advice on accessing fuel pump please!

[unruhjonny]

Hello all!
This past weekend my fuel pump gave it the ghost;
I am pretty confident that it's the pump - and seeing as it's roughly thirty-three years old, I think that was spectacular run.

My brother really came through, and trailered it to his heated shop - so my intent is to get it running on it's own power, and out of his shop asap;

I read many threads on tips and advice on which pump to get, and this is my thoughts on all I've digested with the angle of getting it back home as priority #1:
I am buying a decent name brand pump from RockAuto, and expecting it to crap out in a couple years time;
I have an NOS Delco pump being sent to a stateside family members house;
The Delco pump isn't coming to me because I am saving $40 on shipping ($20 to Oregon vs $60 to Alberta), and because there is NO WAY it could be here nearly as fast as the RA pump i ordered (again, need it out of brothers shop asap).

What I'd really appreciate is advice on how to tackle the job;
I had assumed that I'd need to figure out the best way to drain the tank before unbolting and lowering it;
My other brother (I have two) suggested we remove the bed to work on the pump from the top - at a glance, that's a great idea because then we don't have to drain the tank, or deal with a stupid heavy/awkward 3/4(?; sender still works) full tank; The issue with removing the bed is that it is currently FULL of car parts (I had a booth at an out of town swap meet the weekend that the pump died).

So opinions please:

1) Drain and drop tank;
If you think this is the way to go, please give me your opinion on the best way to drain the tank.

2) Empty and remove bed;
If you think this is the way to go, ANY advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Caman96]

Removing the bed is super easy, it also lets you clean up previously inaccessible areas. Or, loosen one side of bed bolts, remove the driver side bolts and lift up and block it up while replacing hanger and pump. Your 2 helpers can easily lift while stuffing a few blocks in place. My 34 gallon tank had just been filled when mine croaked.

 

[someotherguy]

You're in Canada.. rusty fasteners going to be an issue? How about rusty fuel lines? Because both factors would weigh heavily in how I would proceed.

You'll fight rusty fasteners either method - the 2 tank strap bolts, which will possibly twist up the straps and be a royal pain. AND, dropping the tank, you'll put more stress on the hard sections of the fuel lines, which could cause you more grief if they're rusty at all. Then again, if they're rusty.......time to address them.

Lifting the bed not only entails removing all the stuff from it, but also fighting 8 potentially rusty bolts. Hint: you can spray penetrating oil through the sides of the bed supports and hope to reach the tops of those bolts. Might help, might not.

Normally, lifting the bed is my preferred choice, but you have "gotchas" up there that I wouldn't have to deal with down here in Texas.

If you end up dropping the tank, a very cheap squeeze bulb siphon hose makes emptying it first a piece of cake. I zip-tied a heavy fastener (I think it was a Ford brake caliper pin) to the end of the hose so it could bottom out in the tank easier and not curl up away from the bottom.

Richard

 

[toolmakerson]

Hello all!
This past weekend my fuel pump gave it the ghost;
I am pretty confident that it's the pump - and seeing as it's roughly thirty-three years old, I think that was spectacular run.

My brother really came through, and trailered it to his heated shop - so my intent is to get it running on it's own power, and out of his shop asap;

I read many threads on tips and advice on which pump to get, and this is my thoughts on all I've digested with the angle of getting it back home as priority #1:
I am buying a decent name brand pump from RockAuto, and expecting it to crap out in a couple years time;
I have an NOS Delco pump being sent to a stateside family members house;
The Delco pump isn't coming to me because I am saving $40 on shipping ($20 to Oregon vs $60 to Alberta), and because there is NO WAY it could be here nearly as fast as the RA pump i ordered (again, need it out of brothers shop asap).

What I'd really appreciate is advice on how to tackle the job;
I had assumed that I'd need to figure out the best way to drain the tank before unbolting and lowering it;
My other brother (I have two) suggested we remove the bed to work on the pump from the top - at a glance, that's a great idea because then we don't have to drain the tank, or deal with a stupid heavy/awkward 3/4(?; sender still works) full tank; The issue with removing the bed is that it is currently FULL of car parts (I had a booth at an out of town swap meet the weekend that the pump died).

