School me on fuel pumps

[goldenbb]

I just bought a nice condition 1990 325iS. There's a couple of things I think it needs and one is a new fuel pump. I determined this by spending hours reading posts on this forum and others. I'm not asking how to change one out, that I have figured out already. What I need to know is what one to buy? I understand that Uro Parts are a non-starter, but how about the Beck/Arnley? Also, what exactly am I buying? I probably want to replace the whole deal--hanger, pump, siphon, etc. but Pelican and others are making it kind of confusing regarding what I am buying. I think some are just the pump and not the associated hardware. I want to swap out the whole darn thing and be done with it. And no, I am not looking for higher flow, I will be keeping the M20 completely stock. It's plenty of car for me for right now.

[Click]

If your car has a bosch pump get a bosch pump, if your car has a delco pump get a vdo pump assembly, they're not interchangeable. Don't put a cheap (uro/beck) pump in if you want it to be reliable. Also make sure it's not your fuel pump relay that is bad before you buy a new pump. The factory pump is actually pretty good, I know people run modest turbo setups with factory pumps.

[goldenbb]

My fuel pump works, it's just noisy and I took that to mean it might stop working abruptly. I'm trying to eliminate the few parts that the PO didn't recently replace in an attempt to prevent myself from having a breakdown on the road.

I've had breakdowns happen with two previous cars--a piece of crap '88 Mustang 5.0 back when I was a dumbass and more recently, a 2000 Camry that was just bad luck on an IAC issue. I know it can happen with any car, but I'm just trying to reduce my chances. This 325iS has 145K on it if the odo wasn't tampered with. I'm suspicious of that because the gears still work and the whole dash works even though the nicads inside there should be long dead.

Compared to many previous cars I've owned, this Bimmer is a lot easier to work on. Or maybe I'm just more experienced...

[SmokeE30]

They are simpler to work on then most newer cars and a lot if older ones too. I got a Walbro 255 pump for mine because I wanted a reputable brand and for the price incouldnt beat it. Not only the increase in performance but also name brand and for under $100, that's just the pump not the whole assbly though but that's how i change most pumps anyway.

[swolfe]

I'm curious about the noise. My pump tends to drone, and the PO said he thought it might be going out for that reason. Does that tend to jive with most peoples' experience?

[SmokeE30]

My pump was loud when I got my car and lasted for almost 2 years like that untill it died one day