How to: Red Neck Easy Fuel Pump - No tank Drop Explorer 4th Gen

[engineeering]

I figure I should share my success with how I successfully swapped a pump in just under 1.5 hours. Not to mention... installed an access hatch that came in very handy only a few months later (had an unrelated evap tank vent problem that was quickly remedied).

Note: Only the access installation is covered here. Refer to any pump replacement instructional online for the rest... they are plentiful and numerous.

tools req:
tin snips (preferably left & right)
drill (with a depth stopper preferred)
knife
two-sided tape
piece of 1/8 plate or sheet metal
about 15 self-tapping sheet metal screws
chisel
liquid gasket
1-2 hours (including pump install)

caution/disclaimer:
I take no liability. Be safe. Dont drill into your tank. Dont use spark throwing cutting blades because you think it's faster and/or cleaner.

Here it goes...

Take a knife and cut your carpet along the red lines (black line shown for reference distance to plastic guard along door jam)

Peal the carpet back and chisel off the insulation along the future cut lines.

Carefully drill 4 holes at the four corners of your future access panel. NOTE: Do not drill into your tank. Recommend using a stop to limit the dept to about 1" (you have around 2" space to the top of the tank).

Use tin snips and cut out the square. Remove the large rubber grommet and use that large hole to start your cutting. I recommend using new/sharp tin snips... mine were very crappy and the cut shows it. A decent pair will easily cut through this much cleaner if you have a left and right pair. (*you may want to widen your hatch 1-2" to the passenger side to give you more room for the pump removal. This was plenty but it makes it a bit nicer).

Swap pump or do whatever you need to do with your new access to the top of the tank...

Place a liquid gasket bead around the hatch to make it air-tight.

Cut/paint/pre-drill/place your sheet metal/plate hatch into place.

Use your self-tapping screws and screw your panel down (will be air-tight with the liquid gasket). Place a few strips of some double-sided tape on the top of your panel for your carpet to stick to.

Place the carpet down and spend a few moments to stare at that professional job you just did. Then remind yourself that you just saved yourself lots of money and did the job in half the time the mechanics do it in.

Your vehicle is now equipped with a well hidden access panel!

Hope you enjoyed this "how-to".


Random banter:
I must say... when I finished the job I felt pretty smart - particularly when reminded of how dirty I was after a 7hr fuel pump change in my old 2002

ps. The first time I did a pump swap on an explorer I dropped the tank... I (1) broke a fitting piece on my fuel tank (i left one hose connected and it snapped off when lowering it), (2) spilled a bunch of fuel when I had to remove the fill hose, (3) did the entire job on my back with almost no lighting etc, and (4) stripped a bolt on my transmission support beam trying to lower it to give an inch of extra room to allow the tank to pull out... what a mess. That's why I "went for it" and did the logical thing... ADDED AN ACCESS PANEL!

pss. several weeks later... I began having fill problems to my fuel tank. it kept stopping at about 3/4 tank. Then it got worse and stopped at half tank... I then got a code saying something about evap crap. I knew it had to do with the evap canister entrapped water TSB so I used my new access panel and just installed a vent hose from the top of my fuel tank to just below the gas cap. Worked like a charm and saved me over $1000 in Ford repairs. No codes... and it vents and operates beautifully now

psss. (May 15/15 update) Had a fuel pump fail just before driving home from a work trip (~7hr drive from home). Was able to walk to a parts store... buy a screwdriver & pump, and swap it in in <30mins. Dang... this access panel just keeps on giving!

 

[Explorer_PL]

That is cool.

I might need to do same on mine.

 

[engineeering]

That is cool.

I might need to do same on mine.

No need unless you need to get to your pump. But when you need to... it really makes life easy!

 

[theluke19]

This is the way to go - thanks for the writeup- I think I remember other uses doing this as well and having successful results, too

 

[engineeering]

thanks! I found lots of posts/tutorials on the older models but nothing on the 3rd & 4th gen. Had a hard time figuring out where to cut... so hopefully this takes all the guess work out

 

[LargeFilipino]

3rd generation is not too much different. I have a 2004. Can anyone tell me if this is on the same location?

 

[Explorer_PL]

Thanks for bringing this back.
I'd say it's got to be the same, but can't really confirm.
This is my project for the summer this year.

'Engineering" - if you are still out there - thanks again, this is perfect.

 

[Drewmcg]

3rd generation is not too much different. I have a 2004. Can anyone tell me if this is on the same location?

Same location on 2002.5 four-door XLS

 

[thebrakeman]

With my previous daily driver ('89 Ford Probe GT), you lift up and remove the rear seat cushion, and you're staring at the fuel pump. Changing the pump was easier than the inline fuel filter.

 

[engineeering]

Thanks for bringing this back.
I'd say it's got to be the same, but can't really confirm.
This is my project for the summer this year.

