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SVX - fuel pump connector keeps burning through (w/ pics)


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The connector going underneath the gas tank lid to supply power to the fuel pump keeps burning up.  I had no issues with my car on the road, but went to start it up in my garage one morning.  It would crank but not run.  I took the lid off the gas tank behind the back seat and found what's shown in the below pictures.  This happened before and I found another connector in perfect shape and put it in.  8 months later it burned up again.  Just wondering if anyone can give me insight into why this keeps happening.  Thanks.

 

fp1.jpg

 

 

fp2.jpg

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The connection is loose and too much current is passing through too small of an area of contact. The connector plug is acting just like a fuse when too much current passes theough it, heating up and burning.

Possible there is some corrosion forming there causing an issue, but if doesn't look that way from the pics.

 

You'll want to clean the burn off of the pins, pull the socket out of the new connector and crimp the sides together tighter if possible to make a better connection there.

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The connection is loose and too much current is passing through too small of an area of contact. The connector plug is acting just like a fuse when too much current passes theough it, heating up and burning.

Possible there is some corrosion forming there causing an issue, but if doesn't look that way from the pics.

 

You'll want to clean the burn off of the pins, pull the socket out of the new connector and crimp the sides together tighter if possible to make a better connection there.

 

This is certainly the problem. My 92 Polo had a intermittent running issue for months and I couldnt track it down. I replaced fuel pump, regulator and relay, still would shut off for no reason.

Shut the passenger door one day while it was running and it died. A few minutes later I was looking at that plug and every time I wiggled it the car would start to die.

I removed the wire from the connector on the car harness side and pinched the terminal together, re-inserted the wire into the connector, plugged it back in and everything was fine.

It looks like you will be needing a new connector tho. 

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I have had thiss on a few now have had luck making my own conections with tiny bolts with conectors and sealing washers on ether side to bypass poor conectors why they made the wires so small i will never know but i bet your pump is drawing to many ampps do thiss when is on its way out. I think a nissan stanza uses same pump and is way cheaper than svx one

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The connection is loose and too much current is passing through too small of an area of contact. The connector plug is acting just like a fuse when too much current passes theough it, heating up and burning.

Possible there is some corrosion forming there causing an issue, but if doesn't look that way from the pics.

 

You'll want to clean the burn off of the pins, pull the socket out of the new connector and crimp the sides together tighter if possible to make a better connection there.

 

That's what I recognized from the pictures too. In my 99 Lego the headlight sockets were doing this but it was exactly the same looking result.​

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  • 5 months later...

I take a bolt / nut with two insulating washers non conductive and bolt thru the meatal / plastic so is a boltup conection can use mutch larger wires and no tiny pins to go bad have had to do this on a few now and a dozen other cars to somtimes is easyer to just go around the problem

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Like Ivans Imports already suggested, the problem could be due high current draw from the fuel pump instead of a poor connection. By checking the motor current you can see if that is the case or not. You can check the current by removing the fuse for the fuel pump and place a current meter in its place. I would guess the normal current draw should be less than 8 amps. If it is more than than I would suspect the pump motor has a problem. It could be due to a restriction of the motor shaft. 

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