Fuel Pump Replacement
Before deciding I needed to replace my fuel pump, I supplied 12vdc to the pump motor connector located at the bank of the tank. When I could not hear the pump run I was pretty sure my pump needed to be replaced.
Tools needed
- 8mm socket
- 10mm socket
- 13mm socket
- 3/8 fuel fuel line disconnect tool
- 5/16 fuel line disconnect tool
- Floor jack, or something to support the tank
Disconnect the battery
Put the car up on jack stands
Inside the fuel door, remove the gas cap, strap screw and two other 10mm screws.
From inside the trunk, you will need to remove the plastic cap at the trunk latch, by prying off the four plastic christmas trees. Then remove the 2 ea cap/hooks (for the cargo net) and remove the rear trunk trim panel. Pull back the right side trunk liner out of the way. (there may be a plastic cap on the top, usually they fall off)
Remove the large rubber hose near the top of the fuel filler neck, that vents out by the gas cap. The top of the fuel filler neck can now be removed from that plastic housing. It may be stuck together still with a gasket around the top. Separating the plastic body housing and the top of the filler neck may not be necessary but I did it to get as much room as possible for moving the filler neck around.
Remove the 3 8mm screws that hold the rubber seal around the filler neck.
You may not absolutely need to remove the rubber seal but it is easy and may give you a little more room when trying to get the fill neck out of the tank.
To drop the tank completely you will need to remove 5 vent lines, one fuel supply line, one electrical connector and remove the fuel filler neck. Some people opt for only dropping the tank low enough to gain access to replace the fuel pump. I choose to remove it completely.
Remove the vent line at the front of the tank.
Back off the tank strap bolts, 3 each, about an inch, they are long enough.
This allows you a little more room to remove the vent line located in the front of the tank. This line releases by SQUEEZING the white tabs together and bowing the keeper out past the lock and allowing the line to be removed. Mine was not very cooperative and I ended up prying one side up and then the other. Probably 10 years made it a little more resistant than when it was new.
While at the front of the tank, it is a good time to remove the supply line from the fuel filter. It is a 5/16th line.
Next I removed the two vent lines on the driver's side of the tank. The large one is just a rubber hose fit and the other one you need to pull up on the yellow keeper, it should come all the way out. Then pull the line off.
Next I removed the two vent lines on the passenger side by the fuel filler neck.
One is a rubber press fit and the other has the plastic clip that needs to be pulled UP to remove the line. Remove the clip and then remove the line.
Remove the 8mm screw that holds the Fuel Filler Neck loop. Must be some type of safety device.
Disconnect the fuel pump connection at the rear of the tank and remove the fuel pump connector from the trunk body, just pry it out. The plug side attached to the trunk goes to the pump. if you are installing a new pump and strainer assembly, this will be replaced.
Support the fuel tank. I used a floor jack with a piece of wood attached to the jack. Then I put a cargo strap over the top of the tank and around the wood and tightened that up. I had almost half a tank of gas when I did mine. IF the tank was closet to empty I probably would not have taken the time to do the strap because it would have been much easier to handle. The passenger side tank strap can be covered because it stays with the plastic shield.
You will want to keep the driver's side tank strap clear because it swivels down to the rear. Guess if you had to you could remove the hinge pin on the rear of the driver's side strap.
So you should have two drivers side vent lines disconnected, the front of the tank vent line disconnected, fuel supply line to fuel filter line disconnected and the two passenger side vent lines disconnected, filler neck loop removed and the fuel pump electrical plug disconnected. Only thing that should be still attached to the tank is the fuel filler neck.
With the tank supported, I removed the driver's side strap first and then removed the passenger side strap.
Lower the tank some making sure everything is clear. Try to remove the fuel filler neck, you will probably have to keep lowering the tank and scooting the tank to the driver's side to get enough clearance to remove the filler neck.
Once the filler neck is out, you should be able to remove the tank to make it easier to install the pump.
NOTE: Look at the fuel filler neck. You will see a plunger assembly at the end of the tube and spring. There should also be a cone at the end of the filler neck that is loosely held on by four plastic retainers. IF the funnel end piece is NOT on the filler neck, then it is probably in the tank. From my observations, the pointed tip is ONLY there to make it easier to put the filler neck in through the filler neck gasket and avoid tearing it.
Take aluminum foil and cover all the fuel and vent lines.
