Fuel Pump
Timing Belt

When do you replace these items? Or do you just wait until they fail (if they ever fail)? I do hear of these electronic fuel pumps failing especially after 100,000 miles. Also, my owners manual doesn't say anything about a timing belt!

I don't like to waste money, but I do consider either of those items "castastropic" - meaning a tow job, a missed day of work, etc!

Any other suggestions for keeping my baby tip-top.

98 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4

Thanks!

 

Replace the pump only if it fails, unless you are bored and have cash to burn.

I cannot think of ANY V-6 or V-8 truck motor with a timing belt.
It's got a chain, which falls under the same category as the fuel pump, when it breaks.

 

Neither is something you should really do as "maintenance". Easiest way to change the fuel pump (if you're that worried) is to lift the box off the truck, much easier than dropping the gas tank to get to it. Shouldn't ever have to worry about a timing chain. It's a MAJOR pain to do one of those on our motors anyway. Have to take the whole front of the engine apart to get to it.

 

I had to replace my fuel pump at 145k, but like everything else it fails when you need it most (while I was in the hills of CA towing, no where near a town). If nothing else replace the filter at the output of the pump. Just a recommendation...
As for the timing chain, do the test in the haynes manual and see if you are comfortable with it.

 

Thanks for the input. I was told that the fuel filter is actually a sock type thing that in the tank with the pump? If so, if you have to get into the tank anyway, would it not be wiser just to replace the whole pump and not just the filter?

One more question - do you have any indication when a fuel pump is going bad? Or does it just die without any warning?

 

On my pump the fuel pump just died no warning.
As far as the filter, there is a prefilter (the sock type) and a filter/pressure regulator on the top that you can get to without tearing anything apart (mine was all clogged up and when the truck got hot the pump just couldn't pump past it anymore).