Just got a new fuel pump for my newly acquired Ram D150 5.2L V8. When i took the old one out, I noticed there were some marked differences between old and new.

Youll notice that the old one has a pronounces bend in the arm, and also a spring on the under side of it that is absent from the new one. Just wondering if this will be a problem, or if it is just a design change that is not going to effect the way it operates.

I'm 26 and never really got into cars, even though I always wanted to. This is my first ever project and I'm learning as I go along.....so be gentle.

 

i am guessing that might just be some old design or something. the new one looks exactly like the one i took out of my 81 and the one i installed.

 

Slapped in on there and got the alternator back on there. Started right up without having to prime the carb. Havent driven it yet as I'm waiting for the liquid gasket to settle a little before getting the engine hot. Hopefully that fixes my hard starting problem.

 

i don't think the fuel pump should have anything to do with the truck having a hard time starting. there should be enough gas in the carb that if you pump the gas peddle twice it should fire right up. also when was the last time it had a tune up?

 

Just started a tune up. Coil, cap, and rotor just changed out. Trying to get some higher end plugs, but they are fine. Wires look fine, but I'm going to change them out soon too. Just about to buy a pcv valve.

It would start as long as I gave it gas before. Now it just starts right up. Putting the coil in fixed my hesitation problems. This truck had been sitting in the dirt for years.

 

carbed vehicles are different than fuel injected vehicles. you usually have to hit the gas once or twice before you start them to shoot a bit of gas into the engine and set the choke.

as far as spark plugs go you don't need to need to get any high end fancy ones. i put ngk v-groove ones in all my trucks and they start and run great. you can test all your spark plug wires with a digital multi meter. i think 12 ohms is about normal but if you get less that is even better. i would say any higher than 20ohms you will want to replace them.

 

Haha. Yeah I'm starting to figure that out. Cops and moms giving me funny looks at the gas station when I start this beast up and make it roar a little bit.

I was lurking around on here before I posted and saw that you put some of those in your ramcharger and got a good increase in mpg. Thats the only reason I wanted to change them out.

BTW, love this truck:
PCV valve, $2
Fuel Pump $16
Fuel Filter $4
Cap and Rotor $15
Thermostat $2
Radiator Flush $4
Coil $16
Carb Cleaner $4
Engine Degreaser $4
Air Filter $5

Awesome to learn on. Probably spent less than $100, and I've learned wayyyyyy more than I would on my Volvo. Hell I couldn't get a fuel pump for my volvo for $100.

 

lol. my 81 is usually silent when i start it up anywhere other than my driveway. you can barely tell it is running sometimes. my ram charger on the other hand is loud all the time. it has that fuel injected grunt to it.

that is pretty cheap. it would have probably cost you about twice that to get all that stuff here. as far as plugs in my ramcharger go i don't know how old the ones where so just having new plugs could have helped. i have had a fair bit of good luck with ngk so that is what i run and my trucks seem to like them. i topped up both my trucks today an my 81 was running 10.9 mpg doing mostly city driving and my ramcharger got 18mpg doing mostly hi way driving. it does't mean ngk are better than other since my dad has champion plugs in his 4.9L ford and he was getting 20mpg.