External Fuel Pump Install

[Disturbed]

Well the fuel pump on my MJ finally went out. It had been getting louder and louder and I knew it was on its last leg and was just a matter of time. It left me sit about 2 weeks ago. Finally last weekend I got to look at it.. Pump has power and everything is functioning as it should expect for the pump. Dropped the tank and pulled the pump and tested on it the bench. 12v directly to the pump and nothing, it is locked up.

 

Spend a bunch of time trying to find a fuel pump to replace the in tank unit and it seems I have an odd pump. I checked a number of places online, had Napa order in a few different pumps that were not the same as mine, checked with the dealership to find the pump is discontinued from Chrysler. Everything I have seen is close but none of them will fit the mount . If you are familiar with the stock pumps and the way they look everything I have found has four "lobes" on the top. My pump only has three "lobes and the mount is made specifically for a that shape on the top of the pump.

 

I reached a frustration point and ordered up an external pump from Summit Racing. This is the pump I have on the way, http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g3138

 

45PSI/43gph which should work well with the MJ. I have a number of vehicles I have run on external fuel pumps and have never had any issues with them. I am going to extending the pickup down to the bottom of the tank using metal fuel line and retain the OEM strainer. Also plan on retaining the fuel level float. Pump will get mounted on the frame rail near the fuel filter. It should not be too diffiult. I am hoping the pump shows up tomorrow so I can work on it over the weekend. The only down side to this project is I must do it outside. I have a big garage with a lift in it but unfortunately it is full of projects including my Rock Buggy on the lift that is missing most of the tubing and the rear air shocks so there is no way to move it.

 

If anyone has tried this before using a stock tank I would like to here about your experience with it. I have done it on a Jeep YJ with a stock fuel tank for a TBI conversion but never on a multiport injection system. I will try to get some pictures once I have this done.

[Garvin]

As long as you have a return line and regulator on there already from the factory (been a while since I really looked close at the Jeeps fuel system) then you should be fine. I'm running an external pump on my Comanche and have it mounted on top of the fuel cell in the bed without an issue. You might also want to look into the E2000 pump as you can get that pump from any auto parts place (it's actually cheaper at the auto stores near me than what Summit has it listed for).

[JeepcoMJ]

The available pumps are not identical, but do mount and work. Leave the in tank pump, make it work. inline external pumps are loud and annoying.

[Disturbed]

The Summit pump is already on the way, the E2000 pump costs slight more than the universal pump I purchased. The return line and the regulator on the fuel rail are still in place so there should not be an issues there. I guess we will find out when I get the pump gets here is everything works like I think it will.

[JeepcoMJ]

Thats stupid to do it wrong.

[Disturbed]

The available pumps are not identical, but do mount and work. Leave the in tank pump, make it work. inline external pumps are loud and annoying.

 

Unfortunately every one I have seen will not even mount in my mount without hacking up the the top cap portion of the mount that holds the pump in place. If I am making changes I would prefer to do the external pump set up. I have run a number of vehicles with external inline pumps and they don't bother me. Sure they are louder but this is a 24 year old truck, its not like I can hear it over everything else. Besides the one that just failed was not super quiet. I am all about being able to swap a fuel pump with a screw driver and a couple of nut drivers.

[Garvin]

On Summit it costs more. I purchased mine through Advance and got it for $78 and they had it in stock. This was also for the Airtex brand and not a home brand (I have no issues with SummiT Racing brand, just throwing that out there).

 

Going external pump is not wrong, it's just a different way of doing it. I didn't really have a choice but I wouldn't hesitate to do it to a vehicle that I did. I can carry a spare and swap it out in a matter of minutes on the trail or on the road and can keep gas spillage to a very minimum (clamp both rubber hoses and swap it). Yes, the external pump is louder when comparing them but I only hear mine when it first turns on when nothing else is running, and this is on top of the fuel cell, in the bed, right behind the cab, so within 3 feet of my head on the other side of one layer of sheet metal and glass.

 

Just because it isn't the norm doesn't mean that it's stupid. You could go as far as saying throwing a 3800 into a Jeep is stupid and you should have just went with the gen I/II 350, LS or LQ engine. It's all in the person to what they want to do with their truck.

[Keyav8r]

Well said, Garvin! That last sentence says it all. It's Disturbed's truck and he can put a jet turbine in it, paint it purple with green polka dots and it's his business and none of mine. I might personally prefer yellow polka dots, but it ain't my truck.

