New Fuel Pump

[rustbucketMI]

I have to drop my fuel tank to replace the fuel pump. any suggestions? anything would be appreciated

 

[shamaal]

Empty the tank first?

Release fuel line pressure at the schrader valve on the fuel rail with a rag over it.

The tank has to be dropped, self explanatory.

The fuel pump has two gas fitting connectors that require a special tool to disconnect. Even when using the tool it is occasionally fifficult to get them to separate. Avoid temptation to cut fuel line and replace later, they're damned expensive.

If you run into this problem the little retainer inside the fitting can be removed with a jewelers screwdriver. Replacement retainers can be had at auto stores.

The fuel pump retaining ring is occasionally rusted. It can be beat off with a brass punch or similar material, avoid sparks around gas tanks.

Searches will yield info and pictures.

Good luck.

 

[gsmaclean]

I have to drop my fuel tank to replace the fuel pump. any suggestions? anything would be appreciated

My suggestion is to not drop the fuel tank. It's a lot of work, and you have to (well, you should) replace the straps and bolt hardware.

Another user here tried this, and I did it as well, successfully: Pull up the carpet over top of the fuel sender unit and cut a hole through the floor. Disconnect the fuel lines and sender wires, remove the sender through the hole you cut. Fix or replace the sender, put it back through the hole into the fuel tank, connect the fuel lines and wires. Button up the hole.

The other user here cut the (square) hole on three sides and bent it up for access to the sender. I cut mine on four sides, and disposed of the sheetmetal. I replaced it with a new piece of steel that I rust-painted, caulked and riveted in place. I cut mine using an air chisel, it was like slicing through paper with a sharp knife, only took a couple of minutes.

Before starting, to relieve fuel pressure, run the truck and disconnect the inertia switch (underneath carpet in front passenger footwell) while running, until the engine dies.

The retaining ring on the sender is usually quite rusted. Mine wouldn't budge, so I cut through mine with the air chisel on one side, then pried it out. I vacuumed up all bits of rust and crud before removing the sender, to prevent them from falling into the tank. New sender retaining rings can be bought at rockauto.com for around $5.

The sender wires disconnect inside the frame rail just above the left rear axle.

Oh, the fuel lines on my sender were rusted, and there was no way no how they were going to disconnect out of the fuel line fittings, even with the special tools. I ended up cutting them (I was replacing the sender anyway) and then using a drill to gently extract the remnants out of the fuel lines. I had to replace the retaining "fingers" inside the fuel line fittings, $4 from NAPA.

Instead of laying on my back under the truck swearing as rust and crap dropped in my face while trying to get my heavy tank to drop, I sat inside the truck and did everything from above. Highly recommended method.

 

[e39dream]

if your truck is rusty as your user name suggests I'd consider the cut thru floor method- my lines rusted and broke when lowering the tank- still sourcing replacement line.

 

[gsmaclean]

if your truck is rusty as your user name suggests I'd consider the cut thru floor method- my lines rusted and broke when lowering the tank- still sourcing replacement line.

That's another reason I did it - some of my fuel lines (the vapor return line, specifically) are extremely rusty, and I figured I'd replace them while I dropped the tank - except I couldn't find new ones ANYWHERE.

 

[dr.gandhi]

can you please guide me where exactly to cut the square you described ?

 

[dansnyder22]

Another user here tried this, and I did it as well, successfully: Pull up the carpet over top of the fuel sender unit and cut a hole through the floor. Disconnect the fuel lines and sender wires, remove the sender through the hole you cut. Fix or replace the sender, put it back through the hole into the fuel tank, connect the fuel lines and wires. Button up the hole

i think this a very "ghetto"/lazy way of doing it. don't cut a hole in your floor. do it properly

 

[cculter]

i think this a very "ghetto"/lazy way of doing it. don't cut a hole in your floor. do it properly

I agree, it isn't that hard to drop the tank. You can break the fuel lines coming from the sender unit if you are going to replace that as well (you should). The ring holding the sending unit on will more than likely be rusted on pretty good. you might need a lot of space to take that off.

