2002 T/C Fuel Pump Question

I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What I've
noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or more
days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car for 2
or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies out and
does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear the
whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the starter
engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or has
anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate taking
it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize and
leave me stranded.

"Tom Hubley" > wrote in message
news:MJOHe.54695$4o.11316@fed1read06...
> I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What I've
> noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or more
> days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car for 2
> or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies out
and
> does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear the
> whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the starter
> engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or has
> anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate
taking
> it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
> technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize and
> leave me stranded.
>
When you first turn the key on your fuel pump powers up and pressurizes the
system, some noise is normal. If the fuel filter is getting stopped up it
may cause the pump to strain which will cause a louder then normal operation
of the pump.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

"maxpower" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tom Hubley" > wrote in message
> news:MJOHe.54695$4o.11316@fed1read06...
>> I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What
>> I've
>> noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or
>> more
>> days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car for
>> 2
>> or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies out
> and
>> does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear the
>> whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the
>> starter
>> engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or has
>> anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate
> taking
>> it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
>> technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize and
>> leave me stranded.
>>
> When you first turn the key on your fuel pump powers up and pressurizes
> the
> system, some noise is normal. If the fuel filter is getting stopped up it
> may cause the pump to strain which will cause a louder then normal
> operation
> of the pump.
Followed by eventual failure of the pump due to the strain! If you haven't
done it already, 3 years is way too long to have the same fuel filter. Get
it changed. If it's still noisy, then it's just the pump, and it will die
when it dies. The filter is less than $50, the pump is way more expensive +
cost of tearing the tank off the vehicle.


> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech
>
>

really 3 years wow some d.c cars have a 100k service time frame on the
fuel filters like the 300m

Bob wrote:

> "maxpower" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Tom Hubley" > wrote in message
> > news:MJOHe.54695$4o.11316@fed1read06...
> >> I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What
> >> I've
> >> noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or
> >> more
> >> days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car for
> >> 2
> >> or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies out
> > and
> >> does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear the
> >> whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the
> >> starter
> >> engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or has
> >> anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate
> > taking
> >> it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
> >> technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize and
> >> leave me stranded.
> >>
> > When you first turn the key on your fuel pump powers up and pressurizes
> > the
> > system, some noise is normal. If the fuel filter is getting stopped up it
> > may cause the pump to strain which will cause a louder then normal
> > operation
> > of the pump.
> Followed by eventual failure of the pump due to the strain! If you haven't
> done it already, 3 years is way too long to have the same fuel filter. Get
> it changed. If it's still noisy, then it's just the pump, and it will die
> when it dies. The filter is less than $50, the pump is way more expensive +
> cost of tearing the tank off the vehicle.
>
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >

"tim bur" > wrote in message
...
> really 3 years wow some d.c cars have a 100k service time frame on
> the
> fuel filters like the 300m
>
I think that's because DC has gone to the "fuel filter is part of the fuel
pump" mode in that vehicle like they have on my 2004 T+C. In fact, there is
no filter except for the pick-up strainer. See:
http://n2qew.dyndns.org/DC%20T&C/200...uel%20Pump.jpg If it's got an
external fuel filter as the 2002's do, it's not asking too much to replace
the filter occasionally.
> Bob wrote:
>
>> "maxpower" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "Tom Hubley" > wrote in message
>> > news:MJOHe.54695$4o.11316@fed1read06...
>> >> I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What
>> >> I've
>> >> noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or
>> >> more
>> >> days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car
>> >> for
>> >> 2
>> >> or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies
>> >> out
>> > and
>> >> does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear the
>> >> whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the
>> >> starter
>> >> engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or has
>> >> anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate
>> > taking
>> >> it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
>> >> technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize
>> >> and
>> >> leave me stranded.
>> >>
>> > When you first turn the key on your fuel pump powers up and pressurizes
>> > the
>> > system, some noise is normal. If the fuel filter is getting stopped up
>> > it
>> > may cause the pump to strain which will cause a louder then normal
>> > operation
>> > of the pump.
>> Followed by eventual failure of the pump due to the strain! If you
>> haven't
>> done it already, 3 years is way too long to have the same fuel filter.
>> Get
>> it changed. If it's still noisy, then it's just the pump, and it will die
>> when it dies. The filter is less than $50, the pump is way more expensive
>> +
>> cost of tearing the tank off the vehicle.
>>
>> > Glenn Beasley
>> > Chrysler Tech
>> >
>> >
>

"tim bur" > wrote in message
...
> really 3 years wow some d.c cars have a 100k service time frame on
the
> fuel filters like the 300m
>
> Bob wrote:
>
> > "maxpower" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "Tom Hubley" > wrote in message
> > > news:MJOHe.54695$4o.11316@fed1read06...
> > >> I have a 2002 T&C with 26,000 miles on it - so far no problems. What
> > >> I've
> > >> noted over the last 2 years is if I don't use the car at all for 3 or
> > >> more
> > >> days - when the engine starts I get a whine from the rear of the car
for
> > >> 2
> > >> or 3 minutes (standing still, driving) etc. It gradually just dies
out
> > > and
> > >> does not come back. If I use the car everyday - then I never hear
the
> > >> whine. Since the noise starts when I'm turning the key before the
> > >> starter
> > >> engages I'm assuming its a fuel pump. Is this a common problem or
has
> > >> anyone else encountered it? If so, what was the resolution? I hate
> > > taking
> > >> it in for service when I can't duplicate the noise for the service
> > >> technicians but I am concerned the fuel pump may just someday seize
and
> > >> leave me stranded.
> > >>
> > > When you first turn the key on your fuel pump powers up and
pressurizes
> > > the
> > > system, some noise is normal. If the fuel filter is getting stopped up
it
> > > may cause the pump to strain which will cause a louder then normal
> > > operation
> > > of the pump.
> > Followed by eventual failure of the pump due to the strain! If you
haven't
> > done it already, 3 years is way too long to have the same fuel filter.
Get
> > it changed. If it's still noisy, then it's just the pump, and it will
die
> > when it dies. The filter is less than $50, the pump is way more
expensive +
> > cost of tearing the tank off the vehicle.
> >
> > > Glenn Beasley
> > > Chrysler Tech
> > >
> > >
>
Untill you get a tank of contaminated fuel on some of these vehicles and
then what>?