85 GL10 Fuel pump / filter question

[StapleCheese]

I've got an 85 gl10 wagon (EA82, MPFI) that won't start. We've narrowed it down to a fuel problem by spraying starting fluid in the air pipe.

 

The filter under the hood was just replaced, so I'm wondering: is there another filter at the back - you know, with/in the fuel pump? This car sat for quite a while, so I think it's a good possibility that such a filter (if it exists) might be toast.

 

Anybody have any good, bad or ugly experiences with the fuel system they'd care to share?

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[subiemech85]

there is a fuel filter that is before the pump, on the same bracket, which should be behind the right side wheel

[StapleCheese]

Thanks! She's stranded at the grocery store up the street, so I'm gonna go pull that wheel and see what I see. I'll let you know.

 

cliff

[subiemech85]

don't bother pulling the wheel, just slither under, that's what I always do, and use something to pinch off the fuel line, unless you like getting soaked by fuel

[StapleCheese]

Well, I was able to pull the fuel pump from the car last night, although I pulled the whole bracket instead of just removing the pump. I'm gonna take it by the Subaru dealership (I have pals in the service department) and see if:

• it works (FI fuel pumps have to develop substantial pressure)
  
• they have a replacement (if I can't talk GravelRX out of some parts... hee hee)
  

If you're reading this thread as you consider tackling a similar problem, here are some caveats:

• You're probably addressing this problem as the OEM part fails - by this point, rust has taken over this vulnerable location. There are three bolts holding this bracket on - I broke two, even with WD40 and patience. All is not lost though; it should be relatively easy to remove and replace the bolt remnants.
  
• If you're addressing this problem (like I was) in a public area like a grocery store parking lot, HEED SUBIEMECH'S ABOVE ADVICE!!! MAKE CLAMPING OFF THE HOSE FROM THE TANK YOUR FIRST STEP!! Vise Grips won't do unless they're clamping two blocks of wood to either side of the hose, and even then, you'd better do a dry run first. Nothing sucks worse than lying on your back, under a car, in the dark, in a pool of gasoline and holding your thumb over the end of a hose that you can't let go, waiting for some jackass to drive by and flick a cigarette out the window. I was able to clamp AND plug the hose appropriately, but my imagination painted a clear picture of what it would've been like to be unprepared. The next time I do this, I'll seriously consider siphoning the tank dry first, and letting the remnants drain into a gas can. I went at this with a half full tank (ugh!).
  
• You're STILL going to get gasoline on yourself. Dress appropriately. It WILL run down your arm as you disconnect the hose.
  
• I might be superparanoid, but I'm still here: I disconnected the negative battery terminal before I started. I know it sucks to reset the clock and your radio stations, but somewhere in some hospital room, I'm sure, lies some burn victim who'd much rather be resetting clocks or radio stations right now. And if you live through an exploding fuel tank to be a burn victim, consider yourself lucky. Part of the procedure here does involve unplugging an electrical connector, and a spark is all it takes. (Yes, there SHOULD be no juice at the fuel pump with the key off, but I NEVER assume while I'm troubleshooting.)
  

OK, sorry... I'm through being everyone's mom. (But I like you guys, and want you to stick around a while.) So, here's what I pulled:

 

 

I still didn't see anything like a filter or a strainer. Is it part of this fuel filter assembly?

 

Thanks in advance for any insight!

[GLCraig]

Fuel injected EA81s/EA82s only have the one filter in the engine compartment

[subiemech85]

it never hurts to add a filter BEFORE the pump

 

I use clear inline filters, one before the pump, and one before the carb, and the stock "vapor separator"

[StapleCheese]

Yeah... for obvious reasons, I'll be putting a filter in between the tank and pump when I put it back. It doesn't make sense not to protect a $130 pump with a $5 filter. I'll probably put a shutoff valve inline back there somewhere, too... Thanks for your help, guys. I'll update as I learn anything new.

[StapleCheese]

OK... I've learned a couple of things, here... first of all, there is a filter screen on the inlet of this fuel pump - just look down the inlet side (the tube on the right side of the pump in these pictures) and you'll see an inverted cone-shaped screen. It wouldn't really come out, so I don't think it's replaceable, but I was able to tap quite a bit of rust/metal out of it, so it was probably clogged.

 

Second of all, when a car doesn't start, and people start asking "Is it spark, or fuel?" don't assume it's not BOTH. The distributor on my car is also bad (well, actually the pickup coil/ignition module is bad, but who's splitting hairs?) so it was actually a spark AND fuel problem... both intermittent (yes, I'm now bald). Fortunately, there is such a thing as USMB, and I've located a replacement here for purty cheap.

 

If your car is like mine, which is the only one I can speak for, it has the late model Nippondenso distributor in it, which has the internal ignition module. This distributor can be identified by two wires exiting the distributor body (the two that attach to either side of the ignition coil primary), one yellow, one black, and both terminated with ring connectors. If you disconnect these wires from the coil, the resistance across them should be 130-190 ohms. The resistance between either of them and the distributor body should be infinite, i.e. open. If not, you need a new pickup coil/ignition module assembly, which can be removed without removing the distributor, with a little care (just dont drop the circlip that connects the vacuum advance unit down into the distributor!). Removing the distributor requires #1 BTDC (as most of you know - I didn't, I'm new to this), so it behooves you to 'leave it be' if you can.

 

What a great resource - thanks for all of your help, guys!

[EXe3]

don't bother pulling the wheel, just slither under, that's what I always do, and use something to pinch off the fuel line, unless you like getting soaked by fuel

On a regular GL wagon youre supposed to pull the fuel pump fuse from the fuseblock,and start the car until it stops running.this de-pressurizes the fuel lines,avoiding gas going everywhere,at least on the output side of the fuel pump.

[Cougar]

A added note on this. I think the fuel pump control system will not allow the pump run unless there is a pulsed input from the ignition system, indicating there is spark getting to the plugs.