How to change a TTA fuel pump in 30 minutes or less

I can't believe people are to lazy to do it right :eek: what a way to hack up a car :rolleyes: ohhhh well ..its YOUR cars :p
 
Grumpy said:
I can't believe people are to lazy to do it right :eek: what a way to hack up a car :rolleyes: ohhhh well ..its YOUR cars :p
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nothing lazy about it...especialy with the failing fuel pumps these days. If done right it shouldn't degrade the value of a car in my opinion...if anything it should improve it some. It makes it very convenient to change a fuel pump on the road or at the track if you are carrying a spare ;) It can save you easily a few hundred in labor, plus the cost of whatever parts break during the job and at least a $100 tow bill. I personally feel that if whoever gets my car someday down the road needs to replace the fuel pump they will thank me for making the job a 30 minute job (with basic skills and tools) plus the cost of a fuel pump and not a $400-$500 plus job if done at a shop. Besides nobody would ever even know it's there unless you told them...everyone that has seen it said "wow nice job...that's how GM should have done it" :p

Anyway anything away from 100% stock on a collectible car would be considered hacking it up for the purist but how many really leave these cars 100% stock ;)
 
very nice job, when i upgraded the fuel system in my 97 supra i was just amazed at how nice and easy a little panel in the hatch makes the fuel pump swap, and previously owned many f bodys and such and just wondered why in the hell wouldn't they do this, especially when it came time to put the pump in my tta.
 
WS6 said:
I think somebody needs to cut thier dosage of Prozac in half.

:p :p :p
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nah I don't care .. I had my fun when these cars were new:p someday they should be worth some $$$ and people will look for common hacked up areas :rolleyes: hey it's your car do whatever ya want with it ..it's just another 3rd gen f body :eek: so when are all these modified cars are actually goin to run some #s at the track ?? :confused: :p
 
Grumpy said:
so when are all these modified cars are actually goin to run some #s at the track ?? :confused: :p
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hopefully this Spring...fuel pump died on the way to Cecil in Oct....changed at the track but not in time to get a run in. Buick vs Mustang meet in Nov. was canceled 2 times and didn't go until 1st week of Dec. and they were calling for snow so that was my last chance in 08. Hopefully my luck will change for 09...I would love to see how it runs :cool:

Scott
 
fuel pump access mod

Nice wheels! I've always wanted a TTA. I've held onto a '90 T/A-GTA since my senior year in high school. It's been deader than a door nail for about 10 years now (since college). I simply couldn't afford her. Hard to believe the time past. At any rate I'm rebuilding now. 10 years ago, when she died, I determined that it was the fuel pump. I did that by shorting 2 terminals on the diagnostic port (forget which) and counting the "service" light flash sequence. Before rebuilding I'd like to get her running again, so naturally the battery and fuel pump are first. I have no experience with bringing a car back from the grave. Is there a chance the engine has seized up? Any extra steps I should take (other than draining a likely bone dry tank)? If you have a kit I will be interested in buying it. I've pulled back the carpet and low and behold we have the same stuff.

In terms of cutting, do you think a compressor-driven hand held spinning blade thing would be ok? I think it can cut relatively straight, but I'm obviously concerned about hitting the fuel lines or penetrating the tank. How much space is there between the body metal sheet and the fuel tank?

After I have exposed the fuel lines, can you explain what you did from there? Do you just saw the old fuel lines and remove the old pump? Sorry if it's a silly question, but it just seems a bit dangerous is all :)

lots of questions... thanks for your time!


excellent post!

Mark
 
Hello - I am New to the Boards - Can someone tell me how to remove the yellow connector from the top of the fuel pump- I am getting ready to remove the pump from a 1991 firebird

Thanks
Duz:) :)
 
Duzmor said:
Hello - I am New to the Boards - Can someone tell me how to remove the yellow connector from the top of the fuel pump- I am getting ready to remove the pump from a 1991 firebird

Thanks
Duz:) :)
Click to expand...


You've probably figured this out by now, but in case you haven't, remove the fuel pump from the tank. Next look underneath the fuel pump fixture where the yellow connector is secured. You'll see a metal ring plate against the fuel pump fixture which is holding the yellow connector securely. Pry this flat metal ring off with a flat head screwdriver. Try not to bend it too badly when you remove it so that you can re-use it (try to pry each side a little at a time). To put it back on, straighten it a bit first. Then tap it back in place gently and as evenly as possible (again work each side a little at a time) until the yellow connector doesn't have much give. I used a hammer and appropriate size wench (straddling the electric pins with wench) and tapped it in just until it was secured a little. Then used a hammer and flat edge driver to tap the rest in place. Work each side a little at a time. Be gentle. Don't want to create a spark and blow yourself up.