So opinions please:

1) Drain and drop tank;
If you think this is the way to go, please give me your opinion on the best way to drain the tank.

2) Empty and remove bed;
If you think this is the way to go, ANY advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

for what it's worth...

my tank was about 1/2 full, i dropped it without draining it. was not a big deal any more than most work normally is. i was replacing the fill tube, and everything at once, pump, tank, lines, etc., all in one fell swoop, without trying to preserve lines, but preserving the plastic underside cover, etc. just tried to take out bolts holding lines and their PLASTIC brackets to reuse them. just cut lines at ends and dropped and dragged them out whole. cleaned up holes in chassis. cleaned crap out of plastic cover, etc. painted frame with bone black purified linseed oil paint. replace lines with copper nickel, never corrode, no galvanic reaction with the steel frame.

to drop tank, i just used cinder block, wooden blocks, letting it down bit at a time as i cut connections, carefully took electric wires off to not crack plastic connectors, etc. drop left, drop right, back and forth. had truck on jackstands just enough room to slide tank out from under.

utterly no reason to lift bed, etc. having truck up on hoist would just mean the ground is 6 feet away and you need a fancy rig to hold the tank and let it down.

laying on cardboard on the ground is most comfortable way to work, in my opinion. for free - you get great exercise getting up from under the truck and then crawling back under. after a few weeks of that you'll be jumping up and down like when you were 16 years old.

 

[Caman96]

You're in Canada.. rusty fasteners going to be an issue? How about rusty fuel lines? Because both factors would weigh heavily in how I would proceed.

You'll fight rusty fasteners either method - the 2 tank strap bolts, which will possibly twist up the straps and be a royal pain. AND, dropping the tank, you'll put more stress on the hard sections of the fuel lines, which could cause you more grief if they're rusty at all. Then again, if they're rusty.......time to address them.

Lifting the bed not only entails removing all the stuff from it, but also fighting 8 potentially rusty bolts. Hint: you can spray penetrating oil through the sides of the bed supports and hope to reach the tops of those bolts. Might help, might not.

Normally, lifting the bed is my preferred choice, but you have "gotchas" up there that I wouldn't have to deal with down here in Texas.

If you end up dropping the tank, a very cheap squeeze bulb siphon hose makes emptying it first a piece of cake. I zip-tied a heavy fastener (I think it was a Ford brake caliper pin) to the end of the hose so it could bottom out in the tank easier and not curl up away from the bottom.

Richard

Agreed, rust is always an x-factor and will be either way. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight Bolt Extractor kit that made quick work of a stripped, rusted bolt. Once bed bolts are removed, any and all work including fuel lines will be much easier.

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[toolmakerson]

Hello all!
This past weekend my fuel pump gave it the ghost;
I am pretty confident that it's the pump - and seeing as it's roughly thirty-three years old, I think that was spectacular run.

My brother really came through, and trailered it to his heated shop - so my intent is to get it running on it's own power, and out of his shop asap;

I read many threads on tips and advice on which pump to get, and this is my thoughts on all I've digested with the angle of getting it back home as priority #1:
I am buying a decent name brand pump from RockAuto, and expecting it to crap out in a couple years time;
I have an NOS Delco pump being sent to a stateside family members house;
The Delco pump isn't coming to me because I am saving $40 on shipping ($20 to Oregon vs $60 to Alberta), and because there is NO WAY it could be here nearly as fast as the RA pump i ordered (again, need it out of brothers shop asap).

What I'd really appreciate is advice on how to tackle the job;
I had assumed that I'd need to figure out the best way to drain the tank before unbolting and lowering it;
My other brother (I have two) suggested we remove the bed to work on the pump from the top - at a glance, that's a great idea because then we don't have to drain the tank, or deal with a stupid heavy/awkward 3/4(?; sender still works) full tank; The issue with removing the bed is that it is currently FULL of car parts (I had a booth at an out of town swap meet the weekend that the pump died).

So opinions please:

1) Drain and drop tank;
If you think this is the way to go, please give me your opinion on the best way to drain the tank.

