1995 Chevy Lumina Fuel pump

BCBOURBON

MEMBER
1995 CHEVROLET LUMINA
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
168,000 MILES

My Lumina car sat parked for about 2 months with very little fuel in it. It was brought to B.C. From Manitoba and was awaiting B.C. Safety inspection. It needed a new battery, a lower ball joint, a rad flush and an oil change. When I drove it from one corner of the yard to the other to do the work it ran out of fuel. I pushed it where I needed it to be to do the work and once completed I put 5 gallons of gas into it and haven't been able to get it started. A friend of mine told me that when you run a Lumina out of gas it blows the fuel pump. Since the fuel pump is going to cost me about $150, I thought that I'd get a second opinion. I've run out of fuel in alot of different vehicles, I think that it would be pretty freakin' stupid if running out of fuel caused the fuel pump to go. I hope you can help. Thanks

1 Reply

BLACKOP555

MECHANIC
10,371 POSTS

Sorry but your friend is right, it not only does it to lumina's but it does it to all vehicles.

A pump is gasoline cooled and when it runs out of fuel it trys extra hard to keep up the needed pressure but it cant do it and causes it to overheat and die.

It doesnt always blow it running out of gas but there is a high chance that that is what does it.

Remove your fuel line at the fuel filter, and turn the key and crank the car, if no gas comes out the pump is probably bad, especially if there is 12v at the pump but no pump response.