How To Jump Fuel Pump Relay On Chevy Truck? [5 Easy Steps]

Finding your Chevy’s fuel pump unsupportive when you are in the middle of the highway is a daunting experience. You may not have jumper cables on you, and the nearest gas station could be miles off! 

Now, there could be many reasons behind your dying vehicle, such as a malfunctioning gas gauge or the absence of sparks when starting the car and whatnot. But the bigger question is, what could save your Chevy truck?

The answer is pretty simple: knowing how to jump a fuel pump relay on a Chevy truck! So when you find the signs of a poor fuel pump relay on your vehicle, it is time to follow the detailed steps in our guide below. So let us get started on what it means first.

What Is The Fuel Pump Relay On A Chevy Truck?

A fuel pump relay on your Chevy is what regulates the current flow between itself and the truck’s electrical system. Your truck’s electrical system is again composed of obvious components like its charging sequence, ignition, lights, and the AC.

But here’s the catch: this same fuel pump is also important for more subtle tasks that are not as apparent as controlling the AC. Think of the safety features such as the anti-lock brakes that save you from slipping wheels or misfiring engines. 

If it were not for the pump, you could easily face mishaps. This is why a fuel pump relay is an integral part of the truck, as it can stop the flow of electricity to many inner car components when it senses danger.

Tools You Need To Jump Fuel Pump Relay On A Chevy Truck

To jump the relay, you will need the following tools:

You will need a ratchet set, an open-ended wrench, extension cables as well as a replacement fuel pump relay if you want to conduct the following steps on your Chevy Truck. 

However, if you are unsure as to how to jump the fuel pump relay along with jumper cables, then it is wise that you find a car mechanic or at least observe the owner’s manual of your truck before proceeding with these steps.

How To Jump Fuel Pump Relay On A Chevy Truck?

If you go through the detailed 5 steps below, you will be able to complete the process within 30 minutes-1 hour:

Step 1: Locate the Relay

For this, you have to first make sure that you have parked your car in a flat, good spot. Now, you will open the hood of the car and try to find the fuel pump relay. You will find this in the bay of the engine inside your Chevy truck. 

As of the possible places, it can be near the fuse box or the battery terminals with its own label marked on top of it. You can also check behind the headlamp on the driver’s side to the right-hand side of the engine to find the relay.

It is shaped like a box, usually black, and is made of plastic. The location of the relay will always be tied with its label, so don’t forget to ensure both.

Step 2: Disconnect Terminals

Now, it is time to disconnect the battery terminals. After you have located the relay, you will need to remove the black, negative cable from the nearest battery terminal. You can disconnect from both terminals if you find it more convenient.

Step 3: Connect Jumper Cables

Then, you will join the ends of the cable. You will join the red, positive cable from the jumper cable to the corresponding battery terminal. Don’t forget to ensure that this joining matches the disconnecting you did in Step 2. Avoid any contact with metallic substances when you are joining the terminal and cable ends.

Alternatives to Steps 2&3

Once you have located the fuel relay, you can do these if you do not have access to jumper cables at the moment. First, disconnect the 4-pin pump from the center of the relay. Then, take a copper wire of about five inches and strip half-inch of insulation from both ends of the wire.

Connect one end of the stripped wire to the pin slot on the upper-left of the pump relay center and the other end to the pin slot on the lower-right of the relay center.

Step 4: Start Engine

Now, start the truck’. Make sure that whether you have used the jumper cables method or the copper wire method, you have connected the cable and terminal end of the wire and receptacle points properly. 

With that assurance, you will start the engine of the truck. However, you will not drive it but leave it alone for 15 seconds. Next, you need to turn off the ignition switch. This should be done before you have removed all the prior connections and rejoined the connections you had removed in the second step.

Step 5: Check Lights

Finally, you have to check the light on the fuel gauge and see if it turns green. After turning off the ignition and removing all connections, you have to check the fuel gauge. Instead of seeing green right from the start, you can observe the changes in the dashboard from red, yellow, and then to green. 

This means that you jump-started the fuel pump relay on the vehicle. If you do not see any such light changes, you should complete the steps again till you come to see the green light.

Final Words

And that brings you to the end of learning how to jump fuel pump relay on Chevy truck! Remember, a bad fuel pump relay always negatively affects how your vehicle will be pumping the fuel, and you will naturally see no starts. 

But since you may not be able to replace your fuel pump just at that time or fix it then and there, you must know this process so that you can use your car properly. 

So if you want to prevent the fuel from being pumped at a higher pressure than usual, this is an important process that can help you to start the car and drive to your destination!

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