What gets me about this whole ordeal is that I have used airtex pumps in many other apps and this is the only one that has given me any crap. Where did everybody get their pump sock/strainer? Is it an autozone/Airtex part bought at the same time as the pump?

 

Sorry to bump but read last post.

 

I got the Airtex from Oreily's and I got the Spectra from Autozone.
Honestly, I don't think its a defective pump. The chances of me having 3 bad pumps from 3 different stores are slim.

 

I dropped my tank yesterday. It was pretty nasty! There was a good 1/2" of rust in the tray that the pump sits in. I scooped most of it out with my hand. Then I threw in some small rocks in the tank. I strapped it to the wheel of my 4 wheeler and gave it a spin until most of the rust was knocked off. I rinsed it all out with the hose, and vacuumed it with the wet vac. Tapping it a bit with a rubber mallet helped knock a lot off the sides too. I found the stand off where the pump should sit (see pics). It was totally clogged with rust when I first pulled it off. I knocked off the rust on the outside using an angle grinder with a wire brush attachment. I gave it a few coats of paint after that and started to reassemble. I would be done but I snapped one of the J-bolts that hang the tank. So now I have to either make one or try to track one down. I will let everyone know if any of this helped. I know it couldn't hurt!

 

Damn, Brother! That thing was nasty! As far as bad pumps, Lots of people have put two or three new ones in and have had the same issues. I think the strainer doesn't have enough surface area or that the screen is too fine. Last time I pulled my pump, the strainer held gas inside of it. It didn't drip out, it just sat there about half full. I know it's job is to keep trash out of the pump, but shouldn't it be slightly less restrictive? When my pump starts to make noise, I have a short amount of time to cut the key off and back on or the engine will stall. That makes me assume the the intake of the pump is restricted. Turn the key back on, the pump quietens down for a minute. I cleaned the tank a few days ago AGAIN.. and it started doing it again. I just don't see how it could be full of crud already.

 

I'll be picking up two different strainers today and see if there's any physical differences between them. One is a bosch and the other is a delphi.

 

But the airtex part #FS104 and the bosch PN 68026 fuel strainers (any parts store) for my '89 are identical except the bosch is $2.75 more. I'm assuming one would get a bosch strainer with a bosch pump? If so, the strainer isn't the problem and I'll be doing a detailed write up of how to do an external Ford pump just as soon as I figure out how to post pics.. To pay for parts, I'll return the POS junka*s MF'n Airtex pump. I talked to some local commercial parts folks who know me fairly well and I asked them about the returns that they've had on airtex pumps and the guys said they've had alot more than they'd like to admit. So as already had been said, you get what you pay for.. Go with OEM parts..

 

So, after thoroughly cleaning the tank inside and out and replacing the pump for the 3rd time and the fuel filter twice. I thought I had it fixed. It went a little over a month without humming. Today the pump is humming again worse than ever! I really don't know what else to try.

 

get a carter or bosch fuel assembly and maybe a plastic tank

 

I have only been able to find airtex and spectra assemblies for my 88. Where can I find a bosch or carter?

 

Any good parts store should be able to order one of these for you.........

 

I have checked auto zone, advance auto, oreily's...even searched bosch website. I have seen the pump "kit" but not a full assembly that will fit my 88. Here is a pic of a bosch "kit" and the spectra pump that I already have. I need the whole bosch assembly so I can return the spectra.

 

might want to go dealership then

 

I found a fix for my airtex noise and I'm still running it..

 

Well, what was it?