[Disturbed]

On Summit it costs more. I purchased mine through Advance and got it for $78 and they had it in stock. This was also for the Airtex brand and not a home brand (I have no issues with SummiT Racing brand, just throwing that out there).

 

Going external pump is not wrong, it's just a different way of doing it. I didn't really have a choice but I wouldn't hesitate to do it to a vehicle that I did. I can carry a spare and swap it out in a matter of minutes on the trail or on the road and can keep gas spillage to a very minimum (clamp both rubber hoses and swap it). Yes, the external pump is louder when comparing them but I only hear mine when it first turns on when nothing else is running, and this is on top of the fuel cell, in the bed, right behind the cab, so within 3 feet of my head on the other side of one layer of sheet metal and glass.

 

Just because it isn't the norm doesn't mean that it's stupid. You could go as far as saying throwing a 3800 into a Jeep is stupid and you should have just went with the gen I/II 350, LS or LQ engine. It's all in the person to what they want to do with their truck.

Well said, Garvin! That last sentence says it all. It's Disturbed's truck and he can put a jet turbine in it, paint it purple with green polka dots and it's his business and none of mine. I might personally prefer yellow polka dots, but it ain't my truck.

 

Thank you gentlemen. I had a response typed up to the "that's stupid" response but as far as I am concerned I am a newbie on this site and did not feel it was in my place to start something or challenge someone who is obviously a long time member. I have a real problem keeping my hands on things, if the fuel tank wouldn't be so new I would be putting a fuel cell in it too. I actually was checking out the JAZ fuel cell sitting in my shop for my buggy rebuild but it wasn't quite right as far as I was concerned and I would like to keep the stock filler location. This is not a wheeling rig, it is my DD. I have had a lot of luck with using external fuel pumps.

 

Not sure about the jet turbine idea but my cousin-in-law seems to fall into 5.9 ZJs all the time, I think he has 3-4 or them right now so there is always the 5.9 option....hmmm.

 

I will post up some pictures when I get it installed. Just got notice that the pump has shipped from Summit, I should have it tomorrow.

[Garvin]

I didn't have too much of a choice with mine since mine started as a carb'd 2.8L V6 and I just wasn't having it anymore with the carb. Had the choice of swapping in a fuel cell and external pump or rerouting all the fuel lines for a 3rd time (the 2nd time involved the carb'd 350).

 

I'm currently running a JAZ 22 gal fuel cell with foam and gauge sender. Their stock senders for the GM setup are almost dead on Jeeps (0-88 ohm for Jeeps and 0-90 ohm for Chevy) in case you were looking at a sender for it. The foam is garbage though. I've had the fuel cell in for something like 6 months and it's disintegrating pretty bad already, went through 3 fuel filters already because they keep getting clogged up.

 

It sounds like you have it pretty well set but if you need any help or advice on the external setup, feel free to post up.

 

Well said, Garvin! That last sentence says it all. It's Disturbed's truck and he can put a jet turbine in it, paint it purple with green polka dots and it's his business and none of mine. I might personally prefer yellow polka dots, but it ain't my truck.

 

I prefer florescent lime myself. You can't beat the roar of giant mud tires and a brick of glowing lime polka dots coming your way! Btw, you're giving me ideas now with the turbine...Weld a bracket here, weld a bracket there, I'm sure I can make it fit!

[Disturbed]

Well I tried to post a reply with pictures as to how I am accomplishing this but I was getting this error, "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community." I have no idea what that means put here is a link to my local Jeep club board where I am also posting what I am doing. If you want to check out the pictures, not all of it is very interesting but I built a pretty trick skid/protection plate for the fuel filter since it will be mounted on the front of the gas tank skid plate.

 

http://www.jeepsrus.org/MegaBBS/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3490&posts=7#M20347

 

I'll post an update once it is in a running.

[jpdriver1]

Well I tried to post a reply with pictures as to how I am accomplishing this but I was getting this error, "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community." I have no idea what that means put here is a link to my local Jeep club board where I am also posting what I am doing. If you want to check out the pictures, not all of it is very interesting but I built a pretty trick skid/protection plate for the fuel filter since it will be mounted on the front of the gas tank skid plate.

 

http://www.jeepsrus....&posts=7#M20347

 

I'll post an update once it is in a running.

 

wow very nice

[gregz0r]

I know I'm reviving an old thread but I'm having issues with my fuel pump and had the same external pump idea you had. I'm wondering how the pump worked out and if you have any drive-ability issues.