Replacing the Fuel Pump - AGAIN- 89 XLT

[militarydave]

well i tried selling the truck without replacing the pump again myself..... no luck. the low-ball offers i got weren't even worth the new tires that are on it.

i finished reading the other fuel-pump related issue post(s) and determined this:

My Fuel Pressure Regulator is fine. (the truck starts, fires up, idle's no problem)

Relays are new/tested/they work

I doubt the Inertia Swtich has been touched/kicked, but i'll double check (its in the Chilton's manual right?)

Electrical connections are fine....

and has a new fuel filter.

So, my question (to all) is - a little bird told me if you run your gas-tank too low (on empty basically), it can damage the pump? is this correct?

secondly, the new fuel pump i bought only had a 