How to Change your Fuel Pump - '95-'01 Explorers

[MrQ]

Replacing fuel pump guide
(Note: 99-up Fuel Systems are returnless. there is only one quick disconnect on the sending unit to remove and the fuel pressure regulator is in the sending unit):

Dropping the tank requires a long 16mm for the front two bolts on the gas tank, a short 13mm, 8mm, 7mm, assorted sizes of quick disconnect tools, long extension, wobble, jack and patience. A second pair of hands is always welcome with this job.

Remove the spare. Lift the Explorer and put it on jack stands as high as it will go so the tank will slide out, (put them under the frame just before the forward leaf spring perches so the axle will drop a little bit making it easier to get to the two lines on the rear of the tank.)

Remove the two filler hoses going to the rear of the tank. Loosen the hose clamps and work them off.

Put your jack under the rear of the tank to support it. Towards the middle of the tank there will be a plastic strap. it has a long 13mm bolt that is over the top of the driveshaft bolted to the frame. Use the wobble and long extension to remove it (if you want you can unbolt the driveshaft from the rear axle to get more clearance. You will need a 12 point 12mm deep socket).

(For this next step you might want to remove the driver's side rear wheel to be able to get enough clearance to get to the connections.)

Drop the tank a little bit so as to reach the plastic evap line (DO NOT drop all the way, the plastic EVAP hose will break if stretched too far.) Remove the green evap line connector by squeezing the two tabs and pulling it off. Disconnect the electrical connector to the pump.

If you can reach the quick disconnects for the fuel lines remove them now, if you can't you can drop the tank a little more, just don't put any tension on the fuel lines. There will be a lot of fuel coming out of the lines so keeps some rags handy.

Lift the tank back up to its original position to take the strain off the two bolts on the front of the tank and remove them. Drop the tank again as far as it will go (you may have to slide it off the jack to get enough clearance) and slide backwards. (depending on how much fuel is in the tank a second pair of hands on the front of the tank may be required.)

Slide the tank off the jack once the front of the tank is on the ground if you haven't already. Move the tank to the passenger side to get it off the strap, then lift the strap out of the T-slot in the drivers side frame rail and slide it and the tank out from under the explorer.

Remove the 6 8mm screws holding the fuel pump sending unit in. Remember the orientation of the fuel lines! Carefully work the sending unit out of the tank, the fuel level float will not come out with some careful maneuvering so DON'T FORCE IT. Once out make sure the sock is still attached to the pump. If not, it's probably floating in the tank and you will need to fish it out.

Loosen the hose clamp holding the fuel line to the pump and remove the electrical connector from the pump. Use the 7mm socket to remove the bolt holding the pump retaining strap in place. Slide the pump out of the sending unit.

Install is the reverse of removal. You may have to splice a new connector depending on the pump you get, follow the directions that came with unit. Orient the sending unit as you took it out. Slide the tank under the vehicle and hook the strap back into the t-slot, then put the tank on the jack and lift it up. Don't forget to install the evap line before lifting the tank all the way up. Push the tank up as far as it will go once done to get the strap bolted back in.

 

[Hacra]

Nice write up!

 

[donalds]

You should add some pictures
Use this thread to harvest them
Is my fuel pump bad 1999 ford explorer shoc 4.0. Lots of pictures on the replacement

 

[MrQ]

You should add some pictures
Use this thread to harvest them
Is my fuel pump bad 1999 ford explorer shoc 4.0. Lots of pictures on the replacement

Next time I do a fuel pump (which for me, will probably be pretty soon, ) I'll grab pics. I've done fuel pumps on 1st gens (2 times), 2nd gens (5 times), and a 3rd gen Sport. Each has a different way of being dropped, with the first gen that has the skid plate being the worst.

 

[koda2000]

I've changed the fuel pump in 2000's-2001's at least a 1/2 dozen times. Many of the instructions mentioned by Mr Q are valid and will certainly work, but below are some short-cuts I've learned that have allowed me to change the fuel pumps in around 90 mins.

Oh, and I've never removed my spare tires to replace a fuel pump. Do get the rear of the vehicle as high as possible.