The manual isn't very descriptive by just saying "remove the electric connector". Pretty crappy of them I thought.
 
Some questions I have also, what was used to cut the fuel lines? I wonder too if the area that was cut will begin to rust, did you put anything over the bare metal.

I would consider this mod if it didnt cause any rust, mine already has a walbro 340 in it so I'm not worried about the purist thing
 
I would never do that to my 46k mile beater :eek: But I will have to put a bird cage in it soon .
 
Rodimus_Prime said:
Some questions I have also, what was used to cut the fuel lines? I wonder too if the area that was cut will begin to rust, did you put anything over the bare metal.

I would consider this mod if it didnt cause any rust, mine already has a walbro 340 in it so I'm not worried about the purist thing
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Not sure what the author of this thread used, but I cut them by hand using a hacksaw. I figured a power saw would be dangerous due to the possibility of making a spark. I also coated the lines well with some machine tool oil. I think that reduces the chance of a spark. Just cut back and forth as slowly as possible.

I doubt any water would get in this area. So I can't see rust as being a problem. Then again I live in the dry southwest.
 
Having changed my pump this past weekend, I can understand why people would want to cut up the trunk...but I still wouldn't! I'd rather spend another 4 hrs. dropping and reinstalling the tank. It's nothin' but a little time;)
 
fast400 said:
Having changed my pump this past weekend, I can understand why people would want to cut up the trunk...but I still wouldn't! I'd rather spend another 4 hrs. dropping and reinstalling the tank. It's nothin' but a little time;)
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to each his own...I knew I could do a professional job so it didn't bother me one. Maybe if I had a lift at my exposal I wouldn't have done it but I don't and now I have no regrets whatsoever :cool:
 
Scott, I think you did a very professional job. Should have been made that way from the factory. :cool:
 
There are pros and cons either way. For me I'm planning a new engine soon so I can imagine I'll be upgrading the fuel pump. It's good to know I can do it in 30 minutes flat next time! I've seen some youtube vids... going in from the bottom looks like a major mess and hassle! But like Scott said, it all depends on the right tools. The main drawback I see with Scott's method is it's not easy to clean the tank out well (I'm talking power spray / drain) as the manual says to do when swapping a fuel pump. It goes as far as saying that junk build up in the tank is the leading cause of fuel pump failure...

I'm glad I came across this forum and have a compressor! pneumatic tools are king as far I as I can tell.

The main problems I came across when doing this mod are
- figuring out how to anchor threaded rivets (online resources not so good)
- cutting the sheet metal with air shears (obviously practice first)
- cutting the metal fuel lines (need I say more?)

The air shears I bought used for about $20. check out harbor freight. The rivet tool couldn't have been more than $15. also from HF. It came with a pack of the threaded anchors too!
 
Jicaju said:
Scott, I think you did a very professional job. Should have been made that way from the factory. :cool:
Click to expand...

He did a very professional job on this!!! If he would paint everything white, 99% of the people would not know it was not a factory job.
 
gta90project said:
There are pros and cons either way. For me I'm planning a new engine soon so I can imagine I'll be upgrading the fuel pump. It's good to know I can do it in 30 minutes flat next time! I've seen some youtube vids... going in from the bottom looks like a major mess and hassle! But like Scott said, it all depends on the right tools. The main drawback I see with Scott's method is it's not easy to clean the tank out well (I'm talking power spray / drain) as the manual says to do when swapping a fuel pump. It goes as far as saying that junk build up in the tank is the leading cause of fuel pump failure...

I'm glad I came across this forum and have a compressor! pneumatic tools are king as far I as I can tell.

The main problems I came across when doing this mod are
- figuring out how to anchor threaded rivets (online resources not so good)
- cutting the sheet metal with air shears (obviously practice first)
- cutting the metal fuel lines (need I say more?)

The air shears I bought used for about $20. check out harbor freight. The rivet tool couldn't have been more than $15. also from HF. It came with a pack of the threaded anchors too!
Click to expand...


air shears...not so good...I used a pneumatic nibbler (from Harbor Freight), much easier to use and way more accurate...just a little messy since it will shoot thousands of little half moon pieces of sheet metal everywhere. Also I used S/S PEM nuts/inserts (can get them at MSC) that get pressed/crimped in vs. threaded rivets. They can be installed with a small vice but the installation tool is much better. Cutting the fuel lines..hacksaw blade with oil and real slow...acctually cut quite easy since they are pretty soft.

-Scott
 
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