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Fuel pump replacement

Element

1/2 ton status
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Mar 23, 2007
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Fuel pump on my '87 went out. No fuel pump priming whine when the key is turned in the ignition, and I unhooked the line upstream of the fuel filter, turned the key, no pressure build-up at all when I covered the fuel filter outlet with my finger. Shop installed a new one a few weeks back, but at the rate they work, I'd be lucky to see my truck by the time it starts snowing if I take it there, so screw it, lesson learned.

Now, I figure dropping the tank and swapping the pump is easy enough. What I don't know how to do is getting the 12-15 gallons of gas in the tank out, since the fuel pump is dead. I'll probably wind up replacing the tank as well, since I'm pretty sure the baffle is busted. Now, is the easiest way to drain the gas just to punch a hole in the old tank and catch the gas on some empty 5-gallon buckets? Also, is there anything, other than the tank and the fuel pump that I'll have to buy when I replace everything? Straps look fine, and I have some tar paper to use between the tank and the straps; the fuel gauge doesn't work, and the PO has some dumb-ass LED gauges hooked up instead of the factory gauges, so I'm sure the wiring on that is going to be a nightmare, but is it more likely that something is bad in the tank causing that? That's something I'd REALLY like to fix this go-round, as it's a bit annoying to have the truck cutting out in turns as the only way I know I'm low on gas. Sending unit - I'm pretty sure the stock one is in there, but I can't really afford to replace that too - unless it's something that's necessary to replace. I don't even know what that damned thing does.

Fun times, fun times....I get out of the hospital and the next morning, the truck dies on a 55mph road and winds up in a 10' drainage ditch. Tow truck driver sure did look at me funny when he was winching me out...and an additional note unrelated to anything, but what bloody idiot puts 35" "all purpose" tires on a truck that don't even get traction in wet dirt? :mad: Lifted truck that couldn't drive up a dirty wet hill without sliding everywhere, damned embarrassing.
 
When I did the tank on my Suburban the first time it still had gas in it, I just used a floor jack and lowered it enough to unhook everything then dropped it all the way down and pulled it out, it's easier with two people though. I drained mine by taking air nozzle a bunch of rags and made a tight seal on the filler neck and blew the gas out through the vent tube via a piece of hose into gas containers, wasn't too bad . As far as the sending unit goes it's there to hold the fuel pump and has the float for the gas gauge on it as well, if your gauge isn't working you can test it while you have it out. I know there's some threads about this you just have to look.
 
Search my name and there is a thread on gauge and also a pic of the top area in rear floor showing the pump insert on the top of tank.
 
Are you sure it is the fuel pump? Have you checked the fuel pump soloniod? It is a black box located on the firewall on Passenger side. There is a red wire with a plug hanging of of it. Hook 12V+ from the battery to it. If you hear the pump come on. The solonoid is bad. Check that first before you go thru the hassle of dropping the tank and changing out the pump.
 
Are you sure it is the fuel pump? Have you checked the fuel pump soloniod? It is a black box located on the firewall on Passenger side. There is a red wire with a plug hanging of of it. Hook 12V+ from the battery to it. If you hear the pump come on. The solonoid is bad. Check that first before you go thru the hassle of dropping the tank and changing out the pump.

yeah, always check the easy/cheap stuff first. you can stick a hundred new pumps in and none of them will ever work if they aren't getting power.
 

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