooperate); or b) Get out, leave turn signal blinking, walk away and call 911 to get a patrol car to push you out of the way (and maybe cave in your trunk); or c) Get out walk away, and call your usual towing company under your insurance and leave a mess for an hour?

Dangerous as it may be, I might try a, then b, if the road was generally flat, but unlike in the 70’s, I picture hotheads bobbing and spinning around you while you’re trying to get off the road.

Enjoy the Super Bowl. I’m just finding ways to stress as usual. Thx all.

 

[charleyf]

I live in a small enough community that I probably have a 75+% chance at a.
I have only lost power 3x. Once a coil and the second time a condensor. Both times I was in the countryside. Coasted into a pull out. Third time I pushed it into a gas station by myself. That was a fuel line blockage.
I was able to repair/ correct the problems and drive away.
Now that is what I call lucky.
Charley

 

[Popeye]

Definitely "a". Of course it depends on the intersection: how busy, how fast cars are going, etc.

Most people are nicer than one would think - I recall a story in a rough neighborhood of Chicago. I was stopped at a red light, and a car from the cross-traffic made "half a right turn" smacking into my door. The car then proceeded to leave the scene... I jumped out of my car, into a total stranger's car who in turn handed me his cell phone to call 911 while he chased the perpetrator. When I returned to my car, someone else had taken the key out of my car (in my haste / emotion I left the key in the ignition) - she handed me the key, joking "you probably didn't want to leave this in your car in these parts!"

Genuinely nice folks! The ones who hit me, not so much. The driver had no license and the owner of the car no insurance - welcome to the South side of Chicago!

 

[Hamish Racing]

If it was quiet I’d try and move it out the way on the starter motor with it in gear .
If there was time and space push it.
If non of the above - it sounds dangerous and I’d get to a safe place and leave the car to its fate.

 

[CJD]

"A" usually works. Here is a horror story for you though:

Last year we were on I85 North, about 80 miles before reaching Atlanta. The rig is a diesel pusher RV, towing a 20 year old Range Rover. We got caught in 3 miles of traffic because of an accident that was barely moving, and we were in the left lane (since we could hear on the CB the left lane would be the open once at the accident). So...the accident cleared and traffic just started to move, when the rig just died. No warning, no sign at all it was going to happen, but it was deader than dead, and us in the left lane on the interstate just starting to speed up.

When it was obvious it was NOT going to start again, I gave the Wife the RV wheel as I jumped out (only door on the right side of the rig). The horns were blaring and 2 - 18 wheelers almost took the door off as I exited. I ran back to the Rover, started it and pushed the rig as my Wife steered toward the shoulder. Now on the shoulder, I ran back up to the RV to get tools and see if I could get the diesel going. As I got out a second time, this time feeling safe as we were on the shoulder...2 more 18 wheelers almost cleaned my clock passing us in the grass to the right of the shoulder!!! Later, I was almost run down by a police cruiser doing over 40mph on the grass!!! That was even scarier, as the cruise had no siren and was almost silent as it passed inches from me. Not only did the cop never return to try to help us (for a day and half), but they almost killed me while speeding on the grass to the right of the shoulder!

We eventually got in the Rover and left the rig, which sat for 36 hours as our insurance looked for a tow company. They kept finding Towers, only to wait several hours and then have them tell us they can't tow a diesel rig. After 36 hours I told them I had had enough. I found a tow company that specialized in big rigs. I told my insurance they had their chance, as all our belongings sat on an interstate for a day and a half, and they WILL be paying the $5,000 tow bill. They eventually did.

The rig went to a Cummins dealer in Atlanta, who worked on it for 3 months. When we picked it up, the batteries were dead and I had to install them myself. There was a bad fuel injector...I had to change myself in the Cummins parking lot. And the engine ECM, which was the original problem that they charged my $4000 to replace, was STILL bad!!! We just said screw it and limped back to Texas at a best speed of 45mph, belching black smoke.

I guess the moral of the story is, breaking down has not gotten much better over the years. We have cell phones now, however, people were much more helping in decades past...