1. Get the fuel tank as empty as possible.
2. After removing the front 2 tank mount bolts, wire tie/wire the front of the tank up to its bracket to act as a hinge. There is no reason to drop the front of the tank. and the "hinge" allows side to side movement, which is helpful when dealing with the strap mount bolt and strap.
3. Take the fuel line loose from the rear frame (one push-in clip) and don't even try to disconnect the fuel line from the assembly. It's not necessary. There's enough room to get the FP assembly out of the tank once the rear of the tank is on the ground and I've never had any reason to replace the FP assembly, just the pump. The only reason to replace the assembly are a broken/cracked FPR or if the fuel gauge sender is broken/inaccurate.
4. Once the FP assembly is out of the tank, swing it over the leaf spring to work on it.

Note 1: As you drop the tank, wash the top off (or use compressed air) to get the dirt off so the dirt doesn't fall into the tank when the FP assembly is unbolted.

Note 2: The evap hose is held to the fuel tank with a grey plastic clip that must be squeezed to release. If you look at it closely you'll see where to squeeze it. Then it should easily pull off. If you break this clip it's not the end of the world, I've found the hose will still stay in place and is sealed with an internal O-ring.

Note 3: If the worm clamps that hold the fuel fill and vent hoses to the tank bungs are rusted, I cut them off with my Dremel tool and replace them with new rad hose clamps.

Note 4: Wear gloves and eye protection with dealing the the fuel fill and vent hose. Those suckers are always degraded on the outside and will make your face and hands look like you've just spent a day working in a coal mine (plus it doesn't wash off easily).

 

[sidneyhop]

Thanks MrQ and koda2000 for this write up! Ive done this FP replacement a long time ago and remember it sucked. These tips will definitely help.

koda2000 out of all your explorers, which was your favorite? Ive had a few and noticed a HUGE difference in the AWD when it comes to handling.

 

[koda2000]

Thanks MrQ and koda2000 for this write up! Ive done this FP replacement a long time ago and remember it sucked. These tips will definitely help.

koda2000 out of all your explorers, which was your favorite? Ive had a few and noticed a HUGE difference in the AWD when it comes to handling.

I liked different things about almost all the Explorers/Mountaineers. I guess I could rank them...

Worst: Frist Explorer my daughter purchased was a salvaged title 2001 4-door 2WD SOHC 4.0L. This truck was a piece of junk and she paid too much for it. I was not involved with this purchase and would never have bought it. Got 2 years out of it before the engine blew.

Second worst would have to be my '01 Sport Trac (purchased sight unseen, neglected by previous owner. Appeared to have had little-to-no maintenance over it's near 200K life time. I love the utility of the Sport Trac, but not the 4.0L SOHC engine. In retrospect, I should have purchased a better example and saved myself a lot of labor fixing everything that was/is wrong with it. It's currently sitting on jack stands with it's engine removed.

Third worst would be the 2000 Mountaineer 5.0L AWD. Was advertised as a 2WD and I didn't notice that it was an AWD until I removed a front hubcap. The AWD worked fine, but the truck was the rustiest Gen II I'd purchased and considering how few miles we put on it over the 2-3 years we owned it, it needed it's share of repairs. I also did not want the AWD's weight, somewhat decreased fuel economy and mechanical complexity. I agree that the AWD has a very different feel compared to the 2WD's. Not a terrible vehicle considering what I paid for it, but I was glad to get rid of it.

Rated forth would be the '97 Sport 4.0L SOHC. The engine had been rebuilt by the previous owner. All-in-all not a terrible vehicle for what I paid for it, but it had a lot of miles and was just kind of worn out in general. Put 60K+ on it with no major repairs and sold it for about 1/2 what I'd paid for it.

Best would be the following three 2WD 5.0's...
1. 2000 Explorer 4-door XLT 5.0L 2WD. Had 200K on the clock, well equipped for an XLT, mechanically very sound and reliable, but paint was not very good. I bought it as a spare vehicle and used it for dump runs and caring my dogs around. I would have kept it, but I sold it (for more than I'd paid for it) after buying the Sport Trac.

