(044 dead) Anyone running Walbro GST450 (450lph) fuel pump?

[EspenW]

My Bosch 044 pump died after approx. 9000 miles of use.
Bosch says 500 hours maximum pump life on E85 (ethanol) with these.
I probably got around 175 hours out of it, so not buying a new one.

The Walbro GST450 looks like the most viable alternative right now, as it has better capacity than the 044 and it is approved for E85.
The fact that it costs around £100 less is another plus.

http://walbrofuelpumps.com/walbro-f90000267-fuel-pump-e85

Upper section is 39mm OD, while lower section is 50mm.

The current 044 sits in its 60mm V8 basket, so will likely find some way to secure the Walbro in that one with a bushing that I will make from neopren or silicone.
The stock RS2 basket that I still have is for a 40mm pump, so that won't work.
EDIT: doing some more research, it seems that it could be close to plug and play in the stock RS2 filter holder/basket, by using the Walbro sock strainer instead of the stock Audi one.

Anyone with any experience with the GST450?
Install tricks?

[diesel des]

Most people do ok with the 044 maybe you were unlucky. Or is e85 that aggressive? What failed the motor or the pump?

[EspenW]

Most people do ok with the 044 maybe you were unlucky. Or is e85 that aggressive? What failed the motor or the pump?

E85 isn't very aggressive, no signs of corrosion, etc.
However, lubricity of E85 is lower than for petrol and that is likely the main reason for the failure. Just started to use the Redline SI-Alcohol fuel additive that is designed to lube things like the fuel pump, but that was a little too late, obviously.
Still well short of estimated lifetime, so not impressed.
I had a genuine 044 (helicoiled inlet, etc).
Not sure if it was the motor or pump section that failed. It will turn on for 15 seconds, then stop, rap it with a hammer and it restarts. Likely due to a dead spot, stuck brushes or something.
Electrical resistance goes way up after it has seized, then drops to a few Ohm after the pump has cooled, then it will work for 10-20s before it stops again.
Will open it up and check.

[diesel des]

Sounds like stuck brushes. Probably just bad luck as I don't think that part needs any lubricant.

[k.alle]

I'll be watching this space with interest as I'm gonna need a fuel pump for my E85 setup.

[audigtrs2]

Mate i use 2 of the 044 pumps and these are great, walbros drops to fast by to much boost. If i drive with 3,5 - 4 bar boost they much better at this rate. 3 bar at idle + 4 bar boost. But if you running with less power, than you can buy the walbros for less costs.

http://home.comcast.net/~julex1/Audi/Walbro416/FuelPumpsCompare_Walbro416.jpg

[EspenW]

Mate i use 2 of the 044 pumps and these are great, walbros drops to fast by to much boost. If i drive with 3,5 - 4 bar boost they much better at this rate. 3 bar at idle + 4 bar boost. But if you running with less power, than you can buy the walbros for less costs.

http://home.comcast.net/~julex1/Audi..._Walbro416.jpg

4bar (60psi) turbo boost? Gauge or absolute?

[EspenW]

This is what fuel pump failure looks like:

I was adjusting turbo boost, so was running Logworks on the laptop in order to get the (much faster) digital readout from the Innovate LC-1 (rather than the permanently mounted AFR gauge that uses the analog output from the wideband controller). Peaked 2.1 bar boost, but felt it missing, so went off the throttle immediately.Fuel pressure disappeared and AFR went to the sky (18.7 in the pic). The red flash coming from the vent to the left of the boost gauge is the knock indicator (takes the input from one of the knock sensors). The readout in the AC/temperature display is RPM (divided by 10). It shows in channel 28 of the AC readout. Pretty handy for video style logging like this.
Pulled off the road and into a parking lot where the pump went completely dead shortly after. Was able to restart after a while, and the engine idled perfectly smooth, so likely no engine damage. The pump would only spin for 30s before it packed up again, so called up the 1.8TQ tow car and got a tow back to the garage, luckily only a few minutes away.
New Walbro 450 in the mail. I have devised a system for gauging pressure drop over the fuel filter, in order to be able to spot a clogged filter before it kills the pump. I will of course renew the filter on the car, standard procedure with a blown pump, but I doubt that the filter is clogged, the pump prefilter was spotless. Will post some details on the filter gauge system.

[audigtrs2]

Hey Espen,

102 kpa atmos + 4 bar boost. I have a 700 kpa map sensor. Its simple 3,8-4 bar boost with a gtx4508 1250 - 1300 hp.

[Settari]

Is that your old pump genuine Bosch? I just changed, that Walbro 450lph e85 pump and using this. The installation was easy. http://store.034motorsport.com/bille....html?___SID=U

[Quattronaut]

Full E85 usable, less loud, needs less power and is stronger than Bosch 044: Pierburg E3L.
Fits quite good into stock S2 cage, 43mm, only bit longer, and the the nozzle is not excentered, it´s in the middle, so has to be cut away or cage has to be worked a bit. But less action than trying to fit the 044 :-)

[EspenW]

Is that your old pump genuine Bosch? I just changed, that Walbro 450lph e85 pump and using this. The installation was easy. http://store.034motorsport.com/bille....html?___SID=U

Yep, it is a genuine 044.
That adapter from 034 looks slick

I will modify the stock RS2 basket as that stock pump is 43mm.
I'll cut the bottom of that basket, since the Walbro is 50mm at the bottom and increase the diameter of the upper part of the Walbro from 39 to 43mm (using aluminum tape or something). That should provide a snug fit.

[mushasho!]

Yep, it is a genuine 044.
That adapter from 034 looks slick

I will modify the stock RS2 basket as that stock pump is 43mm.
I'll cut the bottom of that basket, since the Walbro is 50mm at the bottom and increase the diameter of the upper part of the Walbro from 39 to 43mm (using aluminum tape or something). That should provide a snug fit.

Exactly what I did... only there was no need to increase the top diameter...

My 450lph install Here