'Engineering" - if you are still out there - thanks again, this is perfect.

Still out here... I'm actually poolside in HI. First time traveling here so thanks to all you Americans for welcoming a Canuck to such a beautiful state. As for the 2002 4Dr... I recall that the tank was almost identical so probably the same as confirmed above.

As an update.. lots of other mods to the truck since this post but this is definitely one of the most practical. My truck is actually off the road right now as I'm waiting for a replacement Yukon Duragrip limited slip rear diff after mine catestrophically failed. 3 months past warranty and a bolt came out of the ring gear and jammed! 60-0 in record time. Hoping the rest of my driveline is okay (did a manual Ranger MO5D H1 swap and not ready to do it again any time soon... Lol).

 

[LargeFilipino]

Drewmcg and everyone else THANK YOU! I planned to actually look underneath but I've been wanting to do this since I bought this thing. It's nearly 150 thousand miles and not entirely sure if it's still the original pump. Under the car the bolts that hold the tank up looks unmolested so it could very well be original. I live at an apartment complex and can do this at my parking spot. But if the manager sees me with tank off and everything up in jacks I'll get a fine and possibly even a tow. So this is pretty much a must do in the event this pump decides to fail miles away from home.
I don't have a sport though. But I'll look again underneath.

 

[Number Twelve]

This is my job for today. It's that annoying fuel gauge problem. Check engine soon! The variable resistor gets open spots and the Explorer says, "Check Engine Soon." (Ford had a better idea.) Fourteen computers in this beast and it thinks the fuel sensor circuit is in the engine!

I just came here to look at the photo of exactly where the pump is. I took all the seats out and told my Explorer it's a Mini Van so I'm not cutting the rug...just roll it sideways and tie it in the, "up" position. Thanks for cleaning up the procedure. Us shade tree mechanics only need the photo.

ps, I use Virginia Tape (cork particles and tar) to seal the edges. It's very removable if you ever need to get in there again.
I had to go through the floor to fix the left rear sway bar mounting bracket with it's self-defeating, sheet metal bolt holders.

 

[jnannini]

I figure I should share my success with how I successfully swapped a pump in just under 1.5 hours. Not to mention... installed an access hatch that came in very handy only a few months later (had an unrelated evap tank vent problem that was quickly remedied).

Note: Only the access installation is covered here. Refer to any pump replacement instructional online for the rest... they are plentiful and numerous.

tools req:
tin snips (preferably left & right)
drill (with a depth stopper preferred)
knife
two-sided tape
piece of 1/8 plate or sheet metal
about 15 self-tapping sheet metal screws
chisel
liquid gasket
1-2 hours (including pump install)

caution/disclaimer:
I take no liability. Be safe. Dont drill into your tank. Dont use spark throwing cutting blades because you think it's faster and/or cleaner.

Here it goes...

Take a knife and cut your carpet along the red lines (black line shown for reference distance to plastic guard along door jam)
View attachment 325288

Peal the carpet back and chisel off the insulation along the future cut lines.
View attachment 325289

Carefully drill 4 holes at the four corners of your future access panel. NOTE: Do not drill into your tank. Recommend using a stop to limit the dept to about 1" (you have around 2" space to the top of the tank).
View attachment 325290

Use tin snips and cut out the square. Remove the large rubber grommet and use that large hole to start your cutting. I recommend using new/sharp tin snips... mine were very crappy and the cut shows it. A decent pair will easily cut through this much cleaner if you have a left and right pair. (*you may want to widen your hatch 1-2" to the passenger side to give you more room for the pump removal. This was plenty but it makes it a bit nicer).
View attachment 325291

Swap pump or do whatever you need to do with your new access to the top of the tank...

Place a liquid gasket bead around the hatch to make it air-tight.
View attachment 325292

Cut/paint/pre-drill/place your sheet metal/plate hatch into place.
View attachment 325293

Use your self-tapping screws and screw your panel down (will be air-tight with the liquid gasket). Place a few strips of some double-sided tape on the top of your panel for your carpet to stick to.
View attachment 325294

Place the carpet down and spend a few moments to stare at that professional job you just did. Then remind yourself that you just saved yourself lots of money and did the job in half the time the mechanics do it in.
View attachment 325295

Your vehicle is now equipped with a well hidden access panel!

Hope you enjoyed this "how-to".