2. 2000 Mountaineer 5.0 2WD. Got it for a great price w 179K on it. Looked very good from 15 feet away, but had scratches in the paint if you got up close to it. The PO said his toddler son once washed it with a rock. It's been the vehicle that we put the most miles put on (nearly 100,000 miles to-date). It was semi-retired this past Fall, but I still drive it regularly. Super reliable vehicle and apparently has softer springs as it rides better than any of our other Gen II's, which all had the towing pkg. It got rear-ended this past Summer, The insurance company gave me $1900 for the damage and I fixed it for the price of a used tail light and about an hour of my time, so it owes me nothing.

Best of the best would be my 2001 Eddie Bauer 5.0L 2WD. This vehicle was/is in the best condition of any of the Gen II I've purchased. Loaded, near perfect inside and out, zero rust anywhere, well maintained by it's previous owner and always garaged. I paid a premium for this vehicle, but it was worth every penny IMO. I've made a couple of repairs to this vehicle in the 7+ years I've owned it, but nothing major. It will very likely be the last vehicle I every buy for myself.

 

[sidneyhop]

I liked different things about almost all the Explorers/Mountaineers. I guess I could rank them...

Worst: Frist Explorer my daughter purchased was a salvaged title 2001 4-door 2WD SOHC 4.0L. This truck was a piece of junk and she paid too much for it. I was not involved with this purchase and would never have bought it. Got 2 years out of it before the engine blew.

Second worst would have to be my '01 Sport Trac (purchased sight unseen, neglected by previous owner. Appeared to have had little-to-no maintenance over it's near 200K life time. I love the utility of the Sport Trac, but not the 4.0L SOHC engine. In retrospect, I should have purchased a better example and saved myself a lot of labor fixing everything that was/is wrong with it. It's currently sitting on jack stands with it's engine removed.

Third worst would be the 2000 Mountaineer 5.0L AWD. Was advertised as a 2WD and I didn't notice that it was an AWD until I removed a front hubcap. The AWD worked fine, but the truck was the rustiest Gen II I'd purchased and considering how few miles we put on it over the 2-3 years we owned it, it needed it's share of repairs. I also did not want the AWD's weight, somewhat decreased fuel economy and mechanical complexity. I agree that the AWD has a very different feel compared to the 2WD's. Not a terrible vehicle considering what I paid for it, but I was glad to get rid of it.

Rated forth would be the '97 Sport 4.0L SOHC. The engine had been rebuilt by the previous owner. All-in-all not a terrible vehicle for what I paid for it, but it had a lot of miles and was just kind of worn out in general. Put 60K+ on it with no major repairs and sold it for about 1/2 what I'd paid for it.

Best would be the following three 2WD 5.0's...
1. 2000 Explorer 4-door XLT 5.0L 2WD. Had 200K on the clock, well equipped for an XLT, mechanically very sound and reliable, but paint was not very good. I bought it as a spare vehicle and used it for dump runs and caring my dogs around. I would have kept it, but I sold it (for more than I'd paid for it) after buying the Sport Trac.

2. 2000 Mountaineer 5.0 2WD. Got it for a great price w 179K on it. Looked very good from 15 feet away, but had scratches in the paint if you got up close to it. The PO said his toddler son once washed it with a rock. It's been the vehicle that we put the most miles put on (nearly 100,000 miles to-date). It was semi-retired this past Fall, but I still drive it regularly. Super reliable vehicle and apparently has softer springs as it rides better than any of our other Gen II's, which all had the towing pkg. It got rear-ended this past Summer, The insurance company gave me $1900 for the damage and I fixed it for the price of a used tail light and about an hour of my time, so it owes me nothing.

Best of the best would be my 2001 Eddie Bauer 5.0L 2WD. This vehicle was/is in the best condition of any of the Gen II I've purchased. Loaded, near perfect inside and out, zero rust anywhere, well maintained by it's previous owner and always garaged. I paid a premium for this vehicle, but it was worth every penny IMO. I've made a couple of repairs to this vehicle in the 7+ years I've owned it, but nothing major. It will very likely be the last vehicle I every buy for myself.

