Guide to replacing fuel pumps.
Rottweiler28
09-19-2005, 07:20 PM
Fuel Pump Replacement Guide
Plymouth Voyagers/Caravans
First thing I did was make sure the van was pretty much on empty.
1) Back the van up onto a good pair of car ramps and block the front tires, apply the emergency brake if it makes you feel better, do all this on level ground, grass is nice and soft.
2) Next thing I did was open the gas cap on the side of the van to help reduce some pressure in the tank.
3) Place your trolley jack right under the gas tank as near to the middle as possible, use a piece of 2x4 about 2 feet long between the tank and the jack so there isn't to much pressure in one place on the tank to prevent damage. Make sure the 2x4 is running parallel with the van so you do not pin the straps between the tank and the 2x4 ( It sucks when this happens ).
4) Undo the 2 strap bolts from the gas tank (Air tools are a blessing here if you have them, I didn't) They may be tight so it wouldn't hurt to soak them with some WD-30 or the like for a few minutes before hand. You may even need a breaker bar or other similar strong ratchet for this part.
5) Now this part can be very different depending on whether or not someone has had the tank off before. Originally some of the three lines coming from the top of the tank (Main, return and vent I think) came factory with a plastic snap connector which you had to press together and pull the line out of. Mine was off before by the previous owner and he had cut and replaced these plastic lines with neoprene gas lines about 2 feet from the top of the tank, then they just used hose clamps to attach where they join into the lines on the frame behind the tank. I always do this when I take a tank down for the first time in case I have to take it down again (Makes life much easier I think). Either way you will have to disconnect these three lines in order for the tank to reach the ground without pulling these or breaking them. You will see some gas coming from two of these three lines so it wouldn't hurt to have a bucket on hand to try and catch some.
6) Now after you have the three lines off you will need to lower the tank with the jack about 8 inches or far enough to get your hand in over the tank. You will see a line in there also about 3 times larger then the ones you just removed, you should be able to see a hose clamp on this line over to the left if you are looking in from behind the tank. You need to loosen this clamp so the line slides out of the larger half. There should be no gas in this line as it is only a vent line to release air during fill ups.
7) Now you need to reach back in over the tank and unclip the wire harness going into the tank, this is what powers your fuel pump and gas gauge so be careful with it, there is a small tab which needs to be lifted as you slide the male connector out from the female. The wiring usually has a bit of play so you could even drop the tank a bit more if need be to get at it.
8) Now there should only be one more line left keeping you from dropping the tank to the ground, the large filler hose (Where you put the gas pump nozzle in during fill ups). You should be able to now let the jack down near all the way or almost anyway, make sure the wood stays in place for now. This one just slides into the tank, no hose clamps or brackets holding it. Now this is where the second hand would be helpful. At this point I usually get out from under the van and go to the side of the van away from the gas cap in order to grab the tank a slowly start pulling it out from under the van, at the same time it helps to have someone on the other side pushing the tank in your direction. You could also stay under the van for this and just grab and wiggle the tank free from the filler hose (Harder I think). Many people find it easier to just drop the tank onto their stomach/chest area and do this to. (This is where you want to make sure there is very little gas in the tank). Eventually the tank will pop off the filler hose and onto the ground. What little gas IS in the tank has a chance to leak out the filler hose hole in the tank so be forewarned. Now just take the tank to a place where you would like to work on it, like a workbench or picnic table.
9) Now you need to get the pump out of the tank. You will notice on top of the tank a large ring with four prongs sticking up about a quarter inch long. You will need a brass tap or wood and hammer to tap these prongs in a counter clock direction (Like unthreading a bolt out of a nut). It will need to rotate about 2 inches before it finally pops off. Now all you have to do is take the pump out of the tank, be careful here as the pump will come out easy but the mesh boot and float will not want to, the mesh boot will bend when you get to that point but you will need to tilt the pump off to one side for the float to clear the hole, then when you get to the boot just bend and pull easy. Again be careful here unless you just plan on tossing this in the junk anyway.
10) Now you just need to reverse all the steps you just completed and all should be well. I always try connecting the tank to the wire harness BEFORE putting it back in place to assure that the sending unit and tank are working ok or you may find that you can curse in languages you didn't even know you knew.
END NOTE - This is a guide of how I do my tanks, not a guide telling you how to do yours. If you use this guide to do your tank then do so at your own risk. Remember gas is very flammable and dangerous so take caution. And always remember Murphy’s law, if it can go wrong it WILL go wrong. Good luck.
