Ultra-slow fuel pump failure

[Grabber5.0]

I just had to replace the fuel pump in my 99 extended cab F-150. I can't remember how long ago this started, but it was at least two if not three years, my truck would sometimes crank without firing on the first attempt. I'd shut it off and try again, sometimes having to do that a few times. Once it started, it never even once ran poorly or died, so I didn't suspect the fuel pump. Eventually I realized it only acted this way when the temp got down into the 40's or colder - it never did it when the temperature was higher. Finally I was talking to a friend about it, and he asked me if I heard the pump come on when I turned the key on before trying to crank it. I tried, and confirmed I could not hear it. I thought about it and did not recall ever noticing the fuel pump coming on when I turned the key on. Obviously it was, as the truck always started. It really wasn't that loud, so if I wasn't listening for it, I wouldn't hear it. I swapped the fuel pump relay with a known good one with no effect, so I ruled out the relay. Since it always started eventually after cycling the key on and off, I decided I'd just see how it went, and years went by, confirming the fact it only happened in cold weather. That fact still puzzles me. Perhaps the cold weather causes a slightly higher voltage drop, making it more susceptible to acting up?

Finally in early November (2015) it decided it was done working - of course it had to happen while I was out of town and my wife was driving the truck. She started the truck 4 or 5 times that day, and started on the first try every time, until it decided to strand her in a stall at Sonic. I got back in town and had it towed home, and finally got a break in the weather and enough time to drop the tank and confirm the pump was dead, and replace it. I wanted to pull the bed and leave the tank installed, but I had less confidence I could get the bed bolts out, which also would require removing the fiberglass bed cover and the bed liner. Plus I couldn't move the truck to the garage to use my impact. I will not be dropping that tank again - that was a miserable job! Had to cut all of the small hoses, as they would not come off with the limited leverage I could get reaching over the tank, and I had to replace all of the hose clamps.

I'll find out soon enough about the bed bolts. After I put everything back together, I was greeted by a small leak in the filler neck near the tank. Yay. I'm NOT dropping the tank again to fix that. I doubt that dropping the back of the tank will allow me to get to it good enough to locate, clean, and repair the pinhole.