General Miata Chat A place to talk about anything Miata

Upgrading Fuel Pump Relay

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-03-2018, 01:02 PM
  #1  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default Upgrading Fuel Pump Relay

I've blown several fuel pump relays, and it's probably well past time to upgrade the relay and wiring. After researching on the site I found several references to this being done, but haven't found a "hold my hand and tell me exactly what to do" kind of writeup.

I found this direction:
Originally Posted by Savington
Bypass the OEM fuel pump relay, and wire a new 30-40A relay and dedicated 30-40A fuse directly from the battery to the fuel pump. If you are running a DW300 you can probably get away with going through the OEM connector, but if you are running a Walbro 450, you definitely will be drilling holes in the fuel pump hangar and running new 10awg wire through isolated lugs.
I was hoping for a little more clarification before I manage to blow myself up. Any specific relay/connectors/wire I should be buying? What am I cutting? What am I connecting new wire to? Sorry for being dumb, I'm just terrible at electrical and not finding a lot of clear instruction, maybe I'm just making this more difficult than it really is.


2000 Miata
DW300 fuel pump
Return fuel system
3 dead fuel pump relays
pdexta is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 02:12 PM
  #2  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

Take the easy route and get the Deatschwerks hardwire kit. Super cheap, and super simple. its like 40 bux. I've installed em, super easy to work with.
comes with a fused power wire, and all the wires are 12awg (overkill, but that's a good thing)
18psi is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 02:19 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
acedeuce802's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, MI
Posts: 1,218
Total Cats: 175
Default

I think I have an unused DW hardwire kit laying around that I won't be using.. I'll have to check
acedeuce802 is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 02:20 PM
  #4  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

to answer the other questions:
you run 1 wire from battery to pump (super duper easy in a Miata). You ground 1 wire. You then either splice into the power/signal wire to the OE pump hanger (not ideal, but works just fine), or run a dedicated 2 wires to the actual pump (ideal) like spendington did

we're talking 30min to an hour tops to do all this, or 2 hours if you're old and slow like me
18psi is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 03:33 PM
  #5  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default

Yes! So glad I asked now. I had no idea they actually offered a hardwire kit that definitely helps.

Also found this:


Just to make sure I've got it correct: *edited*
1. Splice new relay signal wires into stock signal wire.
2. Connect ground to chassis
3. Connect power to battery

Thanks so much for the help. I ordered the hardwire kit. I'll try to get some pics and maybe turn this into a productive thread for someone in the future.

Last edited by pdexta; 01-03-2018 at 04:21 PM.
pdexta is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 03:43 PM
  #6  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

It's 1 signal wire that you cut and connect each end to relay wires. (scenario1)
Or run the relay signal wire to the pump directly and then another dedicated ground from pump to chassis. (scenario2).

You probably don't need scenario 2 for your power level, but it doesn't hurt ...
18psi is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 03:55 PM
  #7  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default

I assume that means the stock relay remains in place? You're just adding the 2nd relay that will handle power to the pump?
pdexta is offline  
Old 01-03-2018, 04:10 PM
  #8  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

Yes. And it shouldn't fail anymore because it won't be overdrawn like crazy. (unless of course you have other issues)
18psi is offline  
Old 01-06-2018, 07:50 PM
  #9  
Former Vendor
iTrader: (31)
 
Savington's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 15,442
Total Cats: 2,099
Default

There's no need to keep the OEM relay, bypass it and use that wire to trigger the new relay.
Savington is offline  
Old 01-08-2018, 07:38 PM
  #10  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default

I got the DW hardwire kit in and wired it. It works, tune is about a point rich now so the pump seems like it's getting more voltage now. The kit came with this diagram:



Here's what I did:
Connect red wire to the battery
Ground black wire to the car
Cut the red/blue power wire (on my 2000 Miata) where it goes to the fuel pump
Connect the yellow wire to the end of the red/blue wire that goes to the fuel pump
Connect the blue wire to the other end of the red/blue wire that goes to the stock fuel relay

This allows the stock fuel pump relay power wire to be the signal wire to the new relay. Kind of redundant relay wise, but it should eliminate load on the stock relay and it was a super simple install. As I understand it this is the method 18psi was suggesting. I'll report back if anything catches fire.
pdexta is offline  
Old 01-08-2018, 11:20 PM
  #11  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Leafy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 9,479
Total Cats: 104
Default

