OK. I've searched and searched and can't come up with a definitive answer for this. I'm pretty well convinced that the fuel pump is just about dead in the 'vert. Now, I know changing it is an enormous PITA, but, figure I've got all summer, so what the heck. I whip out the manual and proceed to read exactly what it's gonna' take to accomplish this. Holy crap! Do I REALLY need to REMOVE the rear axle to do this?! I dunno' if I wanna' try this lying on the garage floor, begging someone to come over and give me a hand. Conversely, I'm sure if I take it somewhere, it's probably $$$$ in labor! I think I'm screwed either way.

 

Just did it last week. you need to drop the pass. side. I just droped the trailing arm front bolt. to get the tank out. i,m a retired disabled 62 year old .if i can do it any one can. Drain gas out first makes lot easier. Carl

 

Cool. Thanks. I'm only slightly hysterical now!

 

Dude, it's like 3 bolts you have to remove in order to drop the rear axle far enough down to make it easier to get the tank out. And no, you don't have to even drop it if you don't want to.
Makes it alot easier though.
Jack the car waay up, remove the panhard bar, remove the lower shock nuts, put a jack under the diff, jack it up enough to take all the pressure off of the shock bolts, then slide the bolts out of the bracket on the axle tubes. then, just let down the jack. Oh ya, you should remove the torque arm from it's bushing up on the tranny too. It's that easy to drop the rear end down.

You have a garage to work in? Man, I've changed fuel pumps in parking lots before, and many in the dirt. A garage is a heaven send! Who care's about laying on your back? you get to LAY DOWN ON THE JOB!

If you've done it before, 4 hours is no problem to completley change out a pump. no big deal. It'll probably take you 2 days max if you haven't done it before.

Good luck!

 

Took me 5hrs with problems ( fuel tank cut my heal badly - needed stiches) next time should take about 3~3.5hrs

Good Luck and be careful and you should have no problems...

 

I did the fuel pump door mod, LOL! I know it was cheating, but the only place i had to do it was on the dirt laying in gravel that was sharp as hell. I at least took my time and made the door look nice, and sealed it good, and double clamped all lines when i replaced them with high pressure fuel hose.

 

am in the process of doing this myself cant get the bolts out of the LCA so im going to try it by just dropping the rearend down all the way to the ground and see if that works or not i was quted 10 hours labor (book time) at like $60-$70 an hour woooo lots of money i had to take the rear sway bar links off also

 

sounds like you all need a BMFH!! Pics of the fuel door mod please!

GM shoulda done it like that stock, like the 'vette! I'd be a little concerned about sparks flying all around the gas tank... but i'm just paranoid.

Fbodyguy86, that will work just fine. you don't have to remove the rear end at all. Just drop it down if you like.

Pneumatictire, ever heard of cardboard? works great on gravel!

 

When I did it I did not need to take off the rear end. Just took off the panhard bar ant the other bar on top of the panhard. Tank came right off.

 

Same here, its not a big deal, Im just stuck trying to find a new sending unit for my tank lol. Pull the fuel pump fuse and crank the motor over till it stops running to releive all of the pressure in the lines. After that its basically a plug and play deal.