Ive had 2 SOHC explorers, one sport and the other EB. The sport had the tow package with lower gears and had a lot of pep. Was fun to drive. My favorite to date because of the handling is the AWD V8. Cant beat the durability of the V8s IMO.
What brand fuel pump would you recommend? I dont want to do this chore again any time soon!
Thanks

 

[koda2000]

Bosch pump kit 69128 - eBay or Amazon. It's all I've used in my 2000's/2001's. Inexpensive and work great.

 

[sidneyhop]

Ok great. I almost bought the wrong one. Curious, amazon says 69128 wont fit my 2000 5.0. Also I looked on rock auto and they had this part #:
Bosch Automotive 66085. Whats different between the two? (pasting changed the font size)
Can you confirm 69128 is the correct part # please cause thats the one Ill order. Thanks

Bosch pump kit 69128 - eBay or Amazon. It's all I've used in my 2000's/2001's. Inexpensive and work great.

 

[koda2000]

Don't believe everything you read on the on-line fitment charts. It will fit. I've installed 6 of them in 2000-2001 V8 and V6 Explorers/Mountaineers. I even spoke to Bosch Automotive tech support and they said there is no difference. Only other things you'll need is a new fuel filter and a new strainer sock. You will not use the supplied large O-rings or one of the rubber insulators.

 

[koda2000]

BTW - I meant to mention that getting the grey squeeze-clip on the evap line to release from the fuel tank, you need to push it in while squeezing the clip, hold it and then pull the line off. Not knowing this is how I broke my first one. As I said in the instructions (Note 2, in post #5) if you break the plastic clip it's not the end of the world as the evap line will stay attached w/out the clip.

 

[sidneyhop]

BTW - I meant to mention that getting the grey squeeze-clip on the evap line to release from the fuel tank, you need to push it in while squeezing the clip, hold it and then pull the line off. Not knowing this is how I broke my first one. As I said in the instructions (Note 2, in post #5) if you break the plastic clip it's not the end of the world as the evap line will stay attached w/out the clip.

Great, thanks!

 

[sidneyhop]

Curious if another symptom Im experiencing, other than the hard starting, is from a failing fuel pump. There is a subtle, but noticeable cutting out of the engine. It wont die or anything close, just seems to be intermittent little 'blips' of not running smoothly. I initially thought it was my rear end binding cause that subtle jerking is what it feels like. This morning however I wasnt moving and it was doing the same thing.

 

[donalds]

Curious if another symptom Im experiencing, other than the hard starting, is from a failing fuel pump. There is a subtle, but noticeable cutting out of the engine. It wont die or anything close, just seems to be intermittent little 'blips' of not running smoothly. I initially thought it was my rear end binding cause that subtle jerking is what it feels like. This morning however I wasnt moving and it was doing the same thing.

Short answer is yes

That pump is intermittent best way to tell if your pump is bad is to do a fuel pressure test when it's acting up

 

[koda2000]

A 2000 Explorer should run around 65 PSI of fuel pressure. They have been known to run on a lot less, but not well. The only way to know for sure is to check the fuel pressure at the fuel rail with a pressure gauge. Don't bother pushing in the Schrader valve to see if fuel squirts out. That doesn't mean anything. You can borrow a fuel pressure gauge from most auto parts stores with a deposit. In a pinch you can even use a tire pressure gauge, but the fuel may ruin it.

 

[sidneyhop]

What are your thoughts on cutting an access door from the interior to the top of the fuel tank/pump? Was considering this as an alternative.

 

[koda2000]

What are your thoughts on cutting an access door from the interior to the top of the fuel tank/pump? Was considering this as an alternative.

I would not cut the floor unless you are dealing with considerable rust. To me it's just the wrong way to do things and is frankly more work than dropping the tank. If you're just replacing the pump and not the whole FP assembly you don't have to disconnect the fuel line from the top of the assembly if you drop the tank. I have found that getting the line to release from the assembly is typically a major PITA. Some here will disagree with me and every situation is different. The choice is yours.