NHTSA Complaint #10033368 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A SKIP WHILE ON VACATION. I BROUGHT IT TO A GARAGE, THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. HE SHOWED ME SOME CLOGGED INJECTORS FROM ANOTHER 2000 SILVERADO THAT HE HAD REPAIRED THE PREVIOUS WEEK. HE CLAIMED THAT RUST WAS IN THE GAS TANK, AND THE FUEL PUMP "SANDBLASTED" THE RUST THROUGH THE FUEL FILTER AND INTO THE FUEL INJECTORS. IT TURNS OUT THAT MY TRUCK HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS (ALL 8) AND CLEANED THE FUEL RAILS. HE INSTALLED A NEW FUEL FILTER. THIS COST OVER $1,100. AFTER RTURNING FROM VACATION, I THOUGHT I SHOULD FIND THE CAUSE OF THE RUST IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. I TOOK THE GAS TANK OUT AND DISCOVERED THE PLASTIC GAS TANK WAS FULL OF RUST. I TIPPED THE EL PUMP ASSEMBLY UPSIDE DOWN, AND A GREAT QUANTITY OF RUSTY GASOLINE POURED OUT. I TOOK THIS ASSEMBLY APART AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MOTOR ITSELF (A SMALL STEEL CANISTER DEVICE) WAS A BALL OF RUST. THE PUMP EVIDENTLY IS NOT GALVANIZED OR PLATED. THE PUMP MOTOR IS THE ONLY STEEL COMPONENT IN THE TANK. THE TANK ITSELF CANNOT RUST. THE RUST FROM THE PUMP WAS FORCED INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM, CAUSING THE CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. THE PRICE OF THE PUMP, NOT COUNTING LABOR, IS $409.00. *AK