Learn From my Fuel Pump Mistakes!
Rhubarb
01-12-2010, 10:51 AM
Hello all!
I am writing this in hopes that someone else my learn from my mistakes I made while replacing my 99 Tahoe's fuel sending unit.
SOOOO about 6 days ago, after work I walked down to my 'Hoe with the hopes of meeting a couple of buddies at the bar for a delicious beverage. I hoped in the ol' girl and turned the key....crank, crank, crank, nothing! Damnation! So I check the normal things, fuses, relays, and everything checks out A-OK. So I listen carefully while putting the key in run, and while holding down the dinger/light switch. I can no longer hear my loud and whiney fuel pump. DOUBLE Damnation!
Luckly I work near a shop and tow the 'Hoe in and call the GF to bring me up a fuel sending unit from NAPA ($219) that I waiting in will-call for me. What a sa-weet gal!
This is where the fun starts! Full Tank = Sucks. Normal procedure -- loosen straps, take off fill and breather hoses, remove sensor wire at rear of tank, lower it a bit on the jack, now I grab my handy "quick" disconnect tool. Low and behold, there is not enough room to get the tool in. I'm not sure if this because of my generic tool. All I do know is that there is not enough clearance to get the tool all the way in so I can pull the lines off the plastic nipples. DRAT!
I finally end up breaking off the plastic outlet and return nipples on the fuel sending unit and alas! The tank is free!!!!! WHOOOORAY!
Now to deal with getting the broken nipples out of the so-called "quick disconnect" couplers. Using the tool and some picks, I was able to free them, after much struggle.
Clean off the top of tank, put the new unit in and wire in the new electrical connector for the new sending unit.
Here is where I screwed up. In the struggle of battle I had bent the hard fuel lines and dislodged them from the clips on the frame. So when the tank went back in the rubber end of the line got pinched, and I didn't notice. :rolleyes:
The hoe fired right up after I was finished with the installation and I was elated. But on my test drive, I was getting no-none-nadda acceleration, she would just fall on her face. After investigating, I located the pinched rubber line between the frame rail and the tank. DUH! So I had to loosen both straps and finally remove the rear strap bolt to remedy the problem.
On my next test drive, I found hesitation at high RPMs. SO I stopped at the closest open parts store and picked up a fuel filter. After changing that, all is well again! Whew, what a thrash!
So in retrospect:
If you are planning on doing a fuel sending unit here are few things to think about.
1. Make sure you have the right quick disconnect tool. Maybe someone here at the forum can point us in the right direction for a GM-Specific one.
2. Get a fuel filter and change it while you are there. (Perhaps the old filter caused the faliure?)
3. TAKE YOUR TIME and pay attention to detail.
I am writing this in hopes that someone else my learn from my mistakes I made while replacing my 99 Tahoe's fuel sending unit.
SOOOO about 6 days ago, after work I walked down to my 'Hoe with the hopes of meeting a couple of buddies at the bar for a delicious beverage. I hoped in the ol' girl and turned the key....crank, crank, crank, nothing! Damnation! So I check the normal things, fuses, relays, and everything checks out A-OK. So I listen carefully while putting the key in run, and while holding down the dinger/light switch. I can no longer hear my loud and whiney fuel pump. DOUBLE Damnation!
Luckly I work near a shop and tow the 'Hoe in and call the GF to bring me up a fuel sending unit from NAPA ($219) that I waiting in will-call for me. What a sa-weet gal!
This is where the fun starts! Full Tank = Sucks. Normal procedure -- loosen straps, take off fill and breather hoses, remove sensor wire at rear of tank, lower it a bit on the jack, now I grab my handy "quick" disconnect tool. Low and behold, there is not enough room to get the tool in. I'm not sure if this because of my generic tool. All I do know is that there is not enough clearance to get the tool all the way in so I can pull the lines off the plastic nipples. DRAT!
I finally end up breaking off the plastic outlet and return nipples on the fuel sending unit and alas! The tank is free!!!!! WHOOOORAY!
Now to deal with getting the broken nipples out of the so-called "quick disconnect" couplers. Using the tool and some picks, I was able to free them, after much struggle.
Clean off the top of tank, put the new unit in and wire in the new electrical connector for the new sending unit.
Here is where I screwed up. In the struggle of battle I had bent the hard fuel lines and dislodged them from the clips on the frame. So when the tank went back in the rubber end of the line got pinched, and I didn't notice. :rolleyes:
The hoe fired right up after I was finished with the installation and I was elated. But on my test drive, I was getting no-none-nadda acceleration, she would just fall on her face. After investigating, I located the pinched rubber line between the frame rail and the tank. DUH! So I had to loosen both straps and finally remove the rear strap bolt to remedy the problem.
On my next test drive, I found hesitation at high RPMs. SO I stopped at the closest open parts store and picked up a fuel filter. After changing that, all is well again! Whew, what a thrash!
So in retrospect:
If you are planning on doing a fuel sending unit here are few things to think about.
1. Make sure you have the right quick disconnect tool. Maybe someone here at the forum can point us in the right direction for a GM-Specific one.
2. Get a fuel filter and change it while you are there. (Perhaps the old filter caused the faliure?)
3. TAKE YOUR TIME and pay attention to detail.
J-Ri
01-12-2010, 05:48 PM
Those fittings aren't "quick disconnect", they're "quick connect" :)
In response to #1... I have the Matco "master disconnect set"... has the ones with the handles and plain round ones. Never had a problem with those. I'll take a pic of the set if I think of it. Snap-on is the exact same thing, as are most of the others I've seen.
A severely plugged filter could definitely cause premature pump failure.
In response to #1... I have the Matco "master disconnect set"... has the ones with the handles and plain round ones. Never had a problem with those. I'll take a pic of the set if I think of it. Snap-on is the exact same thing, as are most of the others I've seen.
A severely plugged filter could definitely cause premature pump failure.
Tagahoe
01-22-2010, 10:58 PM
...and replace the fuel pump wiring harness. there is two of them. i replaced my fuel pump several times, and it ended up being a bad harness. REPLACE the electrical harness with the fuel pump.
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