L300 Fuel Pump

[Cranman]

I'm suspecting my 2002 Saturn L300 fuel pump has died. Just wondering if anyone knows of an universal fuel pump to use instead of paying $250 for a like "oem" fuel pump. Possible ACDelco.

[fdryer]

What makes you suspect it? Posting some background info may help; mileage, fuel filter replaced last, fuel pressure checked recently, and any other symptoms not described yet.

[Cranman]

Oh about 114,000 miles on it. Fuel filter changed last november/december. Haven't got a chance to look at it yet. Girlfriend was driving it when it just died at an intersection. Did some phone troubleshooting and it doesn't cycle in the ON position.

[fdryer]

114k miles isn't a lot for fuel pumps. Phone support might need specific instructions just like what we ask here.

Turn ON the ignition and listen for the faint hum/hiss of the fuel pump running for 2-3 seconds until it shuts off automatically (safety). This can be done as many times as necessary but wait at least 30 seconds between ignition cycling to hear the pump running. Another check for fuel pump operation and pressure would be to open the hood and locate the fuel rail (over the middle part of the engine) where the fuel test valve is capped by a black plastic cap, remove it and depress the valve stem (same as the tire valve) expecting a healthy spray of fuel. You should cover the valve loosely with a rag.

If no fuel pump sounds or fuel sprays out the test valve, look for a blown fuel pump fuse, labeled in the fuse panel.

Be aware that if this isn't a fuel issue then it may be ignition/spark related.

[Cranman]

Ya she already did the check start up in the ON position. Just tested the valve and no healthy spray. Just as I suspected. So has anyone found an universal fuel pump that will work with a L300?

[born again]

According to Rockauto the internal pump is a Bosch #69250 for about $80. You would have to disassemble the cartridge and reassemble it with the new pump.

[Firestarter]

Do you know if the BOSCH Part # 69250 Electric Fuel Pump Kit will also work on a Saturn lw 300

[rcockrum]

Just found this thread....I too have a 2002 L300 with low fuel pressure....about 10lbs. My local Advance Auto Parts has a tank unit for $330.....but I've found "kits" with the pump only for around $70. Has anyone tried installing a pump "kit" in the L300? Firestarter...what did you end up doing?

Also, has anyone tried cutting an access hole in their L-Series to get at the pump without pulling the tank? Just an idea.

I bought this car with a seized engine and have finished installing my replacement and all systems are "GO" except my fuel pump. The car sat for about 2 years so I'm thinking the pump decided to call it quits.

[Shr3k]

Random bump here, but I've found an 01-05 L300 pump for ~$70 that is advertised to support around 235lph. Definitely looks like a good deal and, based on my experience with the car, its capacity to push a little more fuel would probably be welcome. The L300 was set up with very minimal allowances for its 182 hp X30XE engine (such as a transmission rated for only 190 ft/lbs of torque), so I feel like it's safe to assume that a beefier pump certainly wouldn't hurt.

(delete spaces): ht tp:// treperformance .com/i-6315723-saturn-l300-255-lph-fuel-pump-2001- 2005 .ht ml

[fdryer]

It seems like a great buy but are you willing to replace your pump when it fails with this one and be the Beta tester? There are always considerations made when going outside OEM parts; direct replacement or modifications needed the average diyer may not be able to accomplish, actual fuel pressures compared to volume to meet factory specs for L300's, wiring mods, reliability, etc.. Anyone willing to drop a fuel tank and spend a few hours replacing a pump probably isn't interested in a pump without the rest of the pump module assembly. While plastic can become brittle after immersion in fuel all its life, some may find their pump modules falling apart as soon as its handled. Discovering this during pump module removal determines whether or not a quick turnaround restores a car back on the road or waiting for parts not anticipated when a pump module besides the pump breaks down.

As I understand EFI systems in general (correct me if I'm wrong), EFI systems rely on regulated pressures with volume delivery a second factor. Fuel lines are small diameter to allow high pressures with more than sufficient flow volume. I think stock fuel pumps meet or exceed factory specs otherwise there'd be many threads of pump failures. Since these pumps sit in tanks with GM not spending money for access holes in the car structure for pump replacement, I think they balanced this by ensuring pumps last at least thru new car warranty. It appears that the majority of Saturn fuel pumps lasts well beyond car warranty, with many owners never having hints of pump issues. At least until long after many years and well past 100k or 200k miles.

