So I bought a Fuel Injection Pressure Tester.
On the fuel Rail there is a Schrader style (looks like a car/truck tire valve stem) valve with a blue cap on it. Unscrew this cap and you will see the valve. There was a fitting within the testing kit for the Schrader Valve. Upon connection after the truck had sat overnight there was only enough pressure to get the gauge to move BARELY off the low end stop. Upon turning the key and cycling it on and off for a few times the pressure only went up to about 3-5 psi. This was my indication that the Fuel Pump was dead in the water (or fuel actually). So I went and picked up a pump for $160 from Schucks. I was surprised to find it to be a Carter. Not the best but not the worst pump you can buy.
Now this is all from memory so you will have to bear with me if some of my sizes and tools are wrong...
I also usually have pretty detailed write-ups with pictures of every step. As I was getting rained on I hardly felt the need for this. =)
Tools you will need to replace the fuel pump...
3/8 drive ratchet, 3", 6", and 9" extensions and a universal joint (you will NEED the u-joint)
5/16" socket, 1/2" socket, 11/16" socket
5/16" Fuel Line Removal Tool
Needle Nose Pliers
Dielectric Grease
PB Blaster (or any penetrating oil)
Wire crimping tool
Floor jack and jack stands
Optional tools...
Fuel Injection Pressure Tester
Antisieze (any will do but I only use Copper based)
1. First off get the truck in the air as high as the stands will go. I just raised the rear of the vehicle by the Differential and set the stands under the rear axle as high as they would go. You don't really need the front of the vehicle in the air though. There is enough room to complete the task but having the front raised up would ease the pain a little bit.
2. First off you want to relieve the pressure in the system. (since you have no fuel pressure this should not apply but...) Remove your Fuel Pump Relay. Then start the vehicle like normal. It should fire then die. Now your Fuel System is relieved of pressure and you can remove the lines without getting blasted in the face by fuel. If your fuel pump is completely dead then you will not be able to do this. Mine was just barely pumping still so I went ahead and removed the fuel line going to the fuel filter from the tank with the fuel line disconnect tool. Stuck the hose into a gas can and turned the key on. This will pump the remaining fuel out of the tank. I highly suggest doing this as you will be lifting the tank back up for installation. If your pump has completely $#it the bed then siphon out your tank with a chunk of fuel line or whatever you have.
3. After emptying the tank you will want to take the gas cap off and remove the three screws holding the filler neck in place behind the gas door. These are a Star pattern or TORX bit style head. They also have a hex head on the outside. I believe it is 5/16". After removal stuff a shop rag in the filler neck and leave the gas cap off. I just left the three little screw in the filler area and closed the gas door.
4. Follow the filler neck down towards the tank. Above the rear wheel in the wheel well there is a steel strap that holds the filler tube in place also. Remove the 5/16" screw holding that in place also. Set it in the fuel door so you do not lose it.
5. Onto the Fuel Tank Protection Plate. There are 4 1/2" bolts holding this shield in place. Don't forget to spray them with PB Blaster before trying to remove them. They have been on the vehicle for a while and they also are a "Lock-Nut" style receiver clip for the bolt. They are hard to turn as it is and with corrosion they are even harder. They will break the tab if too much force is applied. Lube them up! With these 4 bolts gone the shield will drop down. Get it out from under the car and out of the way.
6. Onto Fuel tank removal. There are 2 11/16" bolts at the front of the fuel tank. You will see that one of the clips that hold the bolts for the shield is in the way. Take your needle nose pliers and release the tab on the clip to release the clip from the vehicle. It will slide right off. Remove the two 11/16" bolts. Now the tank will drop about an inch to its resting place within the mounting bracket. It will not go anywhere at this point. Here is where it is a good idea to have a friend with you. There is a strap going under the belly of the tank. You can find the bolt towards the center of the vehicle that holds it in place. Set a support under the rear of the tank and remove the bolt for the strap. The fuel tank should come down a little. Now you will have to keep the rear of the tank supported as there are connections that you do not want to have ripped out. There is one electrical connection running along the frame rail that has to be unclipped from the frame rail and disconnected. Take your time in looking at how this disconnects as you do not want to screw it up. There is also a vent that is the same size as the fuel line that needs to be disconnected. It has a little plastic retaining dillywhacker that has to be manipulated with your needle nose pliers to release. It is kind of like a plastic snap clip that holds the line to the tank. Again look at it and figure out how it works so you don't screw it up. Now you have the supply and return main lines for the fuel system itself. These are easy. Remove the metal clip and insert the 5/16" Fuel Line Disconnect Tool. These directly correlate front line off the frame rail to the front line on the tank and rear to rear. Now your tank should be free to drop. You will have to slide the tank towards the rear of the vehicle to get the front lip of the tank out of the mounting bracket. You will have to feed the Filler Neck and hoses down as you drop the tank though. Do not manhandle these too much as you do not want to screw these up but they can be fed through to drop the tank on the ground.
7. Now that the tank is on the ground you can access the Fuel Pump. There are 6 5/16" bolts holding the pump into the tank. Remove them. There is also another electrical connection going from the pump to the top of the tank study it closely and disconnect the connection. You will not be able to remove the pump unless it is disconnected. Now the Fuel Pump assembly is ready to come out. BE CAREFUL!!! The pump assembly has a float and a filter on the end of it. You have to weave it out of the tank as to not bend the fragile float arm. This is why you have to drop the tank onto the ground also. With everything in the rear still attached there is not enough room to remove the assembly. (Don't ask me how I know...)
