Test Fuel Pump Draw?

[edgemar]

I'm an electrical novice...how do I go about testing the electrical draw of the fuel pump. I want to figure out if excessive draw may have been the reason for a fuel pump relay failure. The relay heated up enough to where it melted the plastic around the female part of the socket/harness. I want to figure out if I need to replace the pump.

Thx!

[DW SD]

You need an ammeter. It would be wired inline termporarily. I would make sure your meter is capable of 20 to 30 amps, if the current is melting your relay. I'd wire it between the wire feeding the pump and the fuse block.

I'm not sure where to buy them, they are common electronics diagnostics tools. If your pump sounds funny and is melting relays, seems like a good bet that its bad. Just because it is bad, doesn't mean a new one will solve your problem, if environmental issues cause it to go bad. IE a rusting fuel tank could pollute the gas and ruin the fuel pump. Other dirt, sediment could cause the same result.

Doug

[johngypsy]

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930 Fuel Pump Fuse Overload - The Solution - Pelican Parts Technical BBS

[porwolf]

Originally Posted by edgemar

I'm an electrical novice...how do I go about testing the electrical draw of the fuel pump. I want to figure out if excessive draw may have been the reason for a fuel pump relay failure. The relay heated up enough to where it melted the plastic around the female part of the socket/harness. I want to figure out if I need to replace the pump.

Thx!

The melting of the plastic around the female part of the socket/harness could have been caused by a bad contact there between the relay prongs and the socket. A bad contact can heat up the connection and melt the socket.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by edgemar

I'm an electrical novice...how do I go about testing the electrical draw of the fuel pump. I want to figure out if excessive draw may have been the reason for a fuel pump relay failure. The relay heated up enough to where it melted the plastic around the female part of the socket/harness. I want to figure out if I need to replace the pump.

Thx!

What you are seeing happens to both the relay/connector and the FP fuse/holder.

The FP has extremely inrush surge currents and so just a few milliohms at these connections will result in an inordinate level of heat at the high resistance point(s)