Chevrolet Beat - Fuel Pump Problem

vishnu_agni · 3rd April 2021, 16:50

Hi all- My specific question is underlined. Rest is background.

I have 10 yr old Chevrolet Beat petrol car. There has been a high pitched whistling sound for the last 4-5 years. It used to happen sporadically- typically after using the AC or driving for 30-40 km. The authorised service centre could not understand or fix the issue (we could not demonstrate this to them too). So finally I took the car to a local car servicing outlet recommended by a friend. They said that the issue was with the fuel pump assly and replaced it.

Thereafter, the following happened-

1. The car stalled and stopped while driving on the road. It had to be towed to a nearby mechanic. This mechanic said petrol wasn't reaching the engine and he twiddled around with the fuel pump connector & maybe did something else...this seemed to fix the issue.

2. After driving further for another 50 km, the car stopped again while driving. This time, the original mechanic who had replaced the fuel pump assly, came to the car and tried to start the car...nothing worked. He checked if fuel was reaching the engine and determined that it was (by checking the vibration of the inlet hose into the engine + getting under the car and collecting some petrol in a bottle...I assume from the outlet of the fuel pump). Finally the car was towed to his garage.

This mechanic now says that the problem of engine stopping has been fixed by 'fixing' the pins in the fuel pump assly connector.....He says that earlier there was an issue with pins and fuel was getting pumped out, but at a lower pressure. Now with the pins being fixed, the fuel pressure is as needed. Does this make sense?

The car has been driven 15-20 km after his repair, but I am nervous that this is not a proper fix and that the issue might recur. The whistling sound has not recurred though after the fuel pump assly was changed. Also, is there no way to change the fuel pump motor alone in the assly- if that were possible, these issues could have been avoided.

--gKrish-- · 4th April 2021, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by vishnu_agni

This mechanic now says that the problem of engine stopping has been fixed by 'fixing' the pins in the fuel pump assly connector.....He says that earlier there was an issue with pins and fuel was getting pumped out, but at a lower pressure. Now with the pins being fixed, the fuel pressure is as needed. Does this make sense?

It is a reasonable explanation. Sometimes, the replacement parts' connectors have slightly different tolerances and may lead to loose contact. I have experienced a similar issue in my car, and have fixed the pins myself and it has been holding up well for a couple of years now. Fixing the pins is one easy way out and if done properly won't lead to any issues. Do ensure that they are firm and wont loosen over time.

If you're still apprehensive, do a proper repair with a new pair of male & female connectors and properly solder them to the pump and existing wiring harness and properly insulate the joints.

saikishor · 4th April 2021, 19:35

This fuel pump whislte issue seems to be a common problem with the Petrol Beat. Our 2010 Beat has the same issue.after driving the car and parking it, the fuel pump whistles a lot. One thing I have noticed is when I operated the power windows(or any other electrical function in the car) the noise reduces. When we told this to our trusty mech, he said it was indeed coming from the fuel pump. But our car never left us abandoned on the road. Infact our mech assured us that the fuel pump is in good condition and it does not require replacement. My suggestion: if Chevy A.S.S. is good in your city then better take it to them.

vishnu_agni · 5th April 2021, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by --gKrish--

It is a reasonable explanation. Sometimes, the replacement parts' connectors have slightly different tolerances and may lead to loose contact. I have experienced a similar issue in my car, and have fixed the pins myself and it has been holding up well for a couple of years now. Fixing the pins is one easy way out and if done properly won't lead to any issues. Do ensure that they are firm and wont loosen over time.

If you're still apprehensive, do a proper repair with a new pair of male & female connectors and properly solder them to the pump and existing wiring harness and properly insulate the joints.

Thank you- this is a very helpful response. I have some questions about the 'proper repair' you have suggested.

1) It appears to me that the mechanic has worked only on the female connector pins. I imagine the male connector is at the end of a wire bus/ harness coming from ECM. Given all these parts are moulded plastic, is it possible to replace the existing male and female connectors? How would that be done?

2) When you say, solder to the pump and wiring harness, I assume you are suggesting that the current connectors be cut off from the wiring and new connectors be soldered...

Sorry for any ignorant questions- I have never done any repairs myself to the car and don't have much of an idea of these things.

I will share your response with the mechanic and he may be able to make better sense of your suggestion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by saikishor

This fuel pump whislte issue seems to be a common problem with the Petrol Beat. Our 2010 Beat has the same issue.after driving the car and parking it, the fuel pump whistles a lot. One thing I have noticed is when I operated the power windows(or any other electrical function in the car) the noise reduces. When we told this to our trusty mech, he said it was indeed coming from the fuel pump. But our car never left us abandoned on the road. Infact our mech assured us that the fuel pump is in good condition and it does not require replacement. My suggestion: if Chevy A.S.S. is good in your city then better take it to them.

Thanks for your reply. Our car too never stopped in spite of the whistling noise. It stopped ONLY after the fuel pump assly was replaced. I am still wondering if it was a good decision to replace the fuel pump assly....not sure if continuing with the older fuel pump assly would have led to other issues. Somehow, we don't have much confidence in our current A.S.S... let's see how the car performs in the next few months

--gKrish-- · 5th April 2021, 19:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by vishnu_agni

Given all these parts are moulded plastic, is it possible to replace the existing male and female connectors? How would that be done?

Since I haven't seen the harness and connector, I'm not sure whether it is possible. But I can say you wont be able to find the exact same connector unless the harness/pump is salvaged from another car.