Plymouth Voyagers/Caravans
First thing I did was make sure the van was pretty much on empty.
1) Back the van up onto a good pair of car ramps and block the front tires, apply the emergency brake if it makes you feel better, do all this on level ground, grass is nice and soft.
2) Next thing I did was open the gas cap on the side of the van to help reduce some pressure in the tank.
3) Place your trolley jack right under the gas tank as near to the middle as possible, use a piece of 2x4 about 2 feet long between the tank and the jack so there isn't to much pressure in one place on the tank to prevent damage. Make sure the 2x4 is running parallel with the van so you do not pin the straps between the tank and the 2x4 ( It sucks when this happens ).
4) Undo the 2 strap bolts from the gas tank (Air tools are a blessing here if you have them, I didn't) They may be tight so it wouldn't hurt to soak them with some WD-30 or the like for a few minutes before hand. You may even need a breaker bar or other similar strong ratchet for this part.
5) Now this part can be very different depending on whether or not someone has had the tank off before. Originally some of the three lines coming from the top of the tank (Main, return and vent I think) came factory with a plastic snap connector which you had to press together and pull the line out of. Mine was off before by the previous owner and he had cut and replaced these plastic lines with neoprene gas lines about 2 feet from the top of the tank, then they just used hose clamps to attach where they join into the lines on the frame behind the tank. I always do this when I take a tank down for the first time in case I have to take it down again (Makes life much easier I think). Either way you will have to disconnect these three lines in order for the tank to reach the ground without pulling these or breaking them. You will see some gas coming from two of these three lines so it wouldn't hurt to have a bucket on hand to try and catch some.
6) Now after you have the three lines off you will need to lower the tank with the jack about 8 inches or far enough to get your hand in over the tank. You will see a line in there also about 3 times larger then the ones you just removed, you should be able to see a hose clamp on this line over to the left if you are looking in from behind the tank. You need to loosen this clamp so the line slides out of the larger half. There should be no gas in this line as it is only a vent line to release air during fill ups.
7) Now you need to reach back in over the tank and unclip the wire harness going into the tank, this is what powers your fuel pump and gas gauge so be careful with it, there is a small tab which needs to be lifted as you slide the male connector out from the female. The wiring usually has a bit of play so you could even drop the tank a bit more if need be to get at it.
8) Now there should only be one more line left keeping you from dropping the tank to the ground, the large filler hose (Where you put the gas pump nozzle in during fill ups). You should be able to now let the jack down near all the way or almost anyway, make sure the wood stays in place for now. This one just slides into the tank, no hose clamps or brackets holding it. Now this is where the second hand would be helpful. At this point I usually get out from under the van and go to the side of the van away from the gas cap in order to grab the tank a slowly start pulling it out from under the van, at the same time it helps to have someone on the other side pushing the tank in your direction. You could also stay under the van for this and just grab and wiggle the tank free from the filler hose (Harder I think). Many people find it easier to just drop the tank onto their stomach/chest area and do this to. (This is where you want to make sure there is very little gas in the tank). Eventually the tank will pop off the filler hose and onto the ground. What little gas IS in the tank has a chance to leak out the filler hose hole in the tank so be forewarned. Now just take the tank to a place where you would like to work on it, like a workbench or picnic table.
9) Now you need to get the pump out of the tank. You will notice on top of the tank a large ring with four prongs sticking up about a quarter inch long. You will need a brass tap or wood and hammer to tap these prongs in a counter clock direction (Like unthreading a bolt out of a nut). It will need to rotate about 2 inches before it finally pops off. Now all you have to do is take the pump out of the tank, be careful here as the pump will come out easy but the mesh boot and float will not want to, the mesh boot will bend when you get to that point but you will need to tilt the pump off to one side for the float to clear the hole, then when you get to the boot just bend and pull easy. Again be careful here unless you just plan on tossing this in the junk anyway.
10) Now you just need to reverse all the steps you just completed and all should be well. I always try connecting the tank to the wire harness BEFORE putting it back in place to assure that the sending unit and tank are working ok or you may find that you can curse in languages you didn't even know you knew.
END NOTE - This is a guide of how I do my tanks, not a guide telling you how to do yours. If you use this guide to do your tank then do so at your own risk. Remember gas is very flammable and dangerous so take caution. And always remember Murphy’s law, if it can go wrong it WILL go wrong. Good luck.
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