Joe T. Squirrel Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hey all, My car just hit the big 100,000 miles and hasn't been able to get out of its own way lately. I hooked up a fuel pressure guage and measured zero pounds with the key turned on and then started the car (with a bit of cranking) and the pressure slowly built up to around 25 lbs. I don't hear the pump turn on at any time. I went ahead and replaced the fuel filter and pump relay, but no go - looks like I'm in for a pump replacement. I'm curious if anyone has done this job and has any tips? I have my trusty factory service manual, but wanted hands-on advice just in case ("Don't touch the white wire! I did and now they call me 'Three finger Murphy'" ) Thanks, JTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redfox340 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Welcome aboard!!! I've personally pulled a fuel tank out of a A-Body (1988 Celebrity) for a fuel pump and the hardest part was reconnecting fuel lines after the install. Some were plastic and other were metal. Make sure to mark / tag all of your fittings. Other it's not that big a deal; raise and support the rear end and drop the tank down. Piece of cake. Best of luck, and again, welcome! - Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 I hope you dont have a full tank of gas!! Oh, yeah, and Welcome aboard!! Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timg Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 drain the tank as much as possible. If it's not run almost dry you'll have to jump the relay to get the gas out using the stock fuel pump. You don't have to worry about disconnecting any fuel lines other than the fuel filter. Anyway, good luck! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heza Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 i really have no advice on fuel pumps....but....WELCOME ABOARD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Welcome! I have done this, but I don't know that I have anything to add... It's much easier with an empty (or near empty) tank. You'd be surprised at how much the tank weighs even when there's just a couple inches of fuel at the bottom. I used my hydraulic jack to help lift the tank back into the car. Also be careful not to drop the tank, as the plastic baffles inside could break. Other than that, good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe T. Squirrel Posted July 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hey all, Thanks the warm welcome - friendliest board I've ever seen! 8) I hope to get into this mess today or tomorrow since I have a cold (lukewarm) front passing through my end of the world - 80 degrees with low humidity beats 95 degrees any day! Thanks again and I'll post back with the results. JTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Im just curious where in KY you are. And yeah, here in far southwest KY, it is EXTREMELY nice today, lowER humidity and temps arent too bad either Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 It's pretty nice today in Missouri too, but I'm sure it's the same cold front as Kentucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe T. Squirrel Posted July 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hey robby1870, I'm in Louisville watching thunderstorms roll through right now - they're calling for mid-70's tomorrow, so that sounds like a good a time as any to be rolling under a car doused in fuel. :? Where's that fire extinguisher? I looked up Fulton - man, you're way down there. I've been to Land Between the Lakes a time or two - real nice area. JTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Oh yeah, KY lake (around LBL) is very awesome. In fact me and some friends are going there tomorrow to do some camping. Yeah, I am way down there. Im real far away from anything cool, lol. Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe T. Squirrel Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Hey all, Everything went well - I have the gas tank out in the center of the garage and have all the parts necessary except for a new pulse dampener (due in tomorrow). I have read through the archives and saw that some people have simply discarded the pulse dampener and replaced it with a length of fuel hose, but I'm curious if anyone recommends reusing the old one? It doesn't appear to be a part that can "go bad" but I suppose there's an off chance that metal particles, etc. could be caught in it? Also, I ended up with a Carter (Federal-Mogul) pump for $75 - any opinions on quality? Used to be in the 70's you heard about Carter all the time, but I don't know much about them now. I suppose if Carter is known to be junk, I can take it back and try again. JTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 I thought about bypassing it too, but I went ahead and bought a new one. I'm not sure why, I THINK I read something on the web or the newsgroups that said over time the fuel pressure regulator could be weakened by the pulses if the damper isn't present. I figure it must be true, after all, that little damper is more expensive than a length of rubber fuel hose, and GM isn't into spending money unless it's absolutely necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe T. Squirrel Posted July 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Hey all, Bringing this to the top for the last time and then I'm done! It's all buttoned up - I went ahead and cancelled the order for the dampener since I found it at another parts store (last one they had). Suffice to say, the car runs and runs well. So I will pat myself on the back. The hardest part? Reconnecting the *!%@$ negative battery terminal. The only thing I had done was move the structural bar that runs diagonally across the top of the battery. Whoever decided to use a side post battery buried under 30 different objects needs to bite me with gusto! I have a friend with a POS '96 Thunderbird (uses the good old top-post-buried-under-nothing design); I could have relocated the battery to the trunk in it, and it still would be faster than dealing with GM's design. PITA. Thanks again the help and welcome! JTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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