Fuel Pump? 02 venture

I have a 02 Venture.....the other day i could have sworn i heard a winning sound coming from around the gas tank......first thing i thought was the fuel pump.....well the noise stoped but just tonight it shut off while i was driving it down the street........Now im pretty sure that would mean my fuel pump went out....

My question is........is there a way to check to see if its not working.....Can i check the presure by taking off the line by the fuel filter and mabey turn the key to see if there is presure?

Can someone tell me how to find this out with out taking it to a shop......And also is it really that hard to drop the tank and change the pump? Theres not much gass in it so thats a pluss...

Thanks very much for any help you can give me.

Scott Juda

forgot to tell ya i did get the plugs already repared about 6 months ago because they went bad.......( the ones on the fuel pump)

so i dought it would be that

There is a test port on the right end of the rear fuel rail, just behind the PS pump. Just screw on the pressure gauge and turn on the ignition (but don't start). The pressure should be in the 52-59 PSI