pedrosixfour Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 (edited) Hey people. As some of you might now I had the car out @ Mondello for its first run since the engine swap to a 1JZ BPU'd, some of you might also know that the car died just at the end of the day's fun. Clip of last couple of laps and of the car dying here: Anyway turns out that the new Walbro 255lph fuel pump I fitted less than a month ago wasn't running at all, I spent most of today reading up on old threads about possible causes of the problem and when a course of action was found I went out and performed the recommended tests to try and solve the issue. I was half expecting my engine swap wiring job to have something to do with it so I looked at the relevent fuses and then my connections to see if something was amiss, nothing, all fuses were still good and all the wiring from the 1JZ ecu to the original body plugs was solid. So I turned my attention to the fuel control unit and looked for a good earth...check; 12v to it...check; ~5v on the FPC wire...check; 9v to the pump...nope. Hmmm. Back to the laptop for a bit more digging, then I checked the crank position sensor was working, no problem there. Next thing I tried was the B+ to fuel pump bypass at the diagnostic port in the engine, I stuck the paper clip into the ports and tried the engine again, nothing. Went back around to the diag. port to remove the clip only to find it had gotten so hot in the 2 seconds of cranking that it had melted into the cover! Now with that revelation I went and got a battery and wired it directly to the fuel pump in the tank, surely the new pump couldn't be dead. Sure it could. A little spark when the wire was touched to the battery terminal and then silence. So I removed the hanger and refitted the old pump to it, refitted it to the tank, plumbed it up, turned the key and away it goes. Anyone else ever had a new walbro with literally 12 hours of running time seize/short out? It was a brand new pump I bought from Geo last year, it sat in a drawer until last month when I fitted it to the car, monday was the first time it ran for anymore than a couple of minutes at a time. I find the fact that there was no power from the control unit to the pump but yet the car now runs with the old pump reinstalled a little puzzling! Sorry for the long post, just thought I'd share the experience. I'm a little less upset than I should be, the fact my wiring withstood the scrutiny has lessend the disappointment of the new pump failing but I still need to be be sure why the pump failed, maybe my handiwork is still in question. Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a pleasent weekend. Regards, Damien. p.s. anyone know what kind of warranty length Walbro pumps come with? Its a long shot but maybe I could get onto the vendor Geo bought it from if I'm still within the warranty period. Edited June 9, 2012 by pedrosixfour (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Just to add the paperclips do get effing hot when you do the jumper thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Just to add the paperclips do get effing hot when you do the jumper thing. Really, so much so that it would melt plastic it came into brief contact with? I would've assumed that was surely a sign of something wrong, bearing in mind my pump still wouldn't run with the bridge in place. If that is the case then is the 12v mod some people carry out to the fuel pump power supply a potential fire risk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Mmmmm sorry to hear this bud. I bought 2x walbro's off another member, still new and unused though. They have never been ran until you installed them. Can't remember who is it was though, but it was an Irish member, i'll try and find out for you. It would depend on when he bought the pumps also? If they would be still under warranty, im guessing no, as normally its a year you get, maybe wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Mmmmm sorry to hear this bud. I bought 2x walbro's off another member, still new and unused though. They have never been ran until you installed them. Can't remember who is it was though, but it was an Irish member, i'll try and find out for you. It would depend on when he bought the pumps also? If they would be still under warranty, im guessing no, as normally its a year you get, maybe wrong? Hey buddy. Yeah, I haven't even checked the relevent thread/posts yet but it could be well over a year since I bought it from you! Believe me, I am in no doubt that the pump was new and unused when you sold it to me, it's because I know the pump was new when it was installed that I'd like to get to the bottom of where it came from, even if it is just to avoid the same problem again. If you can throw any light on it's origins I'd greatly appreciate it but don't waste too much time on my behalf, the car is cured of the problem for now and sometimes these things just happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampy442 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hell yeah, I've still got a scar on my finger from a burn off one lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdistc Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) I seem to recall (not that I'm trying to perpetuate rumour, simply I can't remember exactly where I saw it - probably SF.com) a rash of issues with Walbros failing within their warranty period. Something about quality control, IIRC. I'll try to find the link(s). Edit: http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?158703-Dual-walbros-or-dual-stockers Edited June 11, 2012 by sdistc (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hell yeah, I've still got a scar on my finger from a burn off one lol Could've been worse, you could've sat on it! I seem to recall (not that I'm trying to perpetuate rumour, simply I can't remember exactly where I saw it - probably SF.com) a rash of issues with Walbros failing within their warranty period. Something about quality control, IIRC. I'll try to find the link(s). That would be great buddy, but only if you can find it without too much trawling. As for a warranty claim that boat has long since sailed. From the itrader feedback I've figured out the pump came to me in December of 2010. It then sat in a drawer until March of this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdistc Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 That would be great buddy, but only if you can find it without too much trawling. As for a warranty claim that boat has long since sailed. From the itrader feedback I've figured out the pump came to me in December of 2010. It then sat in a drawer until March of this year! Not *too* much trawling, but then again, the majority of information I found was anecdotal - from experienced Supra guys (Justin Nenni for example) relating how many Walbros they'd seen fail after not much operating time. The consensus has long been that OEM US-spec Densos are the most reliable, but Walbros flow almost as well with less voltage and less cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I bought a new UK spec pump when I went to 550cc injectors on hybrids a while back, and it was DOA. It'd spin up enough on key on/key off to pressurise the system a bit, but it'd start, idle, then cough a bit then die. Any attempt to rev it = instant death. Got a refund from Toyota, stuck a walbro in. So I'd imagine that a new pump could fail rapidly as well. Lucky it just died rather than went weak, especially on a track day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Lucky it just died rather than went weak, especially on a track day The fuel pressure gauge I have has a little warning light that comes on when fuel pressure exceeds 2.5kg/cm2 (it is a 2nd hand guage and I never reset its warning values before fitting it to the car). But I actually find it very handy, as I know exactly when the pressure drops because the little red light in the corner of my eye disappears! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I'd need a green light Any red ones appear in my peripheral vision and I lift off straight away. Well, red and flashing blue ones as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseys Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I've got what I think is a walbro pump sat at home which came out of my car in working condition. If you need one chap just PM me your address and what you think would be a reasonable price inc P&P for it and I'll send it off to you if you want it. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 I've got what I think is a walbro pump sat at home which came out of my car in working condition. If you need one chap just PM me your address and what you think would be a reasonable price inc P&P for it and I'll send it off to you if you want it. Si Cheers for the offer Si, I think I might go just new straight from a dealer this time though mate. That way I might have some kind of case to argue should it happen again (as annoying as that would be!). A working spare might not be a bad thing to have in the tool box at a track day though. When you get the chance could you double check the make/model. A Walbro GSS342 is the one that fits properly. If it's all good I might take it off you as a back-up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilkinson Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I bought a new pump a few years back when I went BPU. Installed it and it was dead too. I sent it back and was informed at the time tht it was one of a bad batch. Might be some truth to the rumour. No doubt there are still some unused from a dodgy batch floating about!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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