Quote Originally Posted by NightFlyer View Post
1) PLEASE - install an external inline check valve. Trust me, you'll be glad that you did. It's $18 and all of 20 minutes of time. It's definitely worth it IMHO!

2) When you installed the pump, are you sure that you had the bottom of the pump as close to touching the bottom of the tank as possible? The unit, as you probably know, is spring loaded and isn't very smooth in it's action when decompressing after being compressed (it's easy to get it stuck in a compressed state). It also doesn't fit the tank when fully decompressed, thus some level of compression is necessary. I test fit mine about 4 times before I was able to get it where the bottom of the pump was just barely off the bottom of the tank. I've only been running mine for the last 3 months and about 4,000 miles, but have always run it down low enough to trip the low fuel light. No issues such as those you've described thus far.

That's about the only thing that I can think of.

You may also want to check the RPM relay - if that's opening/closing while you're driving, it could potentially cause what you're describing as it's stopping and re-engaging the pump.

Best of luck!
Hey - this is a little late for a follow up, but that's how long it took me to run the fuel tank down low enough to inspect. I just pulled the blanking plug off the level sender hole and inspected the pump. It is fully extended and resting on the bottom of the tank. There is about 1/4" of fuel surrounding the baffle area (that is to say that the baffle is about 1/4" submerged) and the gauge is reading a tick below 1/4 full. But I still have the "collapsed pickup hose" symptoms under hard acceleration when the tank is this low.

Anyone have any other ideas what could be causing this? Dave S, are you still out there reading this thread?