Random banter:
I must say... when I finished the job I felt pretty smart - particularly when reminded of how dirty I was after a 7hr fuel pump change in my old 2002

ps. The first time I did a pump swap on an explorer I dropped the tank... I (1) broke a fitting piece on my fuel tank (i left one hose connected and it snapped off when lowering it), (2) spilled a bunch of fuel when I had to remove the fill hose, (3) did the entire job on my back with almost no lighting etc, and (4) stripped a bolt on my transmission support beam trying to lower it to give an inch of extra room to allow the tank to pull out... what a mess. That's why I "went for it" and did the logical thing... ADDED AN ACCESS PANEL!

pss. several weeks later... I began having fill problems to my fuel tank. it kept stopping at about 3/4 tank. Then it got worse and stopped at half tank... I then got a code saying something about evap crap. I knew it had to do with the evap canister entrapped water TSB so I used my new access panel and just installed a vent hose from the top of my fuel tank to just below the gas cap. Worked like a charm and saved me over $1000 in Ford repairs. No codes... and it vents and operates beautifully now

psss. (May 15/15 update) Had a fuel pump fail just before driving home from a work trip (~7hr drive from home). Was able to walk to a parts store... buy a screwdriver & pump, and swap it in in <30mins. Dang... this access panel just keeps on giving!

Hi, first I'd like to thank you for your post, excellent info, I have a 2010 exp. Limited, im in Venezuela and here I must do the access panel, is very hard to do anything in the car when you're traveling out of the city. I'd like to ask you how you did the vent hose?, how did you plug the hose in the tank?, thanks!!!!!

 

[jnannini]

I figure I should share my success with how I successfully swapped a pump in just under 1.5 hours. Not to mention... installed an access hatch that came in very handy only a few months later (had an unrelated evap tank vent problem that was quickly remedied).

Note: Only the access installation is covered here. Refer to any pump replacement instructional online for the rest... they are plentiful and numerous.

tools req:
tin snips (preferably left & right)
drill (with a depth stopper preferred)
knife
two-sided tape
piece of 1/8 plate or sheet metal
about 15 self-tapping sheet metal screws
chisel
liquid gasket
1-2 hours (including pump install)

caution/disclaimer:
I take no liability. Be safe. Dont drill into your tank. Dont use spark throwing cutting blades because you think it's faster and/or cleaner.

Here it goes...

Take a knife and cut your carpet along the red lines (black line shown for reference distance to plastic guard along door jam)
View attachment 325288

Peal the carpet back and chisel off the insulation along the future cut lines.
View attachment 325289

Carefully drill 4 holes at the four corners of your future access panel. NOTE: Do not drill into your tank. Recommend using a stop to limit the dept to about 1" (you have around 2" space to the top of the tank).
View attachment 325290

Use tin snips and cut out the square. Remove the large rubber grommet and use that large hole to start your cutting. I recommend using new/sharp tin snips... mine were very crappy and the cut shows it. A decent pair will easily cut through this much cleaner if you have a left and right pair. (*you may want to widen your hatch 1-2" to the passenger side to give you more room for the pump removal. This was plenty but it makes it a bit nicer).
View attachment 325291

Swap pump or do whatever you need to do with your new access to the top of the tank...

Place a liquid gasket bead around the hatch to make it air-tight.
View attachment 325292

Cut/paint/pre-drill/place your sheet metal/plate hatch into place.
View attachment 325293

Use your self-tapping screws and screw your panel down (will be air-tight with the liquid gasket). Place a few strips of some double-sided tape on the top of your panel for your carpet to stick to.
View attachment 325294

Place the carpet down and spend a few moments to stare at that professional job you just did. Then remind yourself that you just saved yourself lots of money and did the job in half the time the mechanics do it in.
View attachment 325295

Your vehicle is now equipped with a well hidden access panel!

Hope you enjoyed this "how-to".


Random banter:
I must say... when I finished the job I felt pretty smart - particularly when reminded of how dirty I was after a 7hr fuel pump change in my old 2002

ps. The first time I did a pump swap on an explorer I dropped the tank... I (1) broke a fitting piece on my fuel tank (i left one hose connected and it snapped off when lowering it), (2) spilled a bunch of fuel when I had to remove the fill hose, (3) did the entire job on my back with almost no lighting etc, and (4) stripped a bolt on my transmission support beam trying to lower it to give an inch of extra room to allow the tank to pull out... what a mess. That's why I "went for it" and did the logical thing... ADDED AN ACCESS PANEL!

pss. several weeks later... I began having fill problems to my fuel tank. it kept stopping at about 3/4 tank. Then it got worse and stopped at half tank... I then got a code saying something about evap crap. I knew it had to do with the evap canister entrapped water TSB so I used my new access panel and just installed a vent hose from the top of my fuel tank to just below the gas cap. Worked like a charm and saved me over $1000 in Ford repairs. No codes... and it vents and operates beautifully now

psss. (May 15/15 update) Had a fuel pump fail just before driving home from a work trip (~7hr drive from home). Was able to walk to a parts store... buy a screwdriver & pump, and swap it in in <30mins. Dang... this access panel just keeps on giving!

