Testing Fuel Pump Out of Car

Post by **Eddystone** » 12 Apr 2022, 16:15

I pulled a fuel pump out of a 99 T5 that had been in the yard since February. It's extremely clean and looks fine. It also looks dry to me, but the last ones I saw were covered with gasoline.

I want to have this as a spare on trips, so is it safe to test it quickly with it not submerged in fuel?

Seems to me I read something once that said you should NEVER do that because it would immediately damage the pump. I'd rather avoid filling up a bucket with gasoline applying electrical current to it, but that's not saying that I wouldn't do it...

Post by **erikv11** » 12 Apr 2022, 16:30

I always quickly test them dry before installing, have done it several times with used pumps and for sure tested the one new pump I had to install last fall when the fuel pump went out a thousand miles from home. That one is still working. Didn't want to install a bad pump! I do it with every junkyard pump I pull when I get them home. Just briefly apply the voltage, carefully touch the wires to the contact and see if it spins up. With no gasoline around!

My thinking is the gas is supposed to cool the pump, so just a momentary spin-up should be harmless.

Post by **scot850** » 12 Apr 2022, 16:38

And for goodness sake put that cigarette out...........!

Neil.

Post by **BlackBart** » 13 Apr 2022, 10:15

Yes, the fuel is often designed to cool the pump as it flows through. I had a Scirocco pump vapor lock on a 100 degree day and it ate the pump in a matter of seconds.