My 85 Firebird quit on me the other day so I replaced the fuel filter. It was totally clogged, I couldn't get water or air to go through it. I think that my fuel pump died too. The fuel pump kicks on, but it doesn't make the humming noise like it used to. For lack of a better way to describe the sound, it just sounds sick now. This Saturday I am going to have my dad bring a trailer so that we can take the car home to change the fuel pump. If anyone has any tips or advise about changing the pump or removing the gas tank from the car I'd really appreciate it.

 

You know what? MAD PROPS!! That's what I give to you. You are the man for attempting this. Oh, and good luck!

 

lol, that didn't sound very reassuring..I think TomP did his....?

 

Does the pump sound like a dying cow?? It's probably kicked the bucket then.

I can replace a 82-02 Camaro fuel pump in about 2 hours, but that's with the car on a lift. On the ground without air tools, expect this job to take ALL DAY.

You need to drain the tank. Syphen it out, or, if the pump still sorta runs, disconnect the fuel feed line and direct it into a bucket. Then either jumper the fuel pump relay or run 12V directly to the fuel pump and let it pump all the fuel out. Then remove the fuel cap and pull the plastic shield from the filler neck.

To get the tank out you need the rear of the car to be as high as possible. You need to disconect the shocks, track bar, track bar brace and sway bar end links and then let the rear end hang down as far as possible. ( Don't let it hang freely though. Support it.)

Then you need to disconnect the exhaust near the cat. converter and pull it out. Pull the heat shieldsThen disconnect all the fuel lines and wires and pull the tank out. It will be a tight squeeze still . Try not to bend the filler neck cause they like to crack at the base.

This is a quick run-through so minor details are missing but you should be able to get it done.

 

Also, I doubt you will, but if you DO give the pump 12V to drain it, the positve MUST go to the gray wire and the negative to the black wire. If you hook it up backwards, the pump will spin in reverse and no fuel will come out.

 

Yeah, I've done it... twice. First time when the pump died, the pump sounded sickly... not a steady hum... probably how your pump sounds, 84and85. The second pump, when it died, sounded like a nest of angry bees was in my tank- the humm turned into a screaming buzz!

I hot-wire the fuel pump using the fuel pump test connection in the ALDL (computer diagnostic) connector, above the driver's feet. Not only is it easier, but I think it's safer- any spark would be in the passenger compartment and not by the fuel tank. I remove the fuel filter, put a big piece of heater hose scrap over the filter's inlet line (from the tank), lead the heater hose into a gas can, then hot-wire the pump. I also turn the key to "on" (not start/crank!) to watch the fuel gauge drop.

Both times I followed the Haynes 82-92 Firebird manual, the directions for the pump are dead-on.

Think about replacing the old non-pressure hoses when the tank's down. There's three. One for tank vent, one for fuel return (from the fuel rail), one for charcoal vapor canister. Use new clamps, too. You don't have to use "fuel hose for fuel injected cars" because these hoses aren't under pressure. I used regular "fuel hose" on mine. But Karl (KED85) suggests the fuel pressure hose because it's a stronger hose to begin with.

The pressure hose is a $30 special-order-only part from GM. I haven't replaced mine yet; every time the pump died, I didn't have time to wait around for the hose to come in. It's a very good idea to replace it because by now it'll be full of cracks.

 

Oh yeah, forgot to mention- BEFORE you go thru the hell of a fuel pump swap, put a fuel pressure gauge on the car. They're about $30 from Pep Boys (or similar). Make sure to get the high pressure version for fuel injecton, not the $15 low-pressure gauge for carbureted cars.

It'd be a shame to replace a fuel pump only to find out the pump was okay to begin with!

 

To add to what Tom was saying: Check the bulkhead connector down next to the battery. If its corroded or the wires are loose, the pump and other accessories may not get power. Jiggle the wires a little and see if the pump shows signs of life. I messed with that junction when I put fog lights on the 85 and ended up loosening the mounting post. I wonder If I found that out that my pump would have never been changed!!!

 

I managed to get the fuel pump changed this past weekend. My dad and I had no problem getting the track bar, track bar brace, shocks, and coil springs off the car, but getting the tank out is a total pain in the a$$. We had to put a scrap piece of board onto the filler neck and tap it with a hammer to get the tank out. Putting the new pump into the tank wasn't hard at all, but getting the tank back into the car was just as bad as getting it out. We gave up on trying to wiggle the tank back in and ended up beating in part of the inner quarterpanel that was keeping the filler neck from sliding back in. Bending that piece of metal helped make the tank go in a lot easier. I painted the metal that we bent to keep it from rusting.

After I put in the new pump I turned the key just far enough to let the pump run. I tried starting the car and it fired right up. I really only had one problem, the fuel filler neck keeps that piece of plastic that you see when you open the gas door from lining up right. I must have bent the filler neck when we beat it with a hammer to get the tank out. I should be able to fix it by just cutting the hole for the filler neck a little bigger.

 

A little piece of advise: Change your fuel filter regularly (mine was totally clogged). It is a lot EASIER, and CHEEPER to change the filter than it is to change the fuel pump. I learned the hard way.

 

Glad to hear you're back on the road!! What brand/kind of pump did you put in? Isn't it great to hear the car start up after all that work?

Yeah, i had a hell of a time (both times!) getting my tank to fit back in correctly. It gets old, fast, trying to work that tank in and hold it above your head for 20 minutes. Seemed it worked better if I seated the front of the tank against the car before trying to seat the back of the tank against the bumper. I remember twisting and tilting and cursing and finally the tank slid right in.

I have a bent track bar brace bolt, can't get the sucker out. (Good thing about welding a new 1/4 on my car, I'll be welding on that new body bracket, and can get a "straight" track bar brace and put a new bolt in!) So both times I had to dig a hole in the gravel to swing the track bar brace into the hole, because that bolt didn't want to come out, even with a sledge. What a pain.

 

TomP, I got my fuel pump from NAPA. I can't remember what brand it is. It was a great feeling when the car started up on the first try. Knowing that I probably just saved myself a month's worth of rent money from not having to take it to a shop made me feel even better.

 

The box didn't have a name on it? Does napa make their own pumps, maybe?

 

The box had what company made the pump, but I forget what it said. If the box for it hasn't been thrown away yet I'll check what brand it is when I go home this weekend.

 

The pump I got from NAPA for my 91 5.7 Z/28 is # P74006 made by CARTER.
Napa doesn't make their own parts. They just re-label such as WIX makes their oil filters etc.