OK so I had a scare this weekend. 89 2.8L MPFI Firebird. In-tank fuel pump, possibly original, I have no clue as I got the car with 180,000 miles, and I don't often go into my fuel tank to just "have a peek". Honestly the thought of dropping the fuel tank conjures images of the Hindenburg disaster, fireballs, or even the more plausible, burning, destroyed, and aptly named "Fire" bird.

In hindsight the same thing happens every so often (maybe every 2-3 months) and now I realize what it has been. I'd be driving along and suddenly the car starts jerking and surging like it ran out of gas. It would stall and not start right away. If I let her sit for 10 minutes with the car off it would start right back up like nothing happened.

So this time I was late on my way to somewhere important with no phone (or cell) in sight to let the other party know I was going to be late. So this time when it happened I freaked because I let it sit for 10 and it didn't start again. In fact this time I noticed that I couldn't hear the (normally) quite audible fuel pump as it primed (or didn't prime)!

So I checked the fuse(fine), pulled the battery cable (thinking resetting the computer would help for some reason), and when that didn't do it, I put down the back seat and whacked the floor of the hatch with a big hammer (big brute method of fixing electric motors I guess LOL). I pulled the carpet back from where the hatch meets the back seat and found what I think is the power/control cable that goes to the fuel pump (what else is back there that uses power?) It goes underneath the hatch floor towards the rear and goes forwards under the rear seat to parts unknown.

I immediately noticed the cable was cut at some point and electrical taped back together. I flicked the splice one time and went back to start my car and drive away. Primed right up and off I went after a few goes at it. Apparently I've got a funky connection there, and I'm really glad I found it before I paid to have my fuel pump replaced.

So that brings me to the point of all this, how feasible is it to change from the very difficult, dangerous, and expensive in-tank electric style fuel pump to one thats inline, much easier to get to and won't (as easily) suddenly explode when your trying to fix it?