I just changed the fuel pump in my 2000 Neon ES and once again it was a learning experience like everything I’ve had to do with this car. So I thought I’d share a few details about the process that might help others that have to do it.
It’s not difficult. Luckily the tank is plastic and it can be dropped without having to remove or relocate anything major. I bought a new pump through ebay for $99 plus $20 shipping. It arrived in only two days and was the right thing. The only problem is there was no gasket included. I thought this wouldn’t be a problem but boy was I wrong.
The fuel pump is held on by a six inch diameter plastic ring that is ribbed. Nothing fits it of course except for a special wrench that I couldn’t find. I resorted to hitting the ribs with a large flat screwdriver and a hammer. That loosened it up to the point I could remove it. The gasket is a large rubber piece and it looked like it could be reused so I didn’t worry about it. I put the new fuel pump in then realized I needed something better then the hammer and screwdriver to put it back on. I searched around and found a pair of large oil filter pliers at Walmart. They could be opened enough to grasp the ribs on the ring so I could tighten it back down. A good quality strap wrench would also work if the strap was rubberized. Plain nylon doesn’t work. Of course the ring insisted on going on crooked no matter how much I cussed at it. But finally I got it on and tightened. Success I thought.
Of course there was a quarter of a tank of gas in the gas tank that I had to drain so I painstakingly drained it into my single 2 ½ gallon gas can. If you drain the tank it weights hardly anything and is easy to put back up. I got everything back together again, took the car off the jackstands and put the gas back in it. When I turned it on I could hear the pump turning but there was no fuel pressure.
I thought I’d done something wrong but then I discovered that even though 2 ½ gallons of gas is enough to run on it wasn’t enough with a new fuel filter so I had to drive to the gas station and get more gas. When I put it in the tank the car ran but the pump leaked around the gasket. I had won the battle but lost the war. So I drained the tank once more until it wasn’t leaking and took the gas tank off again.
I got a new gasket at the local Dodge dealership. It cost $10 and they had to order it. None of the parts places stocked it. It arrived the next day and when I looked at it I realized it has a kind of protrusion that keeps it from leaking and the old one was flat and worn out. So if you change the fuel pump please use a new gasket. I’m not sure if I had ordered a pump through one of the parts places for $220 it would have come with a gasket but at least it would have saved me taking the tank off twice.

 

Damn what a bitch. How did you know that you needed to change out the fuel pump?

Glad you got it fixed, I will deffinetely keep in mind to get the filter should the time ever come. I will probably get a walboro though

 

would decreasing fuel efficiency be a sign that i need to replace the fuel pump?

 

The car showed no symptoms until suddenly it started shuddering and dying. It would idle OK but to increase revs I had to feather the throttle. If I shut it down for 10 minutes it would run fine for a few miles then start the same symptoms over again. This happened 10 miles from my house and it took me an hour to nurse it home, having to stop ever mile or so. At first I thought it was something else until I put a fuel pressure meter on the fuel rail and found it had less then 10 psi. I pulled the old pump apart and was amazed at the amount of grit in the strainer and in the inlet of the pump itself. By the way the pump I purchased was a Delco unit and was the cheapest replacement pump I could find. It appeared to be exactly the same type as the pump I removed.