I am stuck and fed up - help would be appreciated

[kernowman]

I've dropped the fuel tank as far as the feed lines will allow - now I am stuck. Can't remove the two fuel line connectors. They seem to be duckbill from looking at Haynes, but can't find out how to undo them without the special tool. Haynes says use a pair of pliers to release the duckbills - can't get my head anywhere near the couplings to see in the end, but putting a small screwdriver in cannot feel anything in there to compress and release. Thought they may be springlock, but my springlock tools won't fit on them. Any help would be much appreciated.
Richard

 

[BIGHVM]

Mate why have youu dropped the tank? Afraid I cant advise as I have never gone near those lines-- Iwould think they are clips- if you the letter H with the two verticals bent over to lock- thats how some of the clips look in my Bay and well....I would imagine them to be like that....Good luck with that!
Think you need a high power light under there - most of my trouble under the car when working on it is due to poor or no light! I got this mega halogen hand torch that charged from the mains- this is like a flood light when its on- really helps under there!

 

[kernowman]

H, ongoing problems with the fuel pump - new one got to come out again (if the previous garage ever fitted a new one!!!). Doing all the work myself now

Have plenty of light - unions are on top of the tank and facing away from me, so I can't see in the ends of them. Can't get my head up between tank/axle/propshaft to have a good look, and before you say it, I haven't got a big head. Might try some of the red bull mentioned in your other post, in desperation. If that don't work, its on the whisky tonight (probably will anyway).

 

[Stenasev]

Hi,

Not really familiar with the names of fittings. Is a duckbill a metal fitting? I can send/post a couple of pages from the manual I have covering plastic and metal fittings. May not be any help but probably won't hurt

Let me know.

SS

 

[IAmTodd]

If it is anything like the fuel filter you will need the tools to disconnect the aircon lines.

http://www.trademarktoolz.co.uk/fuel--air-con-disconnect-tool-kit-21pc-1885-p.asp

They are the 7 white ones in the centre.

 

[kernowman]

SS, have now worked out that it is not a duckbill, but just a Ford quick disconnect coupling in two different sizes. The little plastic thingies I need are like the one shown in the pic for the fuel filter. This is the smallest one I think, but also need a larger one.
http://photos.imageevent.com/eelpusdet/miscpics/fuelfilter3.jpg
Todd, as you say, I think the white ones shown in the Sealy set are the ones I need, but I didn't want to pay 65 odd quid for a full set, just to use them the once.
There are these on eBay, but they do not look very deep and I wonder if they would go far enough into the coupling - not much information on them.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LISLE-FUEL-LI...286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65:10|39:1|240:1318
Richard

 

[Howard]

Try these. http://www.uktools.com/product_info.php?products_id=2512

 

[BIGHVM]

Real Pita that she is in bits mate- sorry for you! I wonder if the joins can be cut out and the pipes joined with well pipe unions and cable ties.....Worth a thought anyway as its
almost silly to buy the tools for a once in a lifetime fix and have them in the shed forever?

 

[DeRocha]

Check out the Fuel filter removal thread for lots of info and pics on removing the fuel lines. The lines CANNOT be removed without the special tool without damaging the lines and or fittings.

 

[fcat]

i have a small metal release tool for the fuel filter lines that came with my replacement fuel filter if you want i can post it off to you if it'll help
Just let me know
regards
Si

 

[kernowman]

Si, much appreciated - a great offer, but I still have to go for the set, as there are at least two different size fuel lines - one is the same as the fuel filter, the second is larger. As for the third connection, I cannot see this one at the moment - though possibly think it might only be a vent pipe.

Real Pita that she is in bits mate- sorry for you! I wonder if the joins can be cut out and the pipes joined with well pipe unions and cable ties

H, such a confined space, don't fancy going down the modification route - also dealing with 30 to 40 psi pressure in the lines. Howards link to the set of tools seems the best bet - tenner plus VAT and post hopefully should do the trick.

Thanks everybody for the help and encouragement. The Ex is still the best thing I have ever owned, despite this ongoing fuel problem. Have only managed four journeys totalling 20 miles since before Christmas - rest of the time has been off the road as a non-starter with fuel troubles. Hopefully, this time can get it sorted properly and get on with some serious motoring.
Richard

 

[DuncanOfEngland]

Richard

You can fabricate a release tool with a short length of hose clip, cut to length and bent to the appropriate radius. Push it along the fuel line to release the spring inside the connector and pull the pipe from the flange.

Alternatively, you unscrew the 8 bolts which hold the fuel pump/sender unit to the tank and drop the tank, leaving the fuel lines in place.

My best guess is that there's nothing wrong with the fuel pump and that the fault lies within the fuel pump immobiliser which sits on top of the fuel pump/sender unit (It looks like a relay). You can bypass this by cutting both of the thick wires, and joining them, so that the wire into the fuel pump/sender unit is connected to the vehicle's wiring.