2) Empty and remove bed;
If you think this is the way to go, ANY advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

oh, the strap with bolt on the end was permanently rusted to the nut. i got a new strap, so i could just hacksaw off the old one. i reused the old bracket after cleaning and painting it with linseed oil pain.

going forward i'll drop the tank and repaint it and anything else - before it rusts to crap, inspecting it annually.

pump assembly cam with new sheet metal ring which holds the new rubber seal, but this is a cheapo design, but it works if you are patient and careful making sure the seal is in place.

i might have used air chisel on the mounting strap nut, not sure. back strap was rusted off, chassis crossmember hole near left chassis was rusted too large for mounting strap to hang on. so i drilled new holes in crossmember and fabricated primitive brackets from metal plate and nuts and bolts. i can post pic. it's primitive but heavy enough i don't have to worry about it, other than annual inspection. some day i'll probably fabricate a new crossmember, since that strap clip/hold design gets destroyed by road salt here in nj.

 

[fancyTBI]

I’ve pulled beds 3 times and dropped the tank once. I’d pull a bed any day.

 

[toolmakerson]

Hello all!
This past weekend my fuel pump gave it the ghost;
I am pretty confident that it's the pump - and seeing as it's roughly thirty-three years old, I think that was spectacular run.

My brother really came through, and trailered it to his heated shop - so my intent is to get it running on it's own power, and out of his shop asap;

I read many threads on tips and advice on which pump to get, and this is my thoughts on all I've digested with the angle of getting it back home as priority #1:
I am buying a decent name brand pump from RockAuto, and expecting it to crap out in a couple years time;
I have an NOS Delco pump being sent to a stateside family members house;
The Delco pump isn't coming to me because I am saving $40 on shipping ($20 to Oregon vs $60 to Alberta), and because there is NO WAY it could be here nearly as fast as the RA pump i ordered (again, need it out of brothers shop asap).

What I'd really appreciate is advice on how to tackle the job;
I had assumed that I'd need to figure out the best way to drain the tank before unbolting and lowering it;
My other brother (I have two) suggested we remove the bed to work on the pump from the top - at a glance, that's a great idea because then we don't have to drain the tank, or deal with a stupid heavy/awkward 3/4(?; sender still works) full tank; The issue with removing the bed is that it is currently FULL of car parts (I had a booth at an out of town swap meet the weekend that the pump died).

So opinions please:

1) Drain and drop tank;
If you think this is the way to go, please give me your opinion on the best way to drain the tank.

2) Empty and remove bed;
If you think this is the way to go, ANY advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!

i always find that a good sharp hacksaw is best at cutting off things - but one needs to be patient and let the saw cut. it's great exercise and there's no electric motor to fail prematurely. modern tools, compared to my father's old ones, are typically basically throwaways.

 

[Caman96]

I’ve pulled beds 3 times and dropped the tank once. I’d pull a bed any day.

Also, a 33 year old filler neck and hoses likely need replacing.

 

[someotherguy]

oh, the strap with bolt on the end was permanently rusted to the nut. i got a new strap, so i could just hacksaw off the old one. i reused the old bracket after cleaning and painting it with linseed oil pain.

going forward i'll drop the tank and repaint it and anything else - before it rusts to crap, inspecting it annually.

pump assembly cam with new sheet metal ring which holds the new rubber seal, but this is a cheapo design, but it works if you are patient and careful making sure the seal is in place.

i might have used air chisel on the mounting strap nut, not sure. back strap was rusted off, chassis crossmember hole near left chassis was rusted too large for mounting strap to hang on. so i drilled new holes in crossmember and fabricated primitive brackets from metal plate and nuts and bolts. i can post pic. it's primitive but heavy enough i don't have to worry about it, other than annual inspection. some day i'll probably fabricate a new crossmember, since that strap clip/hold design gets destroyed by road salt here in nj.

I've told this story before so I'll give the brief version:

Years ago had a customer bring me his rusty truck from up North, wanted to buy a bed. On the way to my shop his gas tank fell down and ate sht on the freeway. He limped it, leaking, the rest of the way to my shop where we replaced the tank, hard lines, straps, and bed.

The crossmember for the front tank strap had rusted through like you described, so we cleaned it off really well, took a piece of thick metal bar and drilled a hole, welded a nut to it, then welded that into the good remaining metal of the crossmember - a patch, but a serious one, to bolt the tank back up with.

Richard