2001 Venture fuel rail removal

Damned things is tough. I pried up with a long screwdriver with electrical tape wrapped around it so as not to mar anything. I removed the harness and the fuel line/pressure regulator. So tight. This guy uses a screwdriver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODEMKZePT-4

The A1 auto guy uses a long prybar, which is what I'm going to try. It's got to come up, no? The only reason I have to get in there is to replace the rotted heater hose/pipe, which won't line up properly because the straps that get screwed down to hold the fuel rail in place prevent positioning it properly (I did pry up on the rail enough to sneak it under all that). Therefore I guess I'll just have to pry it off. The Dorman tech told me that pipe gets hammered (w/a mallet) into the tube using an open end wrench. This fuel rail is just soooo tight. Is that normal?

I'll be glad when this job is over.

Damned things is tough. I pried up with a long screwdriver with electrical tape wrapped around it so as not to mar anything. I removed the harness and the fuel line/pressure regulator. So tight. This guy uses a screwdriver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODEMKZePT-4

The A1 auto guy uses a long prybar, which is what I'm going to try. It's got to come up, no? The only reason I have to get in there is to replace the rotted heater hose/pipe, which won't line up properly because the straps that get screwed down to hold the fuel rail in place prevent positioning it properly (I did pry up on the rail enough to sneak it under all that). Therefore I guess I'll just have to pry it off. The Dorman tech told me that pipe gets hammered (w/a mallet) into the tube using an open end wrench. This fuel rail is just soooo tight. Is that normal?

I'll be glad when this job is over.

It will come up. If you've removed the two bolts that hold it down, the only thing left holding it is the injectors in the manifold. I would put a single drop of motor oil down the hole where each injector is seated and then move the whole injector rail assembly in a circular fashion to work the oil in. Then I would try removing one injector at a corner first and proceed through the rest of them.

Might be too late by now, but you don't want to pry on the rail, only on the injectors, one by one. There are clips holding the injectors to the rail and they will break if you aren't careful.
As mentioned, lube the injector wells as best you can. I use PB-blaster, but whatever you like, just get it over the top of the injectors in each well so the seal there can absorb a bit as you wobble the rail about.

personally I don't understand why the entire fuel rail needs to be removed. Especially in the case where all you need to do is replace the rotted bypass pipe. In any event, if I were to do it again, I would remove the metal clips on each injector, remove the fuel rail itself, and if the situation didn't call for the alternative, leave the injectors in the lower intake manifold. Mind you I've never done that job, so I don't know the particulars. Just saying. I was in a bit of a panic (and I'm still not done w/the job ... I'm slow ok ;) over not being able to insert the bypass pipe in it's little hole. I resorted to taking a Dremel like tool (B & D) equipped w/a abrasive cut off wheel, and shaping the part that first contact the hole, *without* touching the outer diameter of the pipe's tip. It guided it in, and I successfully hammered it in w/an adjustable wrench sitting horizontally, bearing on the little ridge, placing a pitmann arm puller w/it's tangs sitting on the wrench, and hammering away on it's opposite end. Went in readily. Shouldn't be any leaks. I'll get back when the van is all back together.

The fuel rail and injectors, for the most part, comes out easy.....I remove the two bolts, spray PB where the injectors enter the lower intake, grab the whole rail and move it about(this helps the penetrant get into the opening)........then use a prybar or long flat screwdriver and pry between the injector and the lower intake....work from one end to the other.....usually comes out easy this way....

they came up, goes w/o saying. Let them soak in puddles of PD for at least overnight. I, perhaps, made the mistake of rotating them out, instead of just pulling strait out (may not have even worked). The pintle caps came off of 4 of them. Some people don't bother replacing them, I wasn't about to try not replacing them. And NONE of the local chains carry them. I ordered mine on ebay.

Yeah, well be sure to replace those seals while you are ordering parts.