Broke down 90 miles north of Idaho Falls.

[Maggie Flinn]

Say, I think my fuel pump is going out. I was stuck on the interstate for a couple hours and made it to a little town named Lima, Montana. An old timer looked at it and thinks it’s the fuel pump. I have AAA but don’t have a shop to take it to and they all seem to be closed until Monday. Someone told me it is an easy fix but I’m not feeling confident about it. Is anyone out there familiar with Idaho Falls? I was thinking of towing it to an Auto Zone and maybe I could get lucky at finding someone through the store. Anyone have any ideas??


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[Almost There]

3 options:

Call the Auto Zone store and ask them, you can then have the vehicle towed directly to the recommended shop.

Wait until Monday if you're in a safe place for the weekend.

Call AAA and have them tow you to a repair facility that is open.

Me, I'd be waiting in the small town as long as I was parked someplace safe and quiet until Monday. No tow and I've always found that any shop in a small town has to be honest and reliable or they go out of business really quickly!

 

[Maggie Flinn]

I am on my way to the van build. Anyone else traveling this way?


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[Maggie Flinn]

There is a shop here but no parts store. I am at a rest stop. It doesn’t say no overnight parking but I’m think 3 days may be too much. Thank you


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[B and C]

The shop will have a working relationship with a parts store in a neighboring town. Don't let that worry you. You will want to check your oil level to make sure it is not higher than it should be. Depending on exactly how the fuel pump failed, you may have gasoline in the oil. If this is the case you will need an oil change too so be prepared.

 

[Riverman]

What type of vehicle is it? Many fuel pumps are in the gas tank these days.

 

[Almost There]

I just checked for Montana regulations re overnighting in rest areas - overnight okay, no camping or sleeping OUTSIDE your vehicle. You might be okay with no problem for the 3 days, you might not. But with the regs in place, your chances of being woken up in the middle of the night are slim to nil.

If a state trooper comes by tomorrow, ask him for advice. They know all the repair shops. You might find that one or more are open on Saturdays. I've also had one open up for me and stay late just to get me back on the road again. Never met a small town mechanic I didn't like....

 

[QinReno]

Maggie, it helps to know what the vehicle is.

As Riverman says, it's very common the fuel pump itself is "inside" the gas tank, and that is NOT an easy fix.

It is more likely that the fuel "filter" needs replacing and that is a relatively easy fix, although you'll have some gasoline running out of the hosing when changing it.
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Checking google maps, the nearest town that seems to have service shops is Dillon, which is about 45 miles to the north of Lima. You might be able to get a tow to Dillon tomorrow. Unless maybe the Exxon station in Lima can do car repair.

The Peat Hotel 3 blocks north of the rest stop looks like its open until midnight. They can probably give you some info.

 

[5ilver5urfer]

Maggie, sorry your vehicle is acting up. We are headed for the Van Build too but we are already in AZ. Sitting in a rest stop for three days sounds awful. Maybe put a note in the comments on Jamie's latest video to see if anybody is near Idaho Falls....also, feel free to friend me on Facebook ( Susan E. Strubbe) if you just want somebody to chat with while you are stuck.

 

[5ilver5urfer]

Maggie, it helps to know what the vehicle is.

QINRENO, I bet most women would not put a vehicle description on a public forum especially if we are broken down somewhere...- Susan

 

[Maggie Flinn]

Thank you everyone. It is a 83 Chevy hightop. I can see the fuel filter and pretty sure the pump is under the hood. I have watched some videos and do not feel safe doing it myself. It is freezing here and snow tomorrow. I thought I would insulate while I was down there. I only got the van a week or so ago and I just crammed everything into it. What a mess.


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[wagoneer]

You are entering a huge learning curve, I do not recommend doing the pump change but being observant is key here. The first thing I do when buying a "new to me" car is get a good repair manual
Just to become familiar with the layout and assist any mechanic that may be unsure of the logic working on your car. Learn how to remove the inside engine cover 2-3 clips and this large dome shape cover will exit the passenger side. Look inside grab a flashlight that is the motor. Trouble with vans is you see 1/2 the motor from inside and the rest from the outside. explore and observe.

 

[WanderingRose]

Ditto to having AAA tow you away from the rest stop. They should know a shop that can help you, and you should be able to leave your vehicle there til they open on Monday.

I wouldn’t advise towing to an Auto Zone, as if they can’t help you then you will use up a second tow to a shop. I would bite the bullet and choose a shop.

Especially if you are looking at snow and freezing temps, consider alerting law enforcement to your predicament rather than trying to stay in your vehicle.

There may be a mom and pop motel that could put you up cheaply for a couple of days.

If you can’t afford that, there should be some emergency housing funds available locally, and law enforcement will know how to access them.

Good luck.

 

[B and C]

An '83 chevy has a mechanical fuel pump on the passenger side of the engine block. It is a relatively easy swap from underneath. You may also have to change the oil as fuel could get in the oil pan through the ruptured diaphragm in the fuel pump.

 

[B and C]

I just thought I would share my experience with a small town shop.

I had the fuel filter replaced before leaving on a trip. I got a couple of states away and the little clip that holds the line to the filter came loose and sprayed gas all over the road. I was about two miles from a really small town but there was enough of a connection that I could still drive it slowly with it bucking all the way (dangerous, I know). I went through a 1/2 tank of gas to get there. The shop was closed but the people at the gas station knew him and gave him a call. He showed up about two hours later and opened up the bay door. I pulled in and he jacked up the vehicle and rolled underneath to find what the problem was. He ended up jury rigging the connection with a couple of tie wraps. He spent about a 1/2 an hour and didn't want any money. I left two twenty dollar bills on the jack as he wouldn't take it from me. Told him it was his beer money. This allowed me to get to a larger town where the repair could be made properly. Small town mechanics rock!

If there is a shop in that town, I would seriously give them a try.

 

[QinReno]

This video shows fuel pump replacement in any older Chevy van, if it's similar to what Maggie has.
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[Maggie Flinn]

Thank you everyone. AAA had some mix up and ended up sending no one. I found a shop that is open but it is 90 minutes away and the tow truck is coming from there. So at least 3 more hours. I don’t know how AAA did business without cell service. My cell phone will not work and has to call through my hotspot. They said they texted me that they weren’t coming. Gee, Thanks. Lol.


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[QinReno]

90 miles away ... looks like Idaho Falls to the south. It's much bigger than Dillon, and google maps shows a goodly number of repair shops. They also show 20 motels, starting in the $40 range.

Butte is 110 miles away to the north, so probably Idaho Falls.

 

[Manyways2go]

As easy as I can
better to know what is safe playing with fuel system you don't want to chance any leaks
That yr. Is almost certainly a carburetor setup, there is a filter where the fuel line goes into the carb. Remove  fuel line then larger fitting to find filter. Lines and fittings are easily damaged aways use care  
Fuel pump mechanical under passenger side front on V8 engines can be tough job for anyone its not always piece of cake. I could give specifics but expect you will have it done. Its good to replace after 5+ yrs even without failure. The way for them to be sure is a volume test.
If you're hood was open maybe a good person with knowledge would offer assistance.
I have helped other travelers I have seen.
Good luck

 

[ByeBye]

I can't offer much other than I'm with ya in spirit sending good vibes, thoughts and intentions for the best possible outcome!