Changing Fuel Pump
#1
08-21-2013, 10:41 AM
Changing Fuel Pump
A few weeks ago I encountered a symptom where the engine would crank and crank but would barely ever catch and fire up. Once it did though it seemed to run fine. I searched for answers and came up with everything from coil to TPS and fuel pump. Obviously, coil and TPS would be easy to change but it seemed easier to check fuel pressure.
Sure enough, fuel pressure was next to nothing on the last day I tried, and it never would start. Fuel pump it is.
I spent a few days looking through different searches and never found any step by step threads on changing the fuel pump in one of these trucks and I thought I would collate my findings into this thread for future searches.
First off, in my searches, I read that Delphi and Delco were both good pump assemblies to get, and online was usually cheaper. I did not have the time to wait so I purchased a Delphi assembly from Napa for $350 and some change.
The tank in my truck, at the time of this pump failure, was near 3/4 full and obviously that would make the tank WAY to heavy to easily deal with. I used a 5 gallon fuel tank and some clear tubing to slowly siphon out 5 gallons at a time, and filled up my Durango and my Wife's Saab, until the Ram tank was empty...saving the last 5 gallons to put back in. This allowed me to start the process with an empty and therefor very light tank.
I sprayed the hose clamps and tank strap bolts with WD-40. Next, I used a small power drill with a long extension and a bit to undo the hose clamp on the filler tube so it would detach from the filler neck. You can reach up and twist it and pull it loose with the tank in place.
The rear tank strap is the first to be released, and I used an air impact and an extension to remove the nut, and then I reached up and pulled the strap end with the 'T' out of the frame and removed it. Yes the tank will stay in place with the one strap, and by removing the rear strap you have room to get your transmission jack under the tank itself without it interfering with strap removal.
With the tank supported, you can remove the forward strap nut, and though you cannot actually remove the forward strap with the tank in place, you can bend it backwards and out of the way as you lower the tank.
Slowly release the jack so the tank starts to drop. Once you have room, you'll need to disconnect the fuel line, vent line, and wiring pigtail. The wiring pigtail is difficult because it is the locking type with the red sliding pin. Fuel will drain from the fuel line. This is normal and will vary depending on how much pressure and fuel are in the line.
Once those are all disconnected, you can drop the tank, slide it off of the jack, and onto the floor where you can actually work on it.
Important Tip: Make a reference mark for the orientation of the pump assembly. Mark a spot on the old pump that is the same between the two, and the tank where that mark sits. That way when the assembly is removed, the mark you make on the new assembly lines up with the mark on the tank and the you can orient it exactly as it was.
This is where I was thrown for a loop that I was not expecting. There is a large diameter nylon threaded retainer that holds the pump assembly down in the tank. Id guess it was a good 6" to 7" overall diameter and it is tightened down hard. I tried by hand and it would not release. Since I didn't have an adjustable wrench big enough, I used a strap wrench.
The strap slid on the retainer ring so I tried a C-clamp to hold the strap tighter and that was enough extra tension for me to break the seal and get the ring off.
With the ring off, the assembly can be lifted out. The rubber seal might be stuck so a little prying with a flat head is helpful but be careful not to damage the plastic threads at the mouth of the opening where the ring threads on.
Remove the rubber seal from the old pump assembly, slide it onto the new assembly, and drop it in. Line up the marks you made so it is oriented the same way exactly. You'll drop the assembly in with the old seal in place, press it in making sure the seal seats properly and doesn't interfere with the ring threads...drop the ring down over it, press down on the pump assembly compressing the seal, and carefully begin turning the ring to get the threads started. It will try to cross thread if you are not pressing down on the pump so take this part slow and make sure the ring is threading on even and not cross threading.
Once it's started, tighten it down by hand making sure the orientation is still accurate. Use the strap wrench to get it tight enough to get a good seal, and now you're ready to begin installation.
Get the tank back on the jack. Lift it up high enough to reconnect the fuel lines and pigtail. Then lift it back up into place, where you can bend the forward strap back around it, and start and tighten the nut on the forward strap. Once it's tight, you can drop the jack, install the rear strap, and secure the nut. As before, rear up and connect the filler tube hose to the filler neck, and use the drill and extension to tighten the clamp as you did with the other clamps.
Get the truck back on the ground, add some fuel, cycle the key to IGN a few times on and off, and then try to start it. Mine fired right up. I turned it off and back on a few times to make sure I had good pressure and no air trapped behind an injector.
Hopefully the Delphi unit will last me the rest of the truck's life. It's been 230K miles on the old pump and I'm hoping for a similar result...after all this was a very expensive part and I don't want to do it again.
Hope this helps anyone with similar symptoms and this thread is found early in your search process.
Sure enough, fuel pressure was next to nothing on the last day I tried, and it never would start. Fuel pump it is.
I spent a few days looking through different searches and never found any step by step threads on changing the fuel pump in one of these trucks and I thought I would collate my findings into this thread for future searches.