Duncan

 

[kernowman]

Duncan, you have made my day. The fabricated release tool was something that I had thought about. I had tried a temporary tool made out of fairly thick walled polythene tube, but found this was either too soft or I had not quite got the diameter correct, which seems fairly critical. I was going to try tommorrow to drop the tank leaving the lines in place, but was not sure if it was possible to get the unit out as I gather it has to be tilted at quite and angle to clear, if I remember correctly, the float. Unfortunately, I am not on a ramp, only raised and on axle stands.
The most important thing to me is the fuel pump immobiliser - I wondered what was in the little 'tin box' on the top of the unit - nowhere in any manual does it say this even exists. I somehow thought there may be a problem between the tank connector and pump, but all I could think of was a broken wire making intermittent contact, or the internal connector in the tank.
What is the purpose of the pump immobiliser? I assume it must be there for a reason and also assume it is safe to leave it permanently bypassed.
Richard

 

[fcat]

Duncan, you have made my day. The fabricated release tool was something that I had thought about. I had tried a temporary tool made out of fairly thick walled polythene tube, but found this was either too soft or I had not quite got the diameter correct, which seems fairly critical. I was going to try tommorrow to drop the tank leaving the lines in place, but was not sure if it was possible to get the unit out as I gather it has to be tilted at quite and angle to clear, if I remember correctly, the float. Unfortunately, I am not on a ramp, only raised and on axle stands.
The most important thing to me is the fuel pump immobiliser - I wondered what was in the little 'tin box' on the top of the unit - nowhere in any manual does it say this even exists. I somehow thought there may be a problem between the tank connector and pump, but all I could think of was a broken wire making intermittent contact, or the internal connector in the tank.
What is the purpose of the pump immobiliser? I assume it must be there for a reason and also assume it is safe to leave it permanently bypassed.
Richard

I might be wrong but i think the Fuel pump imobiliser is in case of an accident, if the car rolls over or has a bad smash the imobiliser stops fule being shot out all over the place! i used to have a mondeo that if you went over a big enough pothole the imobiliser would shut off the fuel pump and youd have to reset it by pushing a swich in the boot.

 

[kernowman]

I might be wrong but i think the Fuel pump imobiliser is in case of an accident, if the car rolls over or has a bad smash the imobiliser stops fule being shot out all over the place!

This would have been my first thought, but it does seem strange as there is already the resettable inertia fuel cut-off switch in the passenger footwell which cuts off the voltage to the pump if you hit anything.

 

[DuncanOfEngland]

Richard

The fuel pump immobiliser sits under that tin can. It is part of the engine immobiliser circuit on early Explorers like yours. The immobiliser is not the same as the fuel cut-off switch which is there in the case of a heavy collision.

The fuel pump immobiliser was deleted on the facelift models (those with the rear number plate in the centre of the tailgate), in favour of the more sophisticated PATS system, which is much more difficult (but not impossible) to bypass.

I have spent a great deal of time studying the electrics on Ford Explorers and I know that not one circuit diagram ever published gives the complete picture.

I hope that you will soon be back on the road.

Duncan

 

[kernowman]

Duncan, thanks for the info. Progress report - I am happy Took the pump unit out of the top of the tank with the fuel lines in situ. Then disconnected the fuel lines - easy to do when you can see in the end and locate the spring clips. However, even though you could twist the joints quite easily, they were very difficult to get off the O rings - think that was why I could not get them off earlier - the little tool I made was actually working. Put 12 volts across the pump - dead through the tank connector. I assume the pump imobiliser has to have a voltage applied to it somewhere from the main engine imobiliser circuit to get the pump to operate. Then put voltage dirrectly across the pump terminals, bypassing the pump imobiliser and the pump ran perfectly. Spot on Duncan with your diagnostics. Going to bypass the imobiliser now - what a way to spend an Easter Saturday night!!!!
Richard

 

[fcat]

Duncan, thanks for the info. Progress report - I am happy Took the pump unit out of the top of the tank with the fuel lines in situ. Then disconnected the fuel lines - easy to do when you can see in the end and locate the spring clips. However, even though you could twist the joints quite easily, they were very difficult to get off the O rings - think that was why I could not get them off earlier - the little tool I made was actually working. Put 12 volts across the pump - dead through the tank connector. I assume the pump imobiliser has to have a voltage applied to it somewhere from the main engine imobiliser circuit to get the pump to operate. Then put voltage dirrectly across the pump terminals, bypassing the pump imobiliser and the pump ran perfectly. Spot on Duncan with your diagnostics. Going to bypass the imobiliser now - what a way to spend an Easter Saturday night!!!!
Richard

Glad your sorted out, relax and scoff some chocolate eggs tomorrow

 

[kernowman]

Glad your sorted out, relax and scoff some chocolate eggs tomorrow

Thanks, bacon sarnies now and an extra large whisky:biggthump

 

[BIGHVM]

Oh I see its kinda like a pressure fit system--I hope your sorted mate!