your ideas are very good and valid (testing is always a good idea, short of not causing a fire,)
I too never just throw cars together, I test them first. (when ever possible) Electrics tops my list of when to do this.
in fact, I even have dummy load resistors to test the wiring (after each connector was inspected first for damage, end to end)
we did this is a factory too. (QA) (load testing harnesses)
The dummy load is 3 ohm 50 watt resistor, (special ordered, from Mouser.com)
or one grab any spare head lamp and use that, it uses the same current flow. (very close to the actual pump)
we connect it and key on and see the lamp glows at full brightness, and with a voltmeter we will see about 11.5v (battery is 12.5v) so this is the normal voltage drop seen on cheap weak suzuki wiring. (again the 3second run time is 100% ECU created, the ECU runs a clock timer to do that )
The other ways is use the actual pump, that lets me see the voltage is correct and the pump actual works, (even test a new pump, do not buy cheap A$$ 15 buck pumps from china. (fail U will)
you can in fact bench test a pump
or tank on the ground the pump.
and sure even with tank mounted (and yours failed ,before now.)
We can also scope a pump, running, to see if the commutators is going bad, we have youtube videos of this, (this finds bad pumps before the fully fail)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HT3j82SCnw
There is no way , you want to ever buy a cheap pump, after all that hard nasty wet ,risky work.
Benzine in the fuel, is a cancer causing agent, (no BS , nasty) Best is to work car out doors, with lots of fresh air and a fire extinguisher handy, even a blanket)
If you do not know the good names, ask. Carter, ACdelco, BECK, BOSCH (yah German) and more. not "SOM Ting Wong" or any of 100 other names, no body here can pronounce.(or research)
I recommend watching Scotty's youtube videos. on topic too.
Most of the advice and vidoe's, you see examples of modern cars 10 years or newer.
your car is not that car , (hint more bad to be seen)
your car will have bad wiring (this means connectors too. they are part of all wiring)
when testing a real pump
be real sure the polarity is correct. some pumps have diode protectors inside and will turn on when reversed, and then the wires burn up connected wrong, (or fuse blows )
not all have this but just do not run the pump backwards, ok? only wire it PLUS TO PLUS. testing or otherwise.
the tests will fail if I saw 8v at the pump
do you see why?
the pump in the video failed a simple continuity test, the test showed the brushes are not touching the motors commutator ring.
but was in fact, the connector inside not mated correctly
The pump can also be bad, and fail that, 3 to 10 ohms is par, , but infinity is a dead open pump, no DC brush motor shows infinity ohms connected to a DMM
that video is one of the best there
he even says, do no use water, (correct, after would you like rust on the steel check balls inside later? no)
in injector shop, we have fire proof test fuel to test pumps or injectors and zero risk of fire.
the black wire is ground. simple as can be.
omg his first test showed a leak. (rust happens, new rack time?)
if he was really savvy? he;'d use the fuel pressure gauge and do the SHUNT test on that hose,(tightly clampled) and see 50PSI.
if it reads lower way lower, then check voltage
if voltage is too low the pump runs slower, so fix the bad wiring now.
that is all you can do on the ground (tank)
1: voltage checks'
2: pump heard to run.
3: pump flow seen in to bucket.
4: shut test passes
5: 3 seconds test, passes, using car wires not jumper hot wires, and voltage near 11.5v pump runs for 3 seconds
6: no leaks.
7: fix the dead fuel gage sender too, while there>?
