V70 XC Fuel pump noise

velora · Post by **velora** » 19 Aug 2010, 12:22

The car has 119k miles, well maintained, the only thing that bothers is the fuel pump. It just makes some king of a high pitch noise all the time - hard to explain, but kind of the bad ground on the stereo system. The car drives great, no fuel delivery problems. Is that means that fuel pump needs to be replaced (not easy job on AWD models) or something else?
Any input will be appreciated.

Post by **JRL** » 19 Aug 2010, 14:21

One of my cars does this............has been for three years and nothing else has changed

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 19 Aug 2010, 17:54

The OEM pumps are normally relatively quiet but if it has been replaced before with a Walbro it will sound like a dentist's drill. The good news (or bad news depending on how much the noise bothers you) is that the Walbro pumps tend to last forever.

...Lee

Post by **misha** » 19 Aug 2010, 18:18

But....if you still have oem pump in the tank it's time to replace it.

About that noise....The fuel pump which is making a lot of noise(like yours) can last 2 years or 2 months or a few days more(if it's still oem).There are no rules.

When my first fuel pump died(it was original fuel pump)it wasn't making a lot of noise.You could only hear it when you sit at the back seat.So,one day about a half mile from my home it died.

When the second one was on it's way out it was really noisy(that was the used one replacement),but that noise lasted almost 3 years.I drove the car like that and i decided to replace it when it became really,really noisy.I had a feeling that it will die right now and that will leave me somewhere on the road.

So... i decided to replace it.

velora · Post by **velora** » 19 Aug 2010, 18:26

Thanks, guys. Sounds like the pump needs to be replaced. I'm planning on selling the car in the fall, and the noise will reject buyers(((. I've read that some people cut the part of the sheet metal under the back seat and replaced the pump that way... Is it worth doing that, or spend all weekend replacing it by dropping suspension and fuel tank?

Post by **misha** » 19 Aug 2010, 19:10

Just cut the sheet metal under the back seat and replace the pump.

Good luck!

crh · Post by **crh** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:31

A mechanic last year answered my question about the same issue, which I still have on my 1998 V70 XC, with the same answers here... swap it out if you want *total* confidence, but it's a parlor game to try and predict, beyond that noise+ eventual death... he also mentioned that the 1998 XC, at least, has 2 pumps, one on each side of the <saddle> shaped cross-section gas tank... any truth to this, and, if so, are 2 new pumps in my future? How about the fix time?

TIA guys... great thread, BTW...

Post by **ghoulama** » 20 Aug 2010, 10:23

there is a pump on the driver side but it just moves fuel over the saddle to the pass. side where the pump for fuel delivery is. same access as pass. side through the floor

velora · Post by **velora** » 20 Aug 2010, 15:28

Allright, will keep you updated how the swap goes. Decided to cut the sheet metal and replace it that way.

crh · Post by **crh** » 20 Aug 2010, 16:59

ghoulama wrote:there is a pump on the driver side but it just moves fuel over the saddle to the pass. side where the pump for fuel delivery is. same access as pass. side through the floor

Thanks! That clears *that* up... time to get another fuel pump... Walbro, OEM, or is there another 3rd-party vendor who sells a bulletproof (not literally, heh) replacement pump?

Good luck, Velora... remember to wear LONG gauntlet gloves when cutting, in case ya impulsively reach out/down and grab something through the the new hole and put a nice rip in yer arm, like I did on another type of job involving sheet metal, cars, cutters and unprotected arms... have fun, and take and post pics if ya can!