There may be no advantage this pump may have if it has a high flow rate. EFI systems relies on regulated fuel pressures to ensure an exact amount of fuel is injected at precisely the right time. Injection pulses in milliseconds tends to count on high pressures to push out small amounts of fuel from a few hundred injector cycles at idle to several thousand per minute. Since flow volume, in my opinion, takes a second seat to pressures, any changes to pressures has a direct influence on the amount of injected fuel. The O2 sensor providing continuous feedback on combusted gases to the the ecm allows the ecm to continually fine tune air/fuel mixtures to stay within the ideal a/f ratio, 14.7:1. Usually, any slight fuel pressure change outside the regulated range is compensated as the O2 sensor detects it to tell the ecm. The ecm then adjusts on-the-fly until pressures drop enough to cause out of range problems with an error code.

[born again]

I actually did replace the pump inside the casing on my 2005 Saab 9-5 with a Walbro unit from Rockauto a couple of years ago. That car has a simple hatch under the rear seat so you don't need to cut to access it (discontinued/decontented in 2006). The job was not that simple. The hoses that connect the pump to the top of the cartridge could not be removed from the nipples on the old pump, which were plastic and just broke off if you tried to pull of the hose. I ended up replacing most of that tubing with fairly expensive rubber fuel tube and some brass fittings purchased at an auto part store. You need to put small clamps on the hoses or they will blow off the brass nipples (how do I know this?). For the Saab with its $800 fuel pump cartridge I suppose it is worth it. For the $300 pump unit on the Saturn I don't think so. Cutting the floor is a no brainer. I would do this in a minute. The location is visible on the bottom of the fuel tank, even on the steel shield. Just transfer the dimensions and cut, but very carefully. Look for a couple of threads on this forum about this. Note - MY2000 uses an exclusive pump with a metal top plate and hose connections. MY2001-2005 use a plastic top plate and hose connections. I haven't had to replace the pump on my 2000 LS-1. It is the original after 370,000 km.

[fastone371]

If you replace your fuel pump with the cheapest pump you can find you most likely be replacing i again a short time later. When you buy a cheap pump that is exactly what you get, a cheap POS fuel pump. I have replaced pumps where the car never even made it off of the hoist, the pump did not work well enough to even start the car the first time. I always replace the fuel pump sock and clean out the tank. I have been bitten too many times trying to use sub-par parts that I will not do it anymore.

[BlackHawk]

I have a l200 2003 with 75k miles on it. most is original guy bought it new.it went out on me while driving, trying to find if it's the fuel pump i know i'm not getting fuel to the engine... Engine relay maybe?

[fdryer]

Borrow a fuel pressure gauge from AutoZone, connect it to the fuel test valve (black plastic cap covering test valve over the engine), turn on ignition. You should see pressure between 38-45 psi. Without a pressure gauge, cover the valve with a rag while depressing the valve stem - fuel should spray out to indicate fuel pump operating and creating pressure in the lines. Did you check for blown fuses?

[pierrot]

Originally Posted by BlackHawk

I have a l200 2003 with 75k miles on it. most is original guy bought it new.it went out on me while driving, trying to find if it's the fuel pump i know i'm not getting fuel to the engine... Engine relay maybe?

To check for a possible relay failure you may swap the fuel pump relay with a Daytime Running Light (DRL) relay or a Door Lock relay. Be sure to compare the schematic printed on the relay cases to make sure that they're compatible.

As fdryer pointed out you should look for a possible blown fuse as well. Read your owner's handbook carefully to locate such a fuse, or other possible related fuses, which could contribute to your problem. Fuse locations are the Under Hood Fuse Block (UHFB), Left Instrument Panel Fuse Block (LIPFB), or the Right Instrumet Panel Fuse Block (RIPFB).

If you're lucky then it's either a blown fuse or a relay that's gone bad (and I hope it's one of these two possibilities ). In my case recently, after 19 years and over 300K miles, it was a bad fuel pump. Although I was disappointed that the pump had finally failed it didn't come as a surprise. It'd had a long service life.