Premature Walbro Failure

[t-topflyer]

I've been left stranded twice now because of Walbro Fuel Pump failure in 2 different turbo buicks. The first one failed after about 6 months. The second one after about 2 years. I'm not sure if the pumps are just plain bad, or if it is something with the car or the way I am driving to cause it to do this. I've had no problems with factory pumps. They've worked for 20+ years and seem to keep doing so even with my driving. Has anyone else has experienced this and if so what has been done to prevent it in the future short of dropping the tank and replacing the pump every 6 mos to 2 years?

[Dabigguy]

Stock fuel pumps do not have to endure high boost launches that uncover the pump and briefly, allows the pump to run dry. Maybe the fuel level is allowed to stay below the 1/4 tank mark. Maybe you were just freakin' unlucky and got pumps that were bad.

[jcj53115]

Originally Posted by t-topflyer

I've been left stranded twice now because of Walbro Fuel Pump failure in 2 different turbo buicks. The first one failed after about 6 months. The second one after about 2 years. I'm not sure if the pumps are just plain bad, or if it is something with the car or the way I am driving to cause it to do this. I've had no problems with factory pumps. They've worked for 20+ years and seem to keep doing so even with my driving. Has anyone else has experienced this and if so what has been done to prevent it in the future short of dropping the tank and replacing the pump every 6 mos to 2 years?

Hell you got a lifetime of use out of yours at 6 months and 2 years compared to mine. i also had 2 TR's that I installed new walbro 340's in. One lasted 5-6 days, the other lasted just shy of 3 weeks!!!!!!

[83ttypecooled]

Hi,
This is unsettling. Walbro is an OE manufacturer. A bunch of their pumps, in very mundane applications, live for over 200K miles.
Is it possible you have installed bootleg pumps? The Chinese are doing this,and there Ain't a hell of a lot we can do about it,either. Even the highly reputable vendors are having to watch their supplies.
Good luck, keep us informed!
Dale

[darkred87T]

I was advised that the Walbro pump should be replaced every season (or every other season, I can't remember which) if you drag race it. It's probably not bad advise. I would hate to have one go bad half way down the track at WOT.

I lazy though, I'll probably just wait until mine goes bad.

[2 QK 4 U]

I'm a victim too. My Walbro (340) "269" pump only lasted 1 year.

It was not delivering consistant flow. The fuel psi gauge was bouncing all over the place, would not rise above 55psi even at WOT...

I was lucky to get a hold of a good Walbro pump that was several years old. Problems gone, works great.

The chinese are ruining everything...and our govt is letting it happen.

Holley should be able to do something about them knocking off their products.

[t-topflyer]

These cars have never been to the track. Just routine driving. Putting it back together as we speak. Fortunately I always keep a spare pump on hand just in case.

[Just a Six??]

This happened to me MANY Years before China Pumps were around. Talking a good 12-15 years ago. Went thru 3 in a summer. Since I added about a million grounds including a better one right off the pump, then tank to frame & body, then about 3 more up front I have never toasted one again. I do change about every 3-4 years cuz I race. I think the good ground from pump & the tank grounds (like in Racetronix kit) is very important but its JMO of course.

[87Regal3.8SFI]

Originally Posted by 2 QK 4 U

The chinese are ruining everything...and our govt is letting it happen.

I agree. I also hate stuff built in Taiwan and Mexico.

Originally Posted by 2 QK 4 U

Holley should be able to do something about them knocking off their products.

So are the Walbro pumps knock offs of the Holley pumps? Or vice versa? I noticed they're literally identical.

[DavzGN]

Originally Posted by 87Regal3.8SFI

So are the Walbro pumps knock offs of the Holley pumps? Or vice versa? I noticed they're literally identical.

I remember several years ago some one said that the Holley pumps are relabeled Walbro pumps so if that's true it's the same pump with a higher price.

HTH
David

[Rodney87GN]

Originally Posted by DavzGN

I remember several years ago some one said that the Holley pumps are relabeled Walbro pumps so if that's true it's the same pump with a higher price.

HTH
David

That is true, Walbro makes pumps for Holley.

[87Regal3.8SFI]

Well that's a relief. For a while I was beginning to wonder if a $167 Holley was better than a $99 Walbro, going by the "you get what you pay for" motto....

[asd60303]

I put a walbro in about last june and it feels like its going bad already.

