Today sucked

[milehighbear]

Well, today sucked. I think my fuel pump went out on my F-150. My wife has told me couple times that when she went out to start the truck that it would turn over and not start. I would get home, go out and it would start right up. So I figured it was just her. Well, two weeks ago when I went to get new tires on it, the guy got in and it would not start. He came in and got me, I went out, it cranked but would not start. I moved the gearshift from park to neutral and back to park and it started. Wed morning I went out to start it and it would not and battery run down. I put charger on it, waited, cranked it and it started. Didn't have no more problems. Went to work today, when I went out to go to lunch, it would not start. I talked to my boss and he told me sounded like fuel pump, and to find the little valve(shrader valve, I think) and to take cap off, push pin down, and see if gas shot out, well it didn't. Ended up having car towed home, 65.00 which wasn't bad. The tower knew my daughter thru business deals and gave me good rate. So I go to AutoZone, get pump, gas filter, and strainer. I have to siften gas out of tank cause i just filled it. At autozone, the computer won't start up, so I had to wait for it to be rebooted, and then the gal double charges me for(just started), asks how Im paying and I say 60.00 cash and rest on debit. She takes cash, subtracts it and says that will be 163 more. Well that wasn't right, well, she charged me double for pump, and had already put cash in, so I had pay the 163.00 and then they would do a return, but couldn't credit my account back and had to give me cash, in which then I had to take the cash across town and put it back into the bank. I didn't know if I had enough in bank or not. Should have called wife and she could have told me we have overdraft insurance for that reason but we had enough in there to cover it. I came home, ate and ain't doing nothing else but sitting and watching tube. Today just sucked, but it could have been worse is my philosophy. So this weekend I will be working on truck. PU241, any suggestions on how to make sure its the fuel pump. Could it be regulator? Im going to change fuel filter first to make sure it's not plugged. I checked the relay in the fuse box under the hood. There were two relays same, and I traded them around to see and still did not start. It also has fuse and thats good.

[Pu241]

I'll tell you straight up I'm no expert on the F150.
I'm sure others know this vehicle better than I.
I would suggest you let us know more about the vehicle as the festiva nation as a whole can better help.
What year and how many miles are on the truck.
One thing occurs to me, because it did happen to me, was a weak and dying electric fuel pump.
It would blow the fuse on a semi-regular basis.
But, run fine for hundreds of miles on a trip.
Till one day it just wouldn't start even with a new fuse.
The issue you may run into with a correct diagnosis is that if you apply power directly to the pump it might work, due to the fact that it is an intermittent problem is, how many times do you test it before your sure the pump is OK and look between the pump and the ignition switch for another cause?
I will ask FB71 and Festyboy to read your plight over and see what insights they can provide.

[milehighbear]

Its a 2001, supercab, 4wd , with 5.4L. I've already eliminated the relay and fuse as the problem. And when I try to start it, it does not build up pressure as noted when I push the little pin in the shrader valve, there is no air or gas coming out of it. Like I said, I use to hear the pump come on for about 3 seconds each time i turned key on and it don't happen anymore. Tomorrow Im going to test to make sure power is getting to the plug for the pump, change the filter, and then change the pump if no results on others. Im almost 95% its pump but feedback is appreciated. Thanks John

[FestYboy]

at first glance i would agree that the pump is failing. to be sure, you'll need 2 people to test.
have someone in the cab ready to turn the key to the ON position, but NOT crank.
put yourself under the tank and have the helper turn the key, IF you hear the pump run, immediately go to the fuel rail's schrader valve and depress it. Fuel should shoot out forcefuly. (i doubt this will happen given your discription of events)
If you DON'T hear the pump run, take a mallet and smack the tank. If the pump then runs, you have a failing pump (binding),replace it.
If the pump refuses to run, pump is bad and needs replaced.

NOTE: before pulling the tank to replace pump, also verify that the fuel pump relay is working (should click with the key on and then after 3 sec click off again) you'll find the relay in the power junction box in the engine bay (iirc).

[milehighbear]

I did the hitting the tank with a pvc pipe while another person was in vehicle and still did not come on. I also had the person turn key on-off, on-off, on-off three times and tried the valve and no buildup of gas or air. The fuse (20 amp was good) and the relay, there were two relays, same part number, same amount of pins, I switched them, still nothing other than the clicking, but no start. Tomorrow I will get under the truck and check the plug that goes to pump to make sure it is getting current. From there I feel it is going to be time to change the pump.

[FestYboy]

i don't doubt the plug to the tank is good, have yet to see a failure in an F-150.

[GenevaDirt]

you mentioned that you move the gear shifter and the truck started.....does that work every time?

[milehighbear]

you mentioned that you move the gear shifter and the truck started.....does that work every time?
No, it only worked that one time

[FestYboy]

i'm thinking that wasn't the issue, you just "burnt" yourself a good connection the second time you hit the key.

[GenevaDirt]

he just burnt one? Is that why he's called mile high bear....I always wondered.....

[FestYboy]

you're a funny guy Willie.... ::shakes head::

[milehighbear]

Ok, Need a question answered

Ok, today I went out and tried starting the truck again and no go. So I crawled under neath and changed the fuel filter. After I took the ends off filter, gas did not come out one end, when I got the end off between pump and filter gas came out. I got a glass jar and drained gas out of filter and it was so dirty that I put it up to light and could not see light thru it. The filer was a whole lot heavier than new one also. I put new one on, put key in ignition, truck cranked and all of sudden, vrooooooom vrooooooom it started. My question is, if filter was so clogged not to let gas thru, could it also built up enough pressure between filter and pump to where it stopped the pump from coming on when turn key. Ty

[Pu241]

I'm not certain that there is any pressure transducers in that section of the fuel system.
I suspect the fuel pump may have shut it self down due to overheating or overloading itself, trying to pump fluid that wasn't going anywhere, due to the clogged filter.
Most EFI systems that I'm aware of, regulated fuel pressure at the fuel rail for the benefit of the injectors.
does the F150 have a drain on the tank. I'd be concerned that you have more crud in your tank and it may clog the new filter in short order.
Just a thought.
Glad your back on the road!

[blkfordsedan]

I've been told that when a filter gets really bad and clogs, the fuel pump usually goes out shortly after. Theory being that it had been over-worked for so long that it's life was shortened. In any event, I would keep the filter changed about every 3-5K miles for a while (to make life easier on the pump) and see what happens. Who knows? You may get by until warmer weather, or you may never have a problem with the pump. You may want to hang on to the new pump for a while, if you can afford to.

You should see a big difference in the performance of the truck now.

[milehighbear]

I just got back from getting another filter. Im going to hang onto the pump and strainer. I've been buying gas at this cheapy place thats pretty old and they may have a lot of water in their tanks and pumping into my tank so I'm going to let gas get way down, and then get a couple tanks at good place and then change the filter again. I looked and my tank does not have a drain. May take it down this summer and clean it out. Time will tell how it does. Ty for all your help.