Re: Fuel pump questions

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Hi Aleksander;

    I have the same problem with my new Bosch pump. It started making noise
after two weeks. My new pump is made in the Czech Republic - I'll bet yours
is too. One of our local Audi mechanics emigrated from the Czech Republic
two years ago. His comment on my new pump was: " I know my countrymen. If
you think your old pump was noisy, wait till you hear your new one."
Unfortunately, it looks like he had a point. My old pump (which lasted 100K)
was made in France.
    My pump is louder in cold weather and the noise also varies in pitch. A
Bosch rep was at N&D Imparts when I was picking up the new pump and I
mentioned the rather common failures of these pumps on Audis. He seemed
surprised and said the pumps were rated for 6000 hours.  I don't think many
listers are getting that kind of life - I figure mine are lasting about 1500
hours.
    I wouldn't count on it getting quieter and I am living with mine. It
sort of gives the car personality!

HTH

Fred Munro
'91 200q  262k km
-----Original Message-----
From: Aleksander Mierzwa <alex@matrix.pl>
To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 6:02 AM
Subject: Fuel pump questions


>Hi List,
>
>I have a problem with my recently replaced fuel pump (new Bosch unit). At
>the beginning, it was very quiet (one could barely hear it even from
>outside of car). Now, approx. 2 months later, it is getting louder - much
>louder. The sound is not the high-pitched "buzz-whine" the old worn pump
>was making, but rather a lower "howling" noise. This howling is accompanied
>with another, hard to describe, "screetching" sound. Both get somewhat
>quieter as the car warms up, but nonetheless, it's easily audible over the
>engine noise at idle. The noise is also "fluctuating", eg. it constantly
>changes the pitch and volume, sounds like an electric motor with worn
>bearings (???). So, my questions are:
>1) Is it normal and I should live with that?
>2) The pump was very quiet when it was about +10 degrees Celsius outside.
>Now the temperature dropped to about -2. Is the pump supposed to be louder
>when it's cold outside?
>3) Could I make any mistakes during installation that caused the pump to
>get louder soon after? The job went smoothly.
>4) Is it posssible that the pump is currently just breaking in and it will
>get quieter over time (I only made something like 500 miles since I
>replaced the pump)?
>As usual, any input appreciated. TIA
>
>Aleksander Mierzwa
>Warsaw, Poland
>mailto:alex@matrix.pl
>87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
>88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
>91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)