[BlackMetal]

Mine has been working okay since about 2 summers ago. But I have been hearing more and more about these pumps failing. I barely drive my car though.

[Mike Licht]

I do not know of any Turbo Buick vendor selling knock off pumps. I can say for sure that Racetronix and us both use genuine Walbro product. Main cause of pump failures is: sucking air, dirt, alky and low voltage. Most od the pumps that come back so one or more signs of one of these problems when I have Walbro check them.

[cool 84]

I went through two 340 pumps in two years. Finally got around to installing a hotwire kit and a good ground and all is good 3 years later.

[t-topflyer]

Where's a good place to put a good ground?

[2 QK 4 U]

Originally Posted by t-topflyer

Where's a good place to put a good ground?

I grinded a place on the frame and attached the ground with a bolt and external tooth lockwasher.

[t-topflyer]

Originally Posted by 2 QK 4 U

I grinded a place on the frame and attached the ground with a bolt and external tooth lockwasher.

Probably a stupid question, but where exactly am I running the ground wire from the frame to, and do I have to drop the tank again to do this?

[2 QK 4 U]

Originally Posted by t-topflyer

Probably a stupid question, but where exactly am I running the ground wire from the frame to, and do I have to drop the tank again to do this?

Ground the tank to the frame. I drilled a hole in the flap part of the tank on the corner. Bolted a thick gage (10g) wire to it. Ran it to the frame.

The pump is grounded inside the tank.

you should not have to drop the tank for this.

[Chuck Leeper]

the grnd on the hanger to the cover is fubar... mite look OK, but is not.
AIRC, someone wrote a post about how they fixed the problem. NE1 remember?
NE way.. I'd pull the pump, and take a look...

[Just a Six??]

Originally Posted by Chuck Leeper

the grnd on the hanger to the cover is fubar... mite look OK, but is not.
AIRC, someone wrote a post about how they fixed the problem. NE1 remember?
NE way.. I'd pull the pump, and take a look...

I remember a post like that as well & probably where my method came from. In fact I'd bet on it cuz I like to copy what works! Then added more!

Anyways, I drilled a small hole & ran a bolt/stud thing thru the pump cover where the inside ground wire comes thru & attached a good wire to outer side of cover with good washers that Bite. From there it goes to the frame & then to the body. I also have one drilled thru the corner of the tank to frame & body. (Racetronix kits come with a clip from tank to body now) I also have a ground strap from frame to body up under the rear bumper. The thing is Grounded!! Never had problems in many years now. I also added 1-2 up front just cuz I am sorta nuts that way! But no issues with grounding for LC-1, Gen2 etc.


PS: I used the undersize crank pulley back then without a smaller alt pulley (like I did before I removed it all) & I bet it wasnt helping matters voltage wise?

[turbofrank]

Never let tank go below 1/4 mark . I have pulled several Walbro pumps after 1-2 years and find a lots of sock material in bottom of pump. This can't be good.

[Jerryl]

Just had to chime in ............
Apparently the Walboro 340's failures you have experienced are not isolated.
Just had a close friend go through 2 in about 2 months, both purchased from reputable vendors who claim to purchase direct from Walboro.

As far as the relay ..........
You also "get what you pay for" in this case.
DO NOT get the cheap "over the counter" relays.
They will fall apart, short out, which can burn your car down!
Get a good waterproof relay from a reputable vendor. They are around $40.
Besides getting stranded, and doing it again, is it worth rolling the dice for $30?

Ground .......... Here is how I did it
Took about 2 ft of 12ga cable and stripped and soldered the end (corrosion protection )
Took a small hose clamp, and clamped the stripped end to the metal part of the return line on the hanger.
The other side was added to the frame.

Originally, I had it on the "flap" of the tank.
Than I started thinking about the O-ring seal and its insulation properties ........

[TurboBuRick]

I got 2 years of pretty hard driving with boost north of 20psi. Suspected something was up when my duty cycle went to 105%. Normally runs between 50 and 60%. It's good insurance to replace annually.

[DavzGN]

Originally Posted by Jerryl

Originally, I had it on the "flap" of the tank.
Than I started thinking about the O-ring seal and its insulation properties ........

The O-ring seals between the tank and the hanger but the retaining ring that secures the hanger in the tank makes the connection between the hanger and the tank. Unless you have a lot of corrosion around the retaining ring.

David

[Bens87tr]

I should probably get a new pump. I've been running my 307 for about 8 years now.