​

​

• Random
• 3 Months
• 3rd Generation
• 3rd Row
• 4th Gen
• 4x4
• 5 Speed
• Air conditioning filters
• Air Filters

I figure I should share my success with how I successfully swapped a pump in just under 1.5 hours. Not to mention... installed an access hatch that came in very handy only a few months later (had an unrelated evap tank vent problem that was quickly remedied).

Note: Only the access installation is covered here. Refer to any pump replacement instructional online for the rest... they are plentiful and numerous.

tools req:
tin snips (preferably left & right)
drill (with a depth stopper preferred)
knife
two-sided tape
piece of 1/8 plate or sheet metal
about 15 self-tapping sheet metal screws
chisel
liquid gasket
1-2 hours (including pump install)

caution/disclaimer:
I take no liability. Be safe. Dont drill into your tank. Dont use spark throwing cutting blades because you think it's faster and/or cleaner.

Here it goes...

Take a knife and cut your carpet along the red lines (black line shown for reference distance to plastic guard along door jam)
View attachment 325288

Peal the carpet back and chisel off the insulation along the future cut lines.
View attachment 325289

Carefully drill 4 holes at the four corners of your future access panel. NOTE: Do not drill into your tank. Recommend using a stop to limit the dept to about 1" (you have around 2" space to the top of the tank).
View attachment 325290

Use tin snips and cut out the square. Remove the large rubber grommet and use that large hole to start your cutting. I recommend using new/sharp tin snips... mine were very crappy and the cut shows it. A decent pair will easily cut through this much cleaner if you have a left and right pair. (*you may want to widen your hatch 1-2" to the passenger side to give you more room for the pump removal. This was plenty but it makes it a bit nicer).
View attachment 325291

Swap pump or do whatever you need to do with your new access to the top of the tank...

Place a liquid gasket bead around the hatch to make it air-tight.
View attachment 325292

Cut/paint/pre-drill/place your sheet metal/plate hatch into place.
View attachment 325293

Use your self-tapping screws and screw your panel down (will be air-tight with the liquid gasket). Place a few strips of some double-sided tape on the top of your panel for your carpet to stick to.
View attachment 325294

Place the carpet down and spend a few moments to stare at that professional job you just did. Then remind yourself that you just saved yourself lots of money and did the job in half the time the mechanics do it in.
View attachment 325295

Your vehicle is now equipped with a well hidden access panel!

Hope you enjoyed this "how-to".


Random banter:
I must say... when I finished the job I felt pretty smart - particularly when reminded of how dirty I was after a 7hr fuel pump change in my old 2002

ps. The first time I did a pump swap on an explorer I dropped the tank... I (1) broke a fitting piece on my fuel tank (i left one hose connected and it snapped off when lowering it), (2) spilled a bunch of fuel when I had to remove the fill hose, (3) did the entire job on my back with almost no lighting etc, and (4) stripped a bolt on my transmission support beam trying to lower it to give an inch of extra room to allow the tank to pull out... what a mess. That's why I "went for it" and did the logical thing... ADDED AN ACCESS PANEL!

pss. several weeks later... I began having fill problems to my fuel tank. it kept stopping at about 3/4 tank. Then it got worse and stopped at half tank... I then got a code saying something about evap crap. I knew it had to do with the evap canister entrapped water TSB so I used my new access panel and just installed a vent hose from the top of my fuel tank to just below the gas cap. Worked like a charm and saved me over $1000 in Ford repairs. No codes... and it vents and operates beautifully now

psss. (May 15/15 update) Had a fuel pump fail just before driving home from a work trip (~7hr drive from home). Was able to walk to a parts store... buy a screwdriver & pump, and swap it in in <30mins. Dang... this access panel just keeps on giving!

First I'd like to thank you for your post, I'll do it to my 2010 exp. limited, I'd like to ask you how did you add the vent hose, did you use a T conector from the tank hose thar goes to the canister?...

 

[Drewmcg]

Suggest you replace filter neck instead : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AWCX8BS/?tag=serious-20

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

Suggest you replace filter neck instead : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AWCX8BS/?tag=serious-20

What's the part in the link fit?

Says it's NOT for an '06...


This is one I found for an '06 (can't seem to find if there's a difference between V6 and V8 models though)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AGRODM8/?tag=serious-20

 

[ltkrause]

thank you for this! I'm probably going to do this soon with all the grief mine has been giving me. I just put in my 3rd pump in 2 years. I've gotten it down to about 3 hours but it's still a pain in the butt!

 

[webwizard]

3rd generation is not too much different. I have a 2004. Can anyone tell me if this is on the same location?

Yes, it's in the exact location. I'm currently swapping my fuel pump out. But I'm having trouble getting the rusty ring up. Any tips before I give up and buy the actual tool?