8. Now that you have the Fuel Pump Assembly out you can replace the Fuel Pump. Cut the RED and BLACK wires closest to the Fuel Pump body ONLY! There will be 3 5/16" screws to remove to release the Pump from the assembly. The Fuel Lines just sit inside the pump so it should just slide right off with the screws removed. Now you will have to strip back the wires with your crimping tool. Slide the new Fuel Pump on and screw it back into place. Nest you will want to make the connection with the butt connectors provided in the new Fuel Pump. If your Pump did not come with new connectors you MUST make sure you use connectors the can withstand Fuel as they will be submerged for the rest of their life in Fuel. Make the connections RED to RED and BLACK to BLACK. Test your connections by trying to pull apart the wires at the butt connectors. If they come apart of wiggle at all start over with that connection. I like to crimp the outer parts of the butt connectors first then once in the middle. Don't be afraid to tug on these connectors as if they are faulty you will have to pull your tank again. Make sure they are good!!! You should have a new rubber gasket with the Fuel Pump. The stock gasket has rubber location pins that stick up through the top of the Fuel Pump Assembly. Clip those off and clean under the old gasket. The new gasket had a sticky side so I remove the adhesive backing and stuck it EXACTLY in the same place as the old gasket. Make sure the bolt holes line up before you stick it on because if you have to remove it it will tear. If it tears then get another one or reuse your old one. Do not install a torn gasket it will inevitably leak and you do not want leaks.
9. Stick the Fuel Pump Assembly with a new Fuel Pump back in the tank. Line up the bolt holes and tighten them all snug at first then go around again and tighten them until they seat. Do not overtighten them as you do not want to try and repair the threads in the tank. If you do manage to strip one of the bolts then you will just want to address the situation right then and there or it will cause you troubles down the road. Murphy's Law.
10. Now that the Fuel Pump Assembly is back in the tank and secure you will want to feed the filler neck up as you raise the rear of the tank. Once the rear of the tank is up you will want to support the rear of the tank with the front of the tank on the ground still. First off make all of your electircal connections. I ALWAYS fill ANY electrical connector with Dielectric Grease that I disconnect...ALWAYS! So pack the connector with Dielectric Grease and make the connections. If you did it right then you should have a little residual Dielectric Grease squishing out as you re-connect it. Remember there are two electrical connectors to re-connect. now you have your Fuel Vent Line. The plastic connector, if you didn't screw it up, should be reusable and snap back into place once the hose is pushed back onto the hard line. If you screwed up the retaining clip get a new one and install it. Do not just think it will stay there it will not. Now you have to connect your Fuel Lines. Push them on and confirm that you heard them "click" by trying to pull them off again. When both of them are on and have clicked then you must return the metal spring clips to their original positions. These clips are the same ones as you have to remove to replace the fuel filter. They look like they can fit both ways but there is only one correct way to install them. Make sure you get it right. Double check all of your electrical connections and all of your Fuel/Vapor Lines for solid attachment.
11. After all of your connections are made you can start the installation of the Fuel Tank again. Since the rear of the Fuel Tank is up in the air already all you have to do is lift the front up and slide it into the catch area of the mounting bracket. It should stay there once the whole tank is pushed forward. I installed the two front 11/16" bolts first then the Fuel Tank Strap. The strap was a pain to get the bolt threaded again but it finally went. This is another time when it is handy to have an extra set of hands. Once the strap is in make sure your filler neck is lined up and install the 3 screws for it. Don't forget the metal strap above the rear wheel in the wheel well to support the filler tube. The screw should have been with the 3 filler neck screws if you followed the instructions. =)
12. Since the tank is secure and all bolts have been checked for tightness you can move on to installation of the Fuel Tank Protection Plate. You should have an extra clip laying around that you removed for access to one of the front Fuel Tank Bolts. Reinstall the clip. Now you can install the Plate and 4 bolts. It couldn't hurt to apply some antiseize to these bolts as they are subject to the elements and will rust.
13. If you have a fuel Injection Pressure Tester now is the time to get it out. If you had previously tested the system pressure from the Fuel Rail then it should still be hooked up. =) Either or...Hook it up to the Fuel Rail VIA the Schrader Valve on top of the engine with a blue cap. If you removed the Fuel Pump Relay out of the Relay Box you will obviously need to replace it before turning the key. Now turn the key and listen for the fuel pump. It should pump and your Fuel Pressure at the Fuel Rail should raise slightly. Since there is only air in the line it will take a few cycles of the key to return the Fuel System to normal pressure. Cycle the key off and on about 10 times each time waiting for the Fuel Pump to stop every time. As you will see your Fuel Pressure will start to climb. Mine only reached about 30-35 PSI. Now cycle the key on and try to start your truck. If she fires up then break out the beer, bottle or whatever your preference is for celebration. If she doesn't fire then it sucks to be you!
End of line.
All in all this job was not hard but it was a pain in the @$$ to do. Especially not being able to get it to my shop where it is warm and dry. On a lift with 2 guys I could see where this could be narrowed down to a 1-2 hour job. Realistically plan on spending 3-4 hours if you are doing it on the ground by yourself.
I hope this write-up will help someone in the future. If it does you can buy me a beer! E-mail or PM me if you have any questions. E-mail would be better seeing how I do not own a Ford and probably won't be on this site too much.
generacerator@yahoo.com
