[dwc]

You don't need to crank (don't ever for more than ~30 sec.) or run the car. Turn the key on, and the fuel pump runs - it's a Spica car.

 

[dwc]

It still has to crank and run for a bit to get the oil effectively circulated into the pump regardless of it being a spica car or not. :shrug:

But yes, anything over 20-30 seconds at a pop would be a bad thing.

I must be missing something. If we're talking about the electric fuel pump on a Spica car, it always runs when the key is on. It's too stupid to know if the engine is running, and the fuel will simply loop around and around the fuel circuit until the key is turned off, or the battery dies.

Judging from the few pumps I've taken apart, it's worn brushes that seem to be the life-limiting factor, and I've seen them partially jammed with carbon dust, from those very same worn brushes. As already mentioned, the MMO certainly is worth a shot.