Fuel pump or relay ..... or maybe some thing other?

[tbear853]

just make sure the actual ground from the fuel pump to the chassis under the car is securely bolted first. If that's come loose, your test will light the light, but a new pump will still not work. A continuity check from the pump harness to chassis should confirm this. Also, good to make sure the fuel pump harness is still connected and the wires aren't rat chewed.

Excellent point on the grounding. I've had mice or maybe it was a rat, eat wiring on my '77 pickup between the tail lights and behind the tailgate. Had one eat fuel line vapor line on my '07, and bite a hole in the high-pressure supply line, and chew on wires to the FPDM.

[tbear853]

Well, was the fuel pump. I got it done and she starts great. My hands hurt, I'm tired, I got cold, and hungry. Unplugging those plugs in blind spots with limited room, and snaking that pump out over the rear axle was not near as easy as videos make it look, tomorrow I'll add a zip tie to keep the three wire pressure sensor plug plugged in, for some reason it's not "clicking".

Was up into the morning hours last night doing taxes, but they are done too.

Thanks all.

[tbear853]

03-22-2025: Install complete Carter P76113S assembly 96,730 miles. Car was on short solid wood ramps, but pass side elevated with a jack stand. Got a little over 2-1/2 gallons out, letting it drain via loose fuel pump bolts. Tight, twists, turn to get out. Noticed fuel float dropped same as OEM, but stops short going up, not as high as OEM. Zip tie 3 wire plug at fuel tank pressure senser. After done, gas gauge about same as was after drain excess.
03-23-2025 drove to Luray, level near hair over 1/4 tank when filled at Mauzy, but gauge stopped at low edge of 3/4 mark, pumped 12.86 gallons to cut off. Some reason, float not going all the way up, but can't be pump wires hanging the float, I checked before installing it. It works perfect below 3/4 Car run perfect, mileage 27-ish all day, up 340, west 211, down 11 to home. total about 175 miles included Stanley and a double back at Cooters. Drove 70 miles after that fill up, needle never moved but it only run under 3 gallons out by my guess.

I'll adapt, not pulling the pump just for this.

[gadget73]

Ever done a box fuel pump? If you think fishing that assembly out over the rear axle is annoying, just wait till you experience the joy of dropping the tank and unhooking hoses completely blind. Box pumps are on the rear of the fuel tank, against the trunk. The level unit is on the axle side.

[DerekTheGreat]

Ever done a box fuel pump? If you think fishing that assembly out over the rear axle is annoying, just wait till you experience the joy of dropping the tank and unhooking hoses completely blind. Box pumps are on the rear of the fuel tank, against the trunk. The level unit is on the axle side.

Greeaat. I went to drive my Town Car back in November. Cranked with no start, so I figure it's the fuel pump. Guess I've got some fun in store for later.

[VicCrownVic]

Greeaat. I went to drive my Town Car back in November. Cranked with no start, so I figure it's the fuel pump. Guess I've got some fun in store for later.

Pain since it's on the rear of the tank like Gadget said, but at least your tank straps should come undone without a rust shower and things breaking. If I can find some free time one of these weekends I'll lend a hand. If the '88 TC uses the new style resistance range (it might, like '89 TC does), swapping to a '90+ tank and fuel pump assembly could be possible, but perhaps not worth the expense or effort. The only benefit is ease of changing the fuel pump.

[DerekTheGreat]

A rust shower..

I could use the help, so that would be fantastic! Let me know whenever you get some time.

I am not sure, but that does remind me that my sending unit is goofy. You found one long ago and wanted to swap it in around that time, but I figured it would be better to wait for the pump to die. Welp, I think that time has come. Question is, do you still have that sending unit??

[tbear853]

Ever done a box fuel pump? If you think fishing that assembly out over the rear axle is annoying, just wait till you experience the joy of dropping the tank and unhooking hoses completely blind. Box pumps are on the rear of the fuel tank, against the trunk. The level unit is on the axle side.

Oh, I'm not complaining. I know it was easy in comparison to most. I'm glad I compared float travel between the two assemblies, side by side, but I wish I had taken more time when doing it, might have put the OEM sensor on the new pump assembly, but it works as is, it just doesn't have the needed travel up on the top end for some reason. If I hadn't compared there on the ground, might would think a wire was limiting travel. Maybe something I missed, like "I don't know what" will fall out in time and free up travel. I did carefully compare the empty end of travel, it was about perfect. The springy wire arm for the float was longer too.

If I ever see a need, a visit to a shop, a lift, where I could stand under it with full suspension drop, might would take another look. I still have an extra gasket. As it is, knowing the float didn't go up as far, it seems 70% of tank volume is about the limit of travel, but the important part below that 70% is pretty near right.

Pump is some quieter too, harder to hear the "prime", but it is still audible.

An uncle and aunt were in the area of Wall, SD in the early 2000s, in a near new Lincoln. Fuel pump went out on them. I recall him talking about how fast the nearest garage fixed it while they ate a meal nearby. Now know why. I was hoping was something else, why all the checking, I had 3/4 tank of gas. Once I got it down, it really was a snap ... except for position on ground, and getting up & down at over 70 is rough.

[gadget73]

Not sure I've ever had a fuel pump go bad without a good amount of fuel in the tank. Its just that extra inconvenience to make it so much more fun.

[tbear853]

That time 2 years ago I thought I was going to have to replace it, in the back yard, tank was down to a hair under half a tank as I recall. This time I used a couple drain pans, taking turns to empty them into a gas can with a wide funnel, then strained that gas into another can with same wide mouth funnel lined with a couple of old but clean microfiber cloths, I'll use that 2-1/2 gallons up yet.

"I have, on the rare occasion, had the car start, then die, but then it has always restarted, and run fine ... " I see where I wrote that back in March of 2023, I guess it "was a sign"?If ever it does that again, I'll pay more attention to it, & not "roll the dice". I'll just get another new pump, & park it until I can get it on a frame lift where I can stand up doing it.

[VicCrownVic]

A rust shower..

I could use the help, so that would be fantastic! Let me know whenever you get some time.

I am not sure, but that does remind me that my sending unit is goofy. You found one long ago and wanted to swap it in around that time, but I figured it would be better to wait for the pump to die. Welp, I think that time has come. Question is, do you still have that sending unit??

Still have it and the gasket I got from Mark for those, but will have to find where I put that stuff after I moved. Pretty sure there are 2 places I would have stored it. Sending unit on the pre '90 stuff is super easy since it's on the front of the tank as was mentioned.
Yours being an '88 may or may not be compatible with the sending unit I have, but it's easy to tell once you pull yours and I may have another of the other resistance range.

[sly]

Not sure I've ever had a fuel pump go bad without a good amount of fuel in the tank. Its just that extra inconvenience to make it so much more fun.

93... was at 1/4 tank. Lucked out on that one. 2000 was at 3/4 tank. That was a workout. Expedition was damn near full, but I let a shop deal with that POS. This last time with the Expedition, the pump was working and the level sender was dead. I was able to drain the tank pretty good before dropping it to deal with that cluster. I wish there was an aftermarket replacement for that tank.