The Goonies?

Great Movie - 1985!!

Gnarls.

UPDATE:  March 18, 2017 PM

Well, I tried to fire the engine this morning.  NO fuel from fuel pump. 

I ordered a Denso fuel pump, fuel strainer, and fuel tank gasket from RockAuto. 

Edit:  I would have ordered it from 22RE Performance, but they want $160 without the tank gasket, and without shipping.  RockAuto was $103, with shipping and tank gasket... for same Denso parts.

Should be here Wednesday.  I will install it on Thursday. 

Special thanks goes out to :)bestgen4runner, ovrarok, and Nation
for their input and help during my “testing”.   

Gnarls.

Did you check the fuse?

 

2 times.

QUESTION?

Before I start unbolting my bed to get to the top of the fuel tank to R&R the fuel pump, has anyone successfully tilted the bed back far enough to get to the fuel pump – without having to fully lift the bed off the frame and over the rear tires?

I have limited space in the garage and don’t want to use my starter to get the truck out of the garage right now.

Thanks,

Gnarls.

Why not drop the tank? Is much easier and doesn't risk messing up the bed.

I have loosened one side, took the bolts out of the passenger side, and used a rafter to pull up on the bed before. 

OK, I can see that as good trick.  I will check out what I have to do to raise the passenger side.

Thanks,

Gnarls.

I recommend you pull the bed. 

Your removing fuel lines regardless.

Use a line wrench if you have to take the main line off.  Don't ask me how I know .

The tank will drop about a foot before the lines are causing an issue. I've never had a problem by dropping the tank.

OK, I get what you are describing.  I could lower the tank with my tranny jack, then work on the disconnecting the lines, then rolling it out from under the truck, R&R the pump, raise it back up with the tranny jack, connect the lines, remount it.... right?  Working in that "about a foot" space while under my truck seems like it might be a little frustrating.  But... again I have not removed a bed or removed a fuel tank from one of my trucks.

Getting to the fuel pump on a pick up seems like a big pain in the arse!! 

I'll know more in a couple days.

Gnarls.

Gnarly, don't You dare cut a hole in that bed!

UPDATE 3-23-2017 Thursday – Removing and Replacing the fuel pump

This morning I looked over the process to remove or unbolt and lift the bed.  I didn’t like the limited access to the nuts and bolts.  There are rivets that are attached to a crossbar on the bottom of the bed fastened to the frame rail.  I decided NOT to try to remove or break those rivets.

I then looked at the fuel tank.  There are 6 bolts to remove the skid plate. I did not drain the 5 gallons of gasoline. There are 6 bolts to unbolt the tank from the bed.  There are 3 phillips head screws to be removed to allow the filler neck slide down.  I used my tranny jack to lower the tank about 6”.

I then had to disconnect the tank gauge connector, and bend back a clip to allow the hoses to lengthen and then I could lower the tank to about 6” from the garage floor, still sitting on the tranny jack.  My truck is sitting on its 31" tires.

The filler neck and parallel hose did not want to come out completely and I didn’t want to pull on them anymore.  I decided to leave them where they were and tilt the front of the tank onto the garage floor.  At that point I am able to get to the top of the tank, the hoses, and the screws holding in the pump cover. I took some my compressed air and blasted all the dust and debris on the top and around the pump cover. I soaked the two nuts on the main hose and the screws hold the pump cover with liquid wrench.  I waited for about 1 hour.

Using 19mm and 14mm line wrenches, I tried with great care NOT to bend or break the metal tube attached to the top of the pump cover as I tried to break loose the two nuts.  They would NOT budge!  At that point I decided I had enough room to remove the cover screws and lift thentire pump assembly out of the tank.  I was very surprised how loose the screws were!  There are only two hoses that are attached to the cover.  I carefully lifted the rubber seal gasket under cover with a screwdriver (I didn't want anything to drop into the tank), and was able to lift out the entire pump assembly – leaving both hoses attached.

The filter screen material was gone, probably completely disintegrated after 31 years.  The rubber standoff on the bottom of the pump was practically swollen, melted and gooey.

I easily removed the two little nuts holding the positive and ground wires to the top of the pump, and the output hose at the top of the pump.

I accidently dropped the pump on the garage floor before I could test it!!  I connected a 12v and ground wire to the battery and the pump worked!  I took a plastic peanut butter jar filled with water, stuck the bottom of the pump in the water, and powered it again, and it pumped like crazy!!

Crap…. So now… was the pump “stuck” and the shock when I dropped it “unstuck” it, or was it working while I was testing it, if it was pumping, WHY could I NOT get any fuel to the cold start injector??

For me, whether to remove or tilt the bed of the truck to get to the fuel pump or drop the gas tank… I would highly recommend dropping the gas tank.  It took me about 45 minutes to get the tank on the garage floor and about another 15 minutes to remove the pump… but I was taking my time and documenting my process.

Now that I’ve done it (dropped the tank and removed the fuel pump), and if I had to do it again, I think I could R&R the fuel pump again in about 2 to 3 hours, but I’m probably slower than average.

I should receive the new Denso pump on Friday, I hope to have it installed and tank back up by Sunday.

Thank you for all the input on this, and especially redneckcustoms13 for sharing his experience!

I apologize the novel, but I wanted to share the details and my perspective on this.

Gnarls.

The fuel Line that You could not break loose is the main reason that I have removed the bed. I have seen that line twisted into a mess several times. When the bed is removed it is very accessible to work with. Never tried to unscrew the Assembly from the tank with the lines still hooked up.

Even I had the bed removed, and complete access to the fitting, I don't believe I could get those two nuts to break loose without breaking the tube off the cover.  There is no way to apply any leverage against the fitting while its attached to that metal tube attached to the top of the cover! And, since I didn't need to remove the hose with the clam or the hose with the nut fitting, I would NOT attempt to loosen it unless it was necessary to replace the hoses and the fuel pump assembly and cover.

Gnarls.

Sure wish You would have checked that last ground like I asked You to. 

I had an '86 that the pump would not go on the truck but it would when I jumped it loose.  After dinking with a bunch of different things on circuits that can make or break the fuel pump it ended up being the connector in that little plastic bubble on top of the fuel pump/sender lid.  The bubble was cracked and the connector was crusty and green.  This may not be your problem but don't rule out the stupid stuff like that .

Yeah.. the two wires that attach to the top of the pump, which obviously have been soaked with gasoline for 31 years, don't look good.  I will be checking everything before I put in the new pump.  The bottom rubber-like standoff that attaches to the bottom of the pump, and I assume sits on the bottom of the tank is destroyed and feels like a mushy sponge, so I will see if I can get a new one or maybe find a used one.  I checked RockAuto and the pump bracket and cover are not available without purchasing a new gas tank!  If I can find the cover with the pump mounting bracket assembly I would replace it.

If I were to do it again, I'd drain the gas out of the tank first.  That 30+ lbs of fuel made it more difficult to muscle the tank around.

Gnarls.