The wife,kids and i got stuck at the store the other day. My 99zr2 just spins over and would not start. I always heard that you could tap your gas tank with a rod,hammer or something and it would start. So i tried that and it kicked the fuel pump on and started up. Just the week before that i replaced the fuel filter and its been goin great since then.My question is do i need to replace the pump or are there relays or maybe loose wires?Thanks.

 

It is possible there's loose wires...... It's a chicken & egg thing. The pump starts going bad & it draws more amperage. The connector at the top of the pump wasn't engineered to carry the additional amperage and starts to open the connectors. (the metal in the female chassis side connector is flimsy) You can replace the pump but if you don't replace the connector you could have problems in the future. Unless you had a bad rubber boot on the connector and crap got in there it's very unlikely you have a bad connector but a good pump. Whomping the tank with a 2x4 only works a few times so I recommend replacing the pump and ask about that replacement connector, it's worth doing.

 

New Airtex fuel pumps come with new connectors to splice into your existing wiring. This newer connector is an upgrade to the existing system.

Your problem and the way you got it to restart is a good indication of a failing fuel pump. Close to $300 at Autozone when I bought mine. Prior to dropping your tank, I suggest looking at the tank strap hardware and tank straps prior to replacing it. I broke the 6inch strap trying to remove it. If its all rusty, I suggest buying new straps. Less you have to worry about later on when you do drop the tank IMHO.

 

yep all signs of a dieing quality GM fuel pump