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Re: Fuel Pump/Tick/Road Trip



> 
> 	 Two weeks ago I took my intrepid 88 16v out
> here to school on Colorado (from 'home' in CT), documenting the 
> trip to share with you guys. 

This ought to be fun. :-)

> Ill let you know when I get it all up.
> This very same trip, however, seems to have caused me some problems. Aside
> from a dead alternator (somewhere in NY), my car ran well all the way out
> here. I apologize for the rather non-technical description of the
> problems. When you turn the key to the 'on' position (not start), the car
> always made a 'hum' sound for a few seconds, and was then silent. 

The hum was/is the fuel pumps pressurizing the system.

> On this
> particular day, the 'hum' escalated into an much higher pitched squeal
> upon ignition, and didn't stop. 


Classic sound of a dying main fuel pump.  The demise of the in-tank fuel
pre-pump usually causes the main pump to die.  I suggest you check both.
Do you have a Bentley manual?

> I made it almost all the way home (car
> running fine with the exception of the disconserting hum at low rpms), and
> it stalled. I got it started back up, revved it, and it stalled again. Two
> more times, and I pushed it the rest of the way home. Car sits for two
> days, and starts fine, idles fine ( didnt drive anywhere.. I dont
> like pushing it home :) I'm guessing this may be the fuel pump (or fuel
> transfer pump), but I dont know. Any thoughts? 

Definitely sounds like the main fuel pump.  Unfortunately, it's rather
expensive to replace new, I suggest grabbing one from a wrecking yard 
first.  I've talked to techs on the fuel pump, and they've said that they've
seen pumps fail right out of the box, and others last 200k miles+.

> 	One more annoying problem that developed about a month before the
> trip. When cold, the engine ticks loudly. I really don't know what causes
> a tick, but after running for a few minutes, it goes away and I dont have
> to worry about it again until its cold. Ignoring this problem hasnt made
> it go away (unlike *most* of my problems :) Thanks for any opinions!

This is the sound of hyraulic lifters, well, lifting. :-)  When cold, the
lifters 'fall' and need to be pumped back up with oil pressure when you
start the car.  The sound is (I believe this is the phrase) caused by the
valve lash being taken up by the cam lobe.  This ticking sound isn't too 
big a deal, most of these cars do it to some degree or another.  
This _could_ be an indication of a weak oil pump, or even thin oil.  
Change to a 20w/50 oil and your problems will probably go away, and use a 
Bosch or Mahle filter (they have the correct by pass and anti-drain back 
valves).

> 
> Chris Bodenlos
> '88 16v
> 

Let me know if you need more info.

==Brett
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