 

[fordnut71]

beleve me when its -30 outside an a 1 1/2' of snow on the ground youll wish you had the hole to do it the lazy way also.

 

[dansnyder22]

beleve me when its -30 outside an a 1 1/2' of snow on the ground youll wish you had the hole to do it the lazy way also.

just stating my opinion, I have done 3 fuel pumps on explorers and by the time i did the 3rd one I could do it in 2 hours. but i also had a full shop with a lift and air tools

 

[Explodr94]

I don't know about the hole in the floor method, we don't rust that bad in So. Cal., but before you give me the rust lecture I grew up in Mpls. Anyways, I strongly recommend the steel fuel line release tool on the tank lines. I broke my plastic set when changing my fuel pump.

 

[fordnut71]

dont want to sound like i was flamming any one,so sorry if i sounded that way.

heres my 2cents on what happened to me an y i like the panel idea.

i did the hole in november,cause i had a sending unit rust out on me an leak.
the rust on the strapes an bolts didnt look the best.
after sizing everything up it starts raining so i remembered reading about cutting the floor an thought id give it a try.
took out everything i needed. used mr dremel tool an took my time cutting away. 2 disks later it had it opened.
couldnt beleave how easy it was an it was right there in front of me. so i installed a new carter pump an sender unit an lock ring.
some new sheet metal with self tapping screws an tub an tile silcone (cheap stuff almost looks like body seem filler) an im done.
mid feb im on my way from work after a snow storm an the truck starts missing an poping. its the new pump on its way out.
so this is where im thankful iv made the panel to the pump
out comes the back seat, cordless drill to remove the screws, clean up the silcone an im there. changed out the pump with the orignal pump,witch is now still in there now
replace every thing an reseal takes a lil over an hour re/re.

 

[boggs1227]

just my 2 cents on fuel pumps ......


buy a good QUALITY pump .

the first one i bought was made in mexico by some company and was $90 from advance auto .well after dropping my tank and installing it ....it started makeing bad sick whale type sounds so, i went back and spent another $30 and got a "new" bosch pump witha lifetime warr' ....has not gone bad yet ...the other only had a 90 day warr' .

so what does this teach me ? don't skimp on hard to get to parts : ! ha !

after dropping my tank the second time taught me a lesson .though i got better at dropping the tank the second around tho still was not fun to do 2 times in a row.

tho dropping my tank did let me do a couple of things ,

1) clean the tank inside really good
2) found rocks caught under he skid plate ( grinding into the tank plastic)
3) made sure all the bump stops attached to the tank were doing their jobs
and for the ones that had seen better days i replaced with new bumpers
and attached them with silicone.
4) re-painted my skid plate ( yes stupid i know ...but looks new at least)

i did use a metal fuel line tool ( the alum' ones that are gold and red ) i tried to use the plastic type tools but had NO luck at all with them .but getting carb spray and spraying the high pressure carb cleaner into the catch release on the line made them easy to remove ( so i could had used the platic ones but i still prefered to have the metal ones ) .the lines / catch release will get some much road grime into the opening that you can not use the tool with ease ....remove the dirt and the line tool can work better .

also remember to mark the direction on the lines on how they meet with the fuel pump .this way you can make sure you don't stress your plastic fuel lines when you re-connect the pump to the fuel system .

 

[fordnut71]

just my 2 cents on fuel pumps ......


buy a good QUALITY pump ..

carter use to be a good quality pumps,seeing they are owned by federal mogal.
my truck is now running on the factory 1994 ford fuel pump

 

[dr.gandhi]

mmmm, ok guys , if i put some kind of grease or oil to reduce the sparks, and used the grinder to cut ,,, is it ok ? or still dangerous ?? what do you think ??

 

[fordnut71]

to risk the chance of sparks try either
1)a dremel type tool that has multi speed settings an use the 1 that cuts without stalling the tool with 1" reinforced disks. ( its what i used to do it an used 2 disks to do it)

2) drill holes in the corners as starting points an use sheet metal snips to cut the lines.
the sender an tank is about 2-3" below the floor so beware you could drill into the tank if you go to far down.

 

[boggs1227]

and sparaying the lines did not help remove the dirt so you can release them ?