Well, my car died when picking my daughter up after school. Wouldn't start so I had to have it towed for 20 miles. When I got home I sprayed some starting fuel in the intake and it turned over but wouldn't stay running. I replaced the fuel filter and still the same thing. Then I noticed the fuel pump wasn't making any sound when turning the key. I dropped the tank and pulled out the pump. I then reconnected the pump and put it in a pan with gas. turned the key and nothing. Dead pump. I picked up a new pump from Advance Auto Parts and installed it. Everything ran great.

Three days later the engine dies. I assume that it's the battery because I just replaced the pump and I've ran the battery down a few times. I get a jump and head to walmart (nearest place) to get a battery. I go out to the car and it doesn't start. I tell the employee and he starts testing all the fuses. He tells me he started the car 4 times and it started each time. I then remember a video that said if you bang on the bottom of the fuel tank it will sometimes get a bad fuel pump to run enough to get home. So, I'm thinking, it won't hurt to try. I bang on the fuel tank and sure enough, it starts right up. I get the car home and turn the car off and on several times and it starts with no problem. The next day I take it to work and it keeps running. But, when I go to head home it doesn't start. I then bang on the fuel tank again and it starts. I get it home and think, "Maybe I can push this to the weekend." I leave to head out to Wednesday night church and it dies at the entrance to our neighborhood. I bang on the fuel tank and it starts again. But, I know now I'm playing russian roulette so I drive it back to the house where it dies in front of the house. My dad and I push it into the garage and I drop the tank. Pull the pump and exchange if for a new one. All back together now and running great. For a week and a half...

This past Tuesday, the car stalls 7 times on the way home from work. 4 of the times I was going between 50-65 miles per hour and the car would almost die but then start running again if I held the gas for a few seconds. The other times I had to bang on the fuel tank because I was costing at a low speed. I get it home and check the connector from the fuel tank to make sure nothing is loose. Everything seemed fine. I take off from work the next day because I was sick and later that afternoon I decided to run the engine and see if it would die after running a long while. Well, nothing. It ran for an hour and a half and it didn't stall but it did run a little rough. I then revved the engine several times and could feel the car miss a few times and the car would run rough for a little bit then level off. I had to drive an hour and half to Orlando and back both ways the next day so I drove it easy. I accelerated lightly and tried to keep the rpms low since I noticed it would idle with no problems. The drive included highway driving, but I kept it under 60mph, and city driving with lots of stop an go traffic. No problems there and back. Just a rough idle. I then drove it 2 hours later that night to Altamonte and 2 hours back home doing the same light rpm driving and again. No problems. The next day I drive it to work and it drives great. Then on the way home, the car tries to stall while still on the highway going about 45mph, I was accelerating harder on the way home to see if the car would act up and it did. I think, "I've go one more day to get through then it's the weekend." I drive it the next day, keeping the rpms down and sure enough, no problems.

So, could I have gotten yet another bad pump from Advance Auto Parts? I mean, two bad pumps in a row? I'm not sure if the fuel pump is overheating after being put under more stress with higher rpms and then stopping shortly until it cools down. It's intermittent and happens at the worst time while driving. So testing it is a pain. I did get a code when it stalled the the 7 times on the way home on Tuesday. It was code PO452, which AutoZone said it meant the Evaporative Emission System Pressure Sensor/Switch indicated low voltage input for a predetermined period of time. That sensor is on the fuel pump module, which is what I've replaced each time since they don't sell the fuel pump by itself. I'd hate to exchange the pump yet again if it's not the pump. But, if it's the pump I want a different brand. Both replacement pumps are CarQuest pumps. All of these problems started after the original pump died, so it seems to be related somehow.

Personally I own a 85 cav and I will ONLY buy a AC/Delco fuel pump period!!!!!!!! I have learned thru the years if you own a GM product buy a GM fuel pump.I think your story above only goes to prove a point.I had to replace my ac/delco puimp after 16years of good service back in 2014.This fix was replacing a fuel pump I installed back in 1998 and a yes a ac/delco pump I used and flawless for 13 years.I will say you shared a good detailed history of the problem and in my opinion answered your own question.Buy a ac delco fuel pump as I honestly believe this is your primary issue.Granted I am very 1st gen savy not 3rd gen but based on your story it seems to point to the same issue even with the aftermarket fuel pumps.Good luck

Sunday morning I got into my car and the pump stopped working. So, I pulled it out and returned it to Advance Autoparts. I picked a new one up at Autozone and it ran great. Except today after work, again, the pump wouldn't pump. So, now I'm thinking it's something else. I unplugged the wire harness for the fuel tank from it's socket, under the car, and plugged it back in a few times. Nothing. Then I took the gas cap off and put it back on and tried unplugging and plugging in the wire harness again and it started working. Pump seems to still be working at the moment. I checked the fuel pump relay and the fuel pump fuse, when it wouldn't start, and they were fine. So, not sure what's going on. Is it normal for the fuel pump relay to be hot? Also, I notice that the car runs a little rough now. And if I revv the engine a few times in a row it idles very rough but doesn't stall.

I'd return the pumps for your money back and buy an ac delco one as the previous poster said and replace the fuel pump relay, that way you can rule out the pump entirely and focus on the next possible cause