Bad Fuel Pump Diagnosis??? Need Help

[LampyB]

THREAD UPDATE: Replaced fuel filter first, this was not the problem. Replaced the Fuel Pump next and the problem was fixed. I would still recommend trying the fuel filter first, as it could be a much cheaper solution, and it is recommended to replace the fuel filter at the same time as the pump anyway. I'll post a photo of the gas that came out of my old fuel filter, with only 20K miles on it...and believe me it was FILTHY even though I only use Shell premium octane gasoline.


Started my car last night and got a block away and the car shuddered, throttle was unresponsive, rpm's dropped and it shut down. I arrived at my buddy's house earlier in the evening to what sounded like a bubbling/creak/gurgling sound that wasn't too loud coming from the fuel pump area of the car. Thought oh well and just turned the car off until it died on my way home later on.

Car wouldn't start last night after it died. Starts today, throttle is very bogged down, no way I can drive it and after a few starts it now won't stay on. Pushed the button on my fuel rail and gas squirts out initially, but then doesn't come out at all.

-Unplugged MAF, same response
-Checked Fuse, it's still good
-Fuel Filter replaced at about 40K miles, I'm now at 59K
-Never any previous issues/symptoms, happened out of the blue
-New Coils, Spark Plugs (not the problem)
-Only Shell 91 oct. gasoline used

There's a Fuel Pump recall on '03-Early '04 models, hopefully that's me. If not, I need to get the problem fixed ASAP does it sound like the fuel pump is bad? What else could it be? I'm not going to get an upgraded fuel pump, how much can I get an OEM replacement for??? Thanks in advance!

[dirtybrd]

Sounds like the pump.

[lookaught]

Sound a lot like the problem I had, see here:

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ight=fuel+pump

[LampyB]

^^Yup, that's the thread I'm basing my diagnosis on. Just looking for additional confirmation, or additional ideas for things I should check.

[Papachristou]

does the car run now or not? when mine died, it just shuddered and bogged like you said.. no fault codes or anything. i noticed i didnt hear the pump prime itself when you turn the key on. so i took the back seat out and couldnt hear anything. i tapped on the pump a few times and it fired off for a second so...

make sure you get a new gasket too! and hopefully your car is low on gas its just a few lines on top, and snap it out of the tank

[LampyB]

unfortunately i have about 3/4 of a tank left. any special tools needed to replace the pump? well the car will turn on, but it dies every time and i can't get the rpm's to rev anymore, it just bogs and shuts off. was yours covered under the manufacturers recall Papa? also how many miles were on your car when it happened?

[old guy]

was yours covered under the manufacturers recall ? also how many miles were on your car when it happened?

Check your cars manufacturing date. It can be found at the base of the "B" pillar between the front and rear doors, drivers side. Apparently it only covered cars manufactured between September '02 and March '03. Clicky click

[Papachristou]

No special tools, at least it shouldn't overflow (much) anyway. There may be some fuel line release and fuel pump tool but I got it done in 1.5 hours without

[lookaught]

Long rubber gloves are essential with that much fuel in the tank.

Also, a well ventilated area... like outside.

[mrbacardi35]

thanks old guy for the info. anyway to find out if mind been replaced before since i bought it used?

Check your cars manufacturing date. It can be found at the base of the "B" pillar between the front and rear doors, drivers side. Apparently it only covered cars manufactured between September '02 and March '03. Clicky click

[LampyB]

as far as a well-ventilated area it's going to have to be in my underground parking garage. the car would have to be towed out, it's an up-hill driveway. I'm going to get gloves, a painters mask, and a fan for the job. hopefully my neighbors won't get too pissed about the smell...

also, what about the Walbro 255 fuel pump? i've heard this is compatible with our cars, but it looks totally different than the OEM fuel pump. Anyone have experience with this aftermarket pump? Fitment issues? Reliability?

Long rubber gloves are essential with that much fuel in the tank.

Also, a well ventilated area... like outside.

[CO AVANT]

It shouldn't be THAT bad. I've done them with that much fuel left in the tank bare handed no mask no fan in my garage.

You could always go with this pump...
http://shop.dthaus.com/product.sc?ca...&productId=191

[skeeball]

You can call or email AoA and give them your VIN to find out if you qualify for the recall.

[lookaught]

It shouldn't be THAT bad. I've done them with that much fuel left in the tank bare handed no mask no fan in my garage.

You could always go with this pump...
http://shop.dthaus.com/product.sc?ca...&productId=191

Your life expectancy is no longer 78 it is now 77.

Heavy duty blue rubber gloves were a fantastic addition to my garage. re-useable up to 2-3 times, and perfect for super messy jobs. Gasoline is a nasty liquid to get on your skin.

[CO AVANT]

Oh I'm sure I'll go before that

I hear ya on the HD gloves though. I use the HD snap-on rubber or similar gloves now on everything since I tend to cut myself every time I work on a car lol. Those nitrile gloves you can buy at Home Depot suck and might last all of 10 seconds before I ruin them.

[LampyB]

You could always go with this pump...
http://shop.dthaus.com/product.sc?ca...&productId=191

too much money, i didn't plan on having the pump go bad so soon. and i'm selling the car, so there's no point in spending more on a pump than the standard OEM part.

[Maverick]

too much money, i didn't plan on having the pump go bad so soon. and i'm selling the car, so there's no point in spending more on a pump than the standard OEM part.

there should be plenty of used A4 pumps availabe for you to buy and they are cheap

you should use a used 3.0 fuel pump since 1.8t and 3.0 use the same pump.
3.0 pumps don't take a lot of stress like the 1.8t does so we RARELY have a failure.

how soon do you need a pump? if you aren't in a rush I can sell you a cheap one.

if you are looking for DIY guide then Dougy wrote one but it would be better if you only have less than 1/4 tank left

[LampyB]

i'm actually in a big hurry to get the part, realistically i need it today. i'm going to change the fuel filter first tonight, and see if that's the cause. if not, i'll do the pump afterward. i need the car for work every day though, so tomorrow is the last day i will be able to use my gf's car while mine is down. send me a PM with the price of your fuel pump if you'd be willing to ship it overnight today. thanks for the help guys, really appreciate it.

[Maverick]

i'm actually in a big hurry to get the part, realistically i need it today. i'm going to change the fuel filter first tonight, and see if that's the cause. if not, i'll do the pump afterward. i need the car for work every day though, so tomorrow is the last day i will be able to use my gf's car while mine is down. send me a PM with the price of your fuel pump if you'd be willing to ship it overnight today. thanks for the help guys, really appreciate it.

I don't think I can help you, sorry man.
USPS and UPS, their services have proven to be unreliable, so even I pick overnight, I don't think you will get it tomorrow in time. they will give all kinds of BS. I don't want you to get screwed.
It happened to me all the time when I needed parts right away.
get on craigslist or other sites to find a junk yard maybe you will have some luck.
you last bet is get ass raped by the dealership.
good luck