I disconnected my fuel filter to drain the tank, bypassed the pump relay and I barley get a small stream. How strong should the pump be putting out gas?

 

enough to get 50-60 psi... if your getting a small dribble then something is not right... I don't know what the flow rate should be, but it should be significant enough that you wouldn't enable the pump with the line disconnected and not go oh ****! oh ****!

 

thanks, it took about 45 min to get 4 gallons. Thinking this is why it starves for fuel.

 

yea you should be able to fill up a 20oz bottle very quickly was this in front of or behind the filter?

 

took the filter off to get access to the line, new filter put on last week, but before or no filter involved.

 

I have a problem with my 97 Tahoe. Didn't run out of gas completely, but the fuel pump isn't pumping. Could it be the fuel filter, contibuting to this problem.

 

spfone18 Welcome to the forum...

If the vehicle has sat for a while the fuel pressure should bleed down and you should hear the pump come on for a short period when the ignition is turn on.
Its plausible a very clogged filter could cause the pump to no work but not very likely... if the pump is not coming on its probably bad... be sure to check the fuel pump fuse and the relay...
there is a fuel pump bypass power wire right next to the under hood fuse box that you can test the pump with...