First off, in my searches, I read that Delphi and Delco were both good pump assemblies to get, and online was usually cheaper. I did not have the time to wait so I purchased a Delphi assembly from Napa for $350 and some change.
The tank in my truck, at the time of this pump failure, was near 3/4 full and obviously that would make the tank WAY to heavy to easily deal with. I used a 5 gallon fuel tank and some clear tubing to slowly siphon out 5 gallons at a time, and filled up my Durango and my Wife's Saab, until the Ram tank was empty...saving the last 5 gallons to put back in. This allowed me to start the process with an empty and therefor very light tank.
I sprayed the hose clamps and tank strap bolts with WD-40. Next, I used a small power drill with a long extension and a bit to undo the hose clamp on the filler tube so it would detach from the filler neck. You can reach up and twist it and pull it loose with the tank in place.
The rear tank strap is the first to be released, and I used an air impact and an extension to remove the nut, and then I reached up and pulled the strap end with the 'T' out of the frame and removed it. Yes the tank will stay in place with the one strap, and by removing the rear strap you have room to get your transmission jack under the tank itself without it interfering with strap removal.
With the tank supported, you can remove the forward strap nut, and though you cannot actually remove the forward strap with the tank in place, you can bend it backwards and out of the way as you lower the tank.
Slowly release the jack so the tank starts to drop. Once you have room, you'll need to disconnect the fuel line, vent line, and wiring pigtail. The wiring pigtail is difficult because it is the locking type with the red sliding pin. Fuel will drain from the fuel line. This is normal and will vary depending on how much pressure and fuel are in the line.
Once those are all disconnected, you can drop the tank, slide it off of the jack, and onto the floor where you can actually work on it.
Important Tip: Make a reference mark for the orientation of the pump assembly. Mark a spot on the old pump that is the same between the two, and the tank where that mark sits. That way when the assembly is removed, the mark you make on the new assembly lines up with the mark on the tank and the you can orient it exactly as it was.
This is where I was thrown for a loop that I was not expecting. There is a large diameter nylon threaded retainer that holds the pump assembly down in the tank. Id guess it was a good 6" to 7" overall diameter and it is tightened down hard. I tried by hand and it would not release. Since I didn't have an adjustable wrench big enough, I used a strap wrench.
The strap slid on the retainer ring so I tried a C-clamp to hold the strap tighter and that was enough extra tension for me to break the seal and get the ring off.
With the ring off, the assembly can be lifted out. The rubber seal might be stuck so a little prying with a flat head is helpful but be careful not to damage the plastic threads at the mouth of the opening where the ring threads on.
Remove the rubber seal from the old pump assembly, slide it onto the new assembly, and drop it in. Line up the marks you made so it is oriented the same way exactly. You'll drop the assembly in with the old seal in place, press it in making sure the seal seats properly and doesn't interfere with the ring threads...drop the ring down over it, press down on the pump assembly compressing the seal, and carefully begin turning the ring to get the threads started. It will try to cross thread if you are not pressing down on the pump so take this part slow and make sure the ring is threading on even and not cross threading.
Once it's started, tighten it down by hand making sure the orientation is still accurate. Use the strap wrench to get it tight enough to get a good seal, and now you're ready to begin installation.
Get the tank back on the jack. Lift it up high enough to reconnect the fuel lines and pigtail. Then lift it back up into place, where you can bend the forward strap back around it, and start and tighten the nut on the forward strap. Once it's tight, you can drop the jack, install the rear strap, and secure the nut. As before, rear up and connect the filler tube hose to the filler neck, and use the drill and extension to tighten the clamp as you did with the other clamps.
Get the truck back on the ground, add some fuel, cycle the key to IGN a few times on and off, and then try to start it. Mine fired right up. I turned it off and back on a few times to make sure I had good pressure and no air trapped behind an injector.
Hopefully the Delphi unit will last me the rest of the truck's life. It's been 230K miles on the old pump and I'm hoping for a similar result...after all this was a very expensive part and I don't want to do it again.
Hope this helps anyone with similar symptoms and this thread is found early in your search process.
Last edited by Sooper; 08-21-2013 at 02:00 PM.
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08-21-2013, 01:10 PM
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And those in the rust belt should make sure they have replacement tank straps handy before doing this. (And if you forget tank straps, ratchet straps work almost just as well 
)
And for those who have trouble figuring out the locking connector for the pump like I did, you just push the red tab to the right (towards the rear of truck) with a flathead or the like, and pull it all the way out with pliers. Connector should just pull right off now.
Also when removing the tank vent hose either from the tank side or the fuel neck side, make sure you don't put stress on that little plastic elbow on the tank or you'll have a tough time finding a replacement.
)And for those who have trouble figuring out the locking connector for the pump like I did, you just push the red tab to the right (towards the rear of truck) with a flathead or the like, and pull it all the way out with pliers. Connector should just pull right off now.
Also when removing the tank vent hose either from the tank side or the fuel neck side, make sure you don't put stress on that little plastic elbow on the tank or you'll have a tough time finding a replacement.