Replacing fuel pump easy?

[pokerDawg]

My '02 Tahoe's engine died while I was driving on the fwy. It just so happened that it was during a weekend outing with 6 passengers. Fortunately, we had enough momentum to get to the shoulder.

The car cranks but doesn't start. I have new plugs, air filter, and is regularly maintained but the fuel filter is a little bit over a year old. I've been suspicious of the fuel pump. Is changing the fuel pump a relatively easy task? Is it an out of tank pump?

Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Colabella7077]

Hey, FUEL PUMP is inside the tank. You have to drop the fuel tank and empty it then taking it out as it bit*h.

 

[Firefighter6112]

i just replace my fuel pump yesterday, it too me about 5 hours in all and had it back running again.

 

[Colabella7077]

on a 1998 tahoe, is it easy to drop the tank? I guess not if it took 5 hours.

 

[Firefighter6112]

well first you have to drain the tank. you mite need to jack up under the body to get the cleanrence u need. un bolt the 2 tank straps and slowly lower the tank. disconnect the filler neck and vent at the tank, disconnect the fuel lines at the top center of the tank and the vaccume line at the front of the tank, then you can lower it the rest of the way. after u have the tank out, there is a twist lock ring that locks and seals the pump inside the tank. its a bitch to get off. slowly work at it with a hammer and a large round rod and try to tap it off. if its rusted spray it first and let it wit with a lil wd40 or a rust inhibeitor. that should do the trick. it should pop off and wenn you go to pull the pumo assemblie out, be careful not to brake off the float for the sending unit.

 

[Colabella7077]

Dude ur r such a big help. You just saved me 600$, thanks!

 

[Firefighter6112]

no problem. just hit me up if you have any questions. i do recommend that if you replace your fuel pump that you replace your sending unit too! its about $220 for the unit or about $100 for the pump. i would go both as i did!

 

[Colabella7077]

sending unit? not smart in fuel lines or anything relating 2 it

 

[Firefighter6112]

the sending unit is a canister looking like thing that tells your gauge cluster how much fuel u have and it houses the fuel pump. its a nasty yellow in color and has the wiring harness attached. i can try and get a pic for u so u can see what i mean.

 

[Colabella7077]

Thanks. I have no idea what Im doing but I got all day tomorrow to learn. I'll b picking it up tomorrow.

 

[Firefighter6112]

well when you get all the parts just take your time. one other word of advice, the lock ring on top of the tank is reusuable. most auto part stores do not carrie them so try and not dammage it.

 

[pokerDawg]

Looks like this job is over my head. I'll be sending it to a mechanic in a couple of hours. There goes the rest of our summer fun cash.


Thanks for the help.

 

[Hardwarz]

Looks like this job is over my head. I'll be sending it to a mechanic in a couple of hours. There goes the rest of our summer fun cash.


Thanks for the help.

WAIT!!! It's not over your head, especially if you have all weekend!

Do you have tools? You can do this!

You should have tackled the job instead. It's a pain in the ass, especially when you have to get the tahoe up high enough to get the gas tank out, but it definately will save you hundred of dollars.

See how much extra it would cost to run a new ground too. That wire get corroded badly and usually needs replaced when it's time to replace the fuel pump!

Hardwarz

 

[klennop]

I did mine with the help of 2 other guys. My truck had a full tank of gas -40miles. We didn't take any gas out but we used 2 jacks under the tank. The only gas we spilled was out of the lines when disconnecting it from the fuel pump.

I am by no means a mechanic, but with some good directions, a couple of friends, a free night and a case of beer you can do this! Trust me!!

 

[Firefighter6112]

Yea the job is somewhat painless just have to have the time. puting everything back in and together is the easy part.

 

[Hardwarz]

Yea the job is somewhat painless just have to have the time. puting everything back in and together is the easy part.

+ 1 x 10e10000

Hardwarz

 

[wil85iroc]

im gonna attempt to change pump in 97' Yukon gt

 

[lesterl]

You can pull the carpet back under the seat behind the drivers seat IIRC and cut a piece of the floor out and pull the pump up from there, I dropped my tank, but I have seen a thread where this was done.....

 

[JC77]

Much easier and faster that way!:happy160:

 

[MO Viet Vet]

Cutting the hole in the floor damages the integrity of the crumple zones in the body. I would NEVER do that. PERIOD! It is a time saving and unsafe way to do the fuel pump change. It also keeps you from seeing the entire tank and any lines/hoses/connections/valves that may be hard to see thru a hole in the floor. I know some of you will say I am full of it but I would never want to own a rig with the hole cut in the floor for access to save time. Talk about shade tree! IMO, do it right or don't do it at all. Get an AC Delco complete unit, change the fuel filter and do the relay at the same time.