Remove the fuel supply line using a 3/8 tool. My disconnect tool was not releasing the three keepers. I cut up a plastic film canister into about a 1" strip and wrapped it around the tube and then placed the plastic removal tool over the shim, inserted into the line and was able to release the keepers.
Cover the fuel supply line with aluminum foil.
Now is a good time to clean the top of the tank, or at least the area around the fuel pump hat so as not to allow dirt to enter the tank.
Disconnect the electrical plug on top of the tank near the front. Pull up the foam padded as needed to remove the wiring harness. Remove the 6 each 10mm bolts and carefully pry the fuel pump hat off.
There are two locking tabs that secure the pump/basket assembly to the tank. They are at the 3 and 8 O'clock position. Squeeze each tab in and lift up slightly. As you remove the pump/basket, there is a sock located on the bottom of the basket towards the rear of the tank and then the fuel gauge sending unit float is going to hang you up. If you are only replacing the pump motor you will want to be very careful not to bend or damage the sending unit and float/arm.
If you are ONLY replacing the pump motor disassemble the basket to gain access to the pump. Swap out the pump, install the new socks. Reassemble the pump/basket.
I elected to go with a new fuel pump and basket assembly from Airtext. I did not want to get it all apart and then have questions about the integrity of the 10 year old plastic basket/strainer assembly.
NOTE: After removing the pump/basket from the tank, look in the tank with a flashlight, I found my filler neck end tip and another round filter disk that had come loose from my factory fuel pump basket. The round filter did fit back in the basket but it was not very secure.
NOTE: IF you had to drop the tank with an excess amount of fuel, it would be a good idea to go ahead and siphon it out into a gas can. This will make the job of getting the fuel filler neck back into the tank a lot easier.
Reinstall the pump/basket assembly.
You will need to tilt the pump to get the fuel float arm into the tank and then align the pump/basket locks.
As you push the assembly down, the sock will fold upwards, and then it will flip back out when it clears the top of the pump/basket holder.
You will hear the locks click into place. Pull up on each side of the pump/basket to make sure it is locked into place. Check the float arm and make sure it is free to move. I simply used a long screw driver to lift the arm up to make sure it was free to move.
Align the fuel pump hat and secure with the 6ea 10mm bolts. Tighten them to 89 INCH pounds....
Run the harness back under the foam, I just used duct tape keep the foam in place until the tank is back in.
Connect the electrical Fuel Tank Pressure (FTP) Sensor on the top of the tank; it is pretty firm going in.
Check where the foam insulation had contacted the bottom of the trunk. I had a couple of places where it was metal to metal. I used some new foam and just taped it into place.
Remove and replace the fuel filler neck gasket. Easiest way is to bend it like a taco shell, insert the ends and let it spring open while inserting the other ends one at a time.
You should be ready to put the tank back in.
I used WD40 to lubricate the Fuel filler neck and gasket before putting the fuel filler neck back into place.
Position the tank at a height and angle that allows the easiest insertion of the fuel filler neck. Once the fuel filler neck is inserted I kept spray the gasket and neck with WD40 to make sure it was lubricated.
Once you have the filler neck started the rest is easy. Keep raising the tank checking for clearance as you go. Keep inserting the filler neck as the tank goes back up.
Attached the straps and bolts. Make sure everything is aligned back up before you tighten the strap bolts.
Reconnect the two lines on the driver's side. The plastic keeper just slides into two of any of the square holes. The bottom of the keeper must go through the opposite square holes. Simply push your finger into the line as you push the keeper down and it should line up and go into the bottom holes. The keeper is in place and simply slides onto the tube and locks into place.
Reconnect the front vent tube; it should just click into place.
Reconnect the fuel filter supply line
Reconnect the passenger side vent lines.
Make sure the Fuel filler neck is all the way.
Install the 8mm screw holding the Fuel Filler Neck safety loop into place.
Reconnect the electrical connection at the back of the tank and install the one side of the plug back into trunk body.
Install the 3ea 8mm screws holding the rubber seal around the middle of the fuel filler neck inside the trunk.
With this much back in place the top of the fuel filler neck should be very close to being lined up perfectly. Attach the rubber vent hose to the top by the fuel door.
Align the top of the filler neck and install the 3ea 10mm screws with the gas cap retaining strap.
Reconnect the battery, turn the key on and see if you can hear the pump run.
These are just some ideas on how I did my fuel pump change. There are defiantly some differences of opinions out there especially when it comes to removing and installing the Fuel Filler Neck.
Good luck.
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