[RUQWKNF]

Bens87tr, I would recommend you upgrade to a 340 (10000269) pump vs the 307, as the 340 has a higher bypass rating than the 307.
A higher bypass rating is maditory on Turbo Buick applications that typically can see 60-70psi of fuel pressure under WOT.

Realistically, if you think about it, the piece of rubber FI hose that connects the hanger to the pump would also hinder a good ground. The pump has no metal to metal contact with the hanger other than the negative ground wire. The pump is basically suspended by the rubber hose and resting in it's rubber insulated hanger bushing on the bottom of the pump. So knowing that, I would think the best way to properly ground that hanger, would be to attach a ground from the sending unit/hanger, to the frame. Clamping a ground to the return line would serve this purpose nicely.

A couple of things that can lead to premature pump failure are,

- Clogged or collapsed fuel sock.
- Trash in the tank injested by the pump and or clogging the pumps internal mesh screen.
- Crimped feed line or return line, forcing the pump to work to harder than normal, leading to premature failure. This can be eleviated to some extent by using a 20 amp fuse vs a 30 amp fuse in your hot wire kit. This was something I learned from Weldon with their pumps and would only make sense that the fuse would pop first before internal damage was done to the pump due to over heating.
- Fuel slosh causing the pump to suck air (cavitate) leads to over heating and damaged motor. Solution, never race the car with less than 7-8 gallons in the tank. Always more than 1/2 tank for me.
- Clogged OEM fuel filter, puts strain on the pump, which can shorten it's life span.

Now, you couple all of these factors with 14 volts that we run under WOT, and you can see where the pump can be subject to premature failure. During my time at PTE, I can remember handling around 20 or so Walbro pump failures/returns. And believe me, getting them to replace a failed one was next to impossible. This was always handled by the vendor. Namely, PTE would eat the loss. Chalk it up to the price of doing business. Walbro has always been a hard company to deal with. Especially when trying to get an official catalog of part numbers that show applications. I know Rod and I spent the better part of two months, compiling info from our customers and putting together one, if not the best application guide I've ever seen for Walbro pumps. That was 3 years ago. It can still be downloaded from their site today. Precision Turbo & Engine - Turbocharger, Intercooler, Fuel Injector, Performance Parts & more! under the download section. Yes, it's in their retail price sheet. The problem you run into is, most vendors do not tell you the official Walbro part numbers.

Good grounds are a very important thing with our cars. Something that most people tend to over look, and simply put faith in the factory grounds. This can be a bad thing. John Spina at Caspers Electronics has really done alot of homework for our cars with solving most of the wiring and grounding issues. With most cars' wiring being 21 years old, wiring in general is something that will need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Hope this helps.

Patrick

[Just a Six??]

I agree that GOOD Grounds are so important! Not just for pumps but everything! Add a few extra good ones here & there. Doesnt hurt but can indeed help! The one to the pump hangar cover is so easy to do & I think has helped my own pumps survive.

[Jerryl]

Good read .....

Stealth 316 - Fuel Pump Upgrade Guide

[GNVYUS 1]

Good to hear FTS knows they are selling real Walbro's, I got mine from you.

[TurboPtom]

Had one fail just recently after using it for only 4 months.

Put in the 20 yr old pump back in and lo and behold it works perfectly.

Just have to drive it easy till I get a replacement.

[dgoodhue]

Originally Posted by TurboPtom

Had one fail just recently after using it for only 4 months.

Put in the 20 yr old pump back in and lo and behold it works perfectly.

Just have to drive it easy till I get a replacement.

I had one fail after half a tank if idling. Granted, it was over two year period while I was working out some bugs. It shocked the hell out of me when my car wouldn't start; I figure something else failed until I swapped pumps. Fortunately this was in C4 Corvette, which are super easy to swap fuel pumps. My Syclone Walbro pump is going on 8 years, I am going to replace it this year.

[tmsbuic]

Just my luck, I started reading this thread a few days ago and now today my Walbro 340 laid down. It had about ten thousand miles on it

[JSD69Vette]

I had one fail on me after 13 months. I tried to get satisfaction from the supplier and was told that the warranty is only 30 days. Imagine placing a 30 day warranty on something that should be reasonably expected to last years and thousands of miles. I understand it's not the suppliers problem but if your account includes thousands, that's a couple, dollars spent with them you'd think they'd send you out a $70 part.