How to: 1st Gen Gas Tank Fuel Pump Access Panel

[gsmaclean]

is it the same spot on 2 and a 4 door?

No, it's different in the 2-door.

 

[justme1003]

fuel pump

Thanks for the great write up. I removed the rear seat and i notice there is a heave red cable there as well and a lighter gage blue one. the red one looks like a ground. But what is the blue one for as it is disconnected and looks ike it was connected to something at one time. i have a 1997 ford explore limited edition with a v8. Also my rear wiper does not work either. So just wonder what that blue cable is for before i start to cut a hole in the floor to possible change a fuel pump that might not need it.

Help me please

 

[dickster@rogers.]

Questions?

Hey you, boys, was reading your site on "trap door" that you cut for access to the fuel sender. Very informative! Was wondering,[ before I too start cutting for the same reason} what did you test & where [electrically] to decide it was the sender? I assumed because I do not hear the "pump activate" [2-3 seconds] when I turn on the key & it wont start, that it must be "not working". My 1st. 94 exl had this issue & I replaced the sender to correct it & after reading the threads in here, I see it is quite a wide spread & common problem..I wish not to drop the tank. Thanks in advance....Dickster

 

[johnny23toronto]

gas tank access panel for 99 2-door sport

Here is my pic for how I cut open, with grinder and tonnes of sparks, the access door on my 99 sport. The hardest part was removing the fuel line.

I gave up on my PLASTIC connector kit after about 3 hours, and used a tiny tiny tiny screwdriver to push the leg barbs back inside the fuel connector.

I recommend the metal connector tool, because the plastic one only worked once for me (when I removed my fuel filter) and then is probably now just slightly too "squished" to work properly.

There was a murky dark clouds in my fuel tank

I was really worried about a fire, but after doing this, the top of the gas tank appeared airtight and bone dry. As long as you have no fuel leaks, I would do it this way again in a heartbeat.

Now my GS340 fuel pump is in! See pic I took just before I made the swap. I bought the pump from James at Henson Perf.

 

[gsmaclean]

Honestly people, I REALLY don't recommend you use a grinder (or welder, or anything else that involves sparks or flames) when cutting above your fuel tank. One accidental nick on the fuel line, and you could end up with an uncontrollable fire that could destroy your truck, and possibly your house (if it's in the garage).

I used an air chisel to do mine, and it cut it right open like using a butter knife, with no sparks or fear of fire.

 

[JMan689]

I used an air chisel to do mine, and it cut it right open like using a butter knife, with no sparks or fear of fire.

Genius, i'll use a regular chisel since i don't have air tools, but since my tank won't come down for whatever reason this will really save me.

 

[olemech]

fuel pump install

great tip on replacing fuel pump.

 

[kimball]

I think i am going to make a hatch to get to my fuel pump. Fuse good, relay good,
no pressure. Never changed the fuel filter or pump 250K. Anybody know anything else
I need to check before I undertake this task?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You will need a special tool to unlock the fittings on the filter. Cut your old filter open, and take a picture of the inside cartridge.

 

[kimball]

1997 Awd 5.0 I just cut an access panel to get to my pump. The 97 explorer i have is
a little difrent than the photos. The roud ring on the top of the tank needs a much largr access hole than posted. I plan on enlarging the cut and moving on with the project.
What else should i do??

 

[J_C]

Maybe someone has already mentioned it but a full tank of gas may be safer than an empty tank, if by empty you mean only running down the tank or siphoning it off because then the tank volume is full of gas vapor with air (oxygen) which can be more explosive from a spark than if it were full of liquid and only a little vapor. Either way I'd want a big fire extinguisher nearby just in case...

 

[410Fortune]

I dropped the tank on my BII for like 10 years, changed like 4 in tank pumps and modified the tank and added sensors for my V8 conversion.. I have had my BII tank out too many times!

Recently when I put in a new carter in tank boost pump and it was a NOISY POS right out of the box, instead of dropping the tank again I FINALLY cut an access hole......heck yes!! Makes it a 15 minute job now to access the pump... my thinking was not only "lazyness" but also "trail repair" alot easier to fix it on the trial now.....

the BII tank is so easy to drop too, 6 bolts total....but still its a PITA when its full and about 20" off the ground (Lifted truck)

 

[scrivyscriv]

Here is my pic for how I cut open, with grinder and tonnes of sparks, the access door on my 99 sport. The hardest part was removing the fuel line.