That DW kit looks so crusty. Those relay sockets dont hold up over time, resistance increases on the spade connectors built into it and eventually they melt. Honestly it looks exactly like the fog wire wiring kit you can get at autozone for 20 bucks and it comes with a free super craptacular rocker switch. Its not hard, buy a real relay and some real (TLX) wire and dont suck. It'll cost like $50 to do it with not **** parts. If you end up needing "stage 2" like if you have a 450E85 or something you'll have to hunt through the couple of our build threads that bought real bulk head connectors to not catch on fire and die.
Leafy is offline  
Reply
Leave a poscat -1 Leave a negcat
Old 01-09-2018, 12:05 AM
  #12  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

18psi is offline  
Reply
Leave a poscat -1 Leave a negcat
Old 01-09-2018, 11:43 AM
  #13  
Junior Member
iTrader: (4)
 
julio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 130
Total Cats: 23
Default

I've always had good luck with Eastern Beaver (the company). He seems to find all the nice high quality OEM stuff as far as connectors, relays etc I've used several of the 20 AMP Matsushita (Panasonic) relays and they have the bigger 40 amp also. Might be a little pricey and ships from Japan but he's spent a lot of time finding some of this stuff so I don't mind supporting him. I always stock up on a ton of terminals, shrink tube, etc when I order from him. Lots of useful info on his site too. It's all JDM too bro so it's got to be the best right? I do sort of like the look of that Delphi stuff too though..

Relays
julio is offline  
Old 01-11-2018, 03:34 PM
  #14  
Junior Member
iTrader: (9)
 
mrmonk7663's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 442
Total Cats: 20
Default

The power and ground wires are 12ga...what gauge wire should be used for the actual 4 wires on the relay itself?
mrmonk7663 is offline  
Old 01-12-2018, 04:14 AM
  #15  
Junior Member
iTrader: (9)
 
mrmonk7663's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 442
Total Cats: 20
Default

In case this helps others, I believe this is “scenario 2” as referenced above. See pic.
Attached Thumbnails Upgrading Fuel Pump Relay-39dda967-903f-4018-a757-f6deab758c8d.gif  
mrmonk7663 is offline  
Old 01-12-2018, 10:41 AM
  #16  
VladiTuned
iTrader: (76)
 
18psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 35,821
Total Cats: 3,481
Default

Yup, thank you.
18psi is offline  
Old 01-12-2018, 05:40 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
HarryB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,014
Total Cats: 140
Default

Stupid/noob question, what is the consensus about fused relays in such applications?

Amazon Amazon
HarryB is offline  
Old 01-12-2018, 07:53 PM
  #18  
Elite Member
iTrader: (16)
 
patsmx5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,295
Total Cats: 476
Default

Originally Posted by pdexta
I got the DW hardwire kit in and wired it. It works, tune is about a point rich now so the pump seems like it's getting more voltage now. The kit came with this diagram:



Here's what I did:
Connect red wire to the battery
Ground black wire to the car
Cut the red/blue power wire (on my 2000 Miata) where it goes to the fuel pump
Connect the yellow wire to the end of the red/blue wire that goes to the fuel pump
Connect the blue wire to the other end of the red/blue wire that goes to the stock fuel relay

This allows the stock fuel pump relay power wire to be the signal wire to the new relay. Kind of redundant relay wise, but it should eliminate load on the stock relay and it was a super simple install. As I understand it this is the method 18psi was suggesting. I'll report back if anything catches fire.
I did a similar wiring job a year or two ago and it's worked fine. My stock FP relay is triggering a pair of 50A relays to run my twin pumps, and it's never failed to do that. I did run 10 gauge wire and bulkhead fitting as I measured too much voltage drop with smaller wire for my pumps.
patsmx5 is offline  
Old 01-12-2018, 08:26 PM
  #19  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Chiburbian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Loganville, GA
Posts: 2,331
Total Cats: 202
Default

Can anyone here give a "for instance" on what you consider good relays for this application? I am using 50A ones I bought from radioshack partly because they are so ubiquitous and easy to get if/when they fail.
Chiburbian is offline  
Old 02-24-2020, 11:44 AM
  #20  
Newb
 
Ronda Gallemore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by mrmonk7663
In case this helps others, I believe this is “scenario 2” as referenced above. See pic.
help please, replacing fuel pump on "99 Mazda Miata fuel pump assembly required splicing wires to the positive and began in pump. Forgot to label wires. Both black. Any one have a diagram label for the two wires going to pump? Thanks
Ronda Gallemore is offline  


Quick Reply: Upgrading Fuel Pump Relay



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:21 PM.