Can anyone tell me how to replace the mechanical fuel pump on my 87 Trans Am 305 engine. It looks like it is not easy to get to very little room to get to the 2 bolts actually they can't even be seen. What needs to be removed to make it easier
.Does the smog pump assy need to be removed

 

You don't have to take off anything. The 2 fuel lines, and the 2 bolts.

VERRRRRY EEEEEEZY to do from underneath. You can see it, get to it, get tools to it, everything.

 

Thank You

 

The fuel pump has a lever and that lever needs to be placed IN FRONT of the Fuel Pump Rod.

The Fuel Pump Rod touches the camshaft on one end and the Fuel pump on the other.

When installing the Fuel Pump you will need to be sure that the Fuel Pump Rod is pushed up/inside the engine as far as possible.

MANY MANY times the Fuel Pump Rod will NOT stay pushed up/inside the engine and will fall to it's lowest position and will 'block' the Fuel Pump from mounting properly.

If the Fuel Pump Rod will not stay up/inside the engine there are 2 "tricks" that might help;

1: Apply some grease to the Rod and then push it up/into the engine. use only as much grease as you must in order for the Rod to stay up/inside the engine.

2: Remove the smog pump,....... one of the smog pump mounting holes on the block is an access hole directly leading to the Fuel Pump Rod. You can insert a screwdriver into this bolt hole in the bock it push against the Fuel Pump Rod to hold it in place as the Fuel Pump is mounted. ( Lever in front of the rod ). This is a TPI block,... no Rod needed, 'access' bolt-hole circled.




It's easy to get frustrated with that Rod if it doesn't co-operate when your on your back and can't see anything. You don't want to go "crazy" using Grease,....... ONLY as much as needed !! It WILL work if done right,... If grease doesn't work for Ya' then you could always remove the SMOG pump. I prefer to remove the SMOG pump right from the start; a few extra minutes of easy work from the top is better IMO than an hour workin' around stuff - and with my luck -----> That Fuel Pump Rod would fall in the way and block that lever EVERY TIME !!!!


P.S. I've found that some cheap ( Zone/Advance) Fuel Pumps have a weak spring that can cause an audible "tick" in the fuel lines. The sound is very similar to a exhaust leak, cracked flywheel, or bad lifter. Fuel pumps are pretty reasonably priced - Buy a Good one !

 

Thank you for your tip, I did exactly as you suggested, because from underneath looked difficult to get to with the smog pump A.I.R system in the way and also part of the frame. I removed that bolt you said to remove and shoved a piece of wire coat hanger in the hole while holding up the rod with a screw driver and the rod stayed up. With all the room I had the pump went in easy installing it from the top. I bought a brand new original Delco pump from Rock Auto, I am the original owner since the car was new and figured since the original pump lasted 32 years it had to be a good pump, the original was still working and the reason I had to replace it it was leaking from the weep hole. Also want to mention that I had to replace a leaking gas tank about 10 years ago and the gas tank also has an electric fuel pump that i replaced with a new one back then , strange that the car came new with 2 .pumps, mine has a carburator the electronic E4ME

 

Glad to help !!

I was about 19 Y/O when I replaced my first Camaro Mech fuel pump and I didn't know about that access hole. Was workin' on it from underneath and that dam Pump Rod would NOT co-operate !!! I'm a few years short of 50 now and I STILL REMEMBER the frustration of trying to get that lever tucked under the rod while working 'blind' from under the car !! I've learned that it's WAY BETTER to do an extra 5-minutes for work to avoid the inevitable 2 hours of frustration trying to work-around things to accomplish something.

Some Carb cars ( early "HO" and 87 Carb cars ) used the in-tank pump as well as the mech unit on the block. I don't recall the exact reasoning for it ( fuel starvation when cornering ? ) but the in-tank pump was used on the 'HO' Thirdgens and - IIRC - all 87's with a Carb.

Glad it worked out for Ya !!!

 

Thanks again John