Quote:

When you say, solder to the pump and wiring harness, I assume you are suggesting that the current connectors be cut off from the wiring and new connectors be soldered...

Cutting the connector off is not advisable (in the future, if you replace the wiring or pump for some reason, you will to have to cut a perfect connector to make it work in your car and lose part warranty etc.). Do a T-joint and retain the connectors. (Insulate well )

sameerpatel90 · 6th April 2021, 11:17

Good to hear that the vehicle is back on its wheels. If you do not mind may I know a little in detail about my queries?

1. Was there any "check engine light" glowing on the cluster unit when the vehicle stopped or while trying to restart the vehicle?.

2.Did the technician use some kind of electronic tool (OBD toolkit) to check for any error codes. If yes, were there any other codes shown apart from the fuel pump? and additionally, did the technician check the parameters of fuel supply pre & post replacement of fuel pump assy?. If not, please get this check at some well-known workshop FNG/A.S.S to avoid any unwanted surprises.

3. As you have mentioned that the connector pin was repaired, did the person mention any wear or cuts on the wiring? as this is one of many common issues with fuel pump assy positioned beneath the passenger seat.

4. With regards to your concern with the whistle sound it's common for almost all the small car segments, this is due to poor insulation the sound seems to be louder with windows raised.

5. How is the car performing the post-repair job? do you still find any lag in its functioning?. If this doubt is still a concern IMHO please do plan some time out of your schedule and make a visit right after the lunch break so that, the garage people can spend some quality time on the vehicle performance checks or addressing the concern only.

3rd April 2021, 16:50	#1
vishnu_agni Newbie Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4 Thanked: Once	Chevrolet Beat - Fuel Pump Problem Hi all- My specific question is underlined. Rest is background. I have 10 yr old Chevrolet Beat petrol car. There has been a high pitched whistling sound for the last 4-5 years. It used to happen sporadically- typically after using the AC or driving for 30-40 km. The authorised service centre could not understand or fix the issue (we could not demonstrate this to them too). So finally I took the car to a local car servicing outlet recommended by a friend. They said that the issue was with the fuel pump assly and replaced it. Thereafter, the following happened- 1. The car stalled and stopped while driving on the road. It had to be towed to a nearby mechanic. This mechanic said petrol wasn't reaching the engine and he twiddled around with the fuel pump connector & maybe did something else...this seemed to fix the issue. 2. After driving further for another 50 km, the car stopped again while driving. This time, the original mechanic who had replaced the fuel pump assly, came to the car and tried to start the car...nothing worked. He checked if fuel was reaching the engine and determined that it was (by checking the vibration of the inlet hose into the engine + getting under the car and collecting some petrol in a bottle...I assume from the outlet of the fuel pump). Finally the car was towed to his garage. This mechanic now says that the problem of engine stopping has been fixed by 'fixing' the pins in the fuel pump assly connector.....He says that earlier there was an issue with pins and fuel was getting pumped out, but at a lower pressure. Now with the pins being fixed, the fuel pressure is as needed. Does this make sense? The car has been driven 15-20 km after his repair, but I am nervous that this is not a proper fix and that the issue might recur. The whistling sound has not recurred though after the fuel pump assly was changed. Also, is there no way to change the fuel pump motor alone in the assly- if that were possible, these issues could have been avoided.
	(1) Thanks

4th April 2021, 19:35	#3
saikishor BHPian Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: TS07 Posts: 531 Thanked: 2,611 Times	re: Chevrolet Beat - Fuel Pump Problem This fuel pump whislte issue seems to be a common problem with the Petrol Beat. Our 2010 Beat has the same issue.after driving the car and parking it, the fuel pump whistles a lot. One thing I have noticed is when I operated the power windows(or any other electrical function in the car) the noise reduces. When we told this to our trusty mech, he said it was indeed coming from the fuel pump. But our car never left us abandoned on the road. Infact our mech assured us that the fuel pump is in good condition and it does not require replacement. My suggestion: if Chevy A.S.S. is good in your city then better take it to them.
	(3) Thanks

6th April 2021, 11:17	#6
sameerpatel90 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Vijayawada Posts: 71 Thanked: 272 Times	Re: Chevrolet Beat - Fuel Pump Problem Good to hear that the vehicle is back on its wheels. If you do not mind may I know a little in detail about my queries? 1. Was there any "check engine light" glowing on the cluster unit when the vehicle stopped or while trying to restart the vehicle?. 2.Did the technician use some kind of electronic tool (OBD toolkit) to check for any error codes. If yes, were there any other codes shown apart from the fuel pump? and additionally, did the technician check the parameters of fuel supply pre & post replacement of fuel pump assy?. If not, please get this check at some well-known workshop FNG/A.S.S to avoid any unwanted surprises. 3. As you have mentioned that the connector pin was repaired, did the person mention any wear or cuts on the wiring? as this is one of many common issues with fuel pump assy positioned beneath the passenger seat. 4. With regards to your concern with the whistle sound it's common for almost all the small car segments, this is due to poor insulation the sound seems to be louder with windows raised. 5. How is the car performing the post-repair job? do you still find any lag in its functioning?. If this doubt is still a concern IMHO please do plan some time out of your schedule and make a visit right after the lunch break so that, the garage people can spend some quality time on the vehicle performance checks or addressing the concern only.
	(1) Thanks