Hey Johnny,
Isn't the Sport a 2dr Explorer?
Great picture showing the access location, by the way.

 

[kimball]

I completed my 97 AWD fuel pump access hole and install. Worked out fine.
I used the metal disconnect tool and a $100.00 pum from part store also bought
new screen for bottom of pump. So far so good!

 

[ranger7ltr]

So what did you use to re-seal the hole in the floor?

Here is my pic for how I cut open, with grinder and tonnes of sparks, the access door on my 99 sport. The hardest part was removing the fuel line.

I gave up on my PLASTIC connector kit after about 3 hours, and used a tiny tiny tiny screwdriver to push the leg barbs back inside the fuel connector.

I recommend the metal connector tool, because the plastic one only worked once for me (when I removed my fuel filter) and then is probably now just slightly too "squished" to work properly.

There was a murky dark clouds in my fuel tank

I was really worried about a fire, but after doing this, the top of the gas tank appeared airtight and bone dry. As long as you have no fuel leaks, I would do it this way again in a heartbeat.

Now my GS340 fuel pump is in! See pic I took just before I made the swap. I bought the pump from James at Henson Perf.

I too just replaced a fuel pump that seem to lose pressure under load after running for 30 mins or longer here in the Texas heat... I dropped the tank on my 99 Sport though and I found the filter sock had fallen off the bottom of the pump!!! I had installed this pump back in May and I can't believe the filter came off or how long it had been off... I do know that the pump was sucking up any junk in the tank and it was failing under acceleration...

I am interested in cutting the floor to eliminate dropping the tank again even though it only took an hour or so to drop, drain 8 gallons of gas out of it, replace the pump, reinstall tank and refill with the fuel I drained out... I just wonder how you will seal the floor to keep out water, air, exhaust, etc...

Great pictures btw...

 

[kimball]

well I actually still have that part to do. I decided to drive it for a day or so before
i seal it up. I plan on using some flashing metal with self tapping screws and silacone.
I am sure that will be fine. I used a side grinder with a 4" cutting wheel. I was concearned about the sparks so i had a fire extingusher handy. I plan on taking a picture and uploading it today.

 

[DR]

Thanks for the pictures and information step by step. It sure would help also to have reference points by dimensions on where to make the cuts. Where to make the cut from the top and bottom and left and right. 1993 XLT. Thanks, Don

 

[johnny23toronto]

answer for scrivyscriv

yes, its a two door sport.

I used strips of 3" wide sheet metal and self tapping screws to close it up.

I banged it smooth with a hammer.

Then I sealed it with silver hvac tape, its airtight.

It turned out nice in the end.

As for reference points of where to cut, I kept looking from bottom and top, and you can kinda reference it from the seatbelt bolts, to about 1" (going towards the rear) from the angled/sloped portion nearest the front.

 

[scrivyscriv]

Someone asked this earlier in the thread and it got passed over -

Anyone care to post the quick-disconnect coupling sizes? They're either 1/4", 5/16", or 3/8" inch, and it's a lost battle trying to get them off with the wrong size tool.

I'll post my tool sizes up here if someone doesn't beat me to it.

As a side note, don't buy the plastic disconnect tools. The tabs will break off and the legs will wear out. And if you *do* buy the plastic tools, don't buy the short type. They're for A/C work and won't even touch the inner tabs of the fuel line couplings.

 

[CarolinaBlazer]

Just thought I'd add a picture of the access panel I made in my '97 4-dr XLT since this site has been so helpful with other Explorer related issues. It's not the prettiest cut.... I has to widen the opening a couple times by trial and error until I could get the whole sending unit out. For some reason, the location of my sending unit seemed a little farther back compared to the other Gen 2 Explorer picture thats in this thread. The white square on the right side of the picture is double-sided tape that helps hold the yellow bracket down (the bracket that secures the jack extention rods).... use that for reference when cutting.

Like others, I was very concerned about using an angle grinder to cut just inches away from the fuel lines, but since I live in a condo and had to use the parking lot, dropping the tank wasn't an option without getting the HOA people in a tizzy. One suggestion to help hedge the fire rsik, once I made a couple cuts and could peel back the metal, I covered the top of the tank with 3 or 4 water-soaked shop rags, right beneath where I was cutting. It isn't fool-proof but it gave me a little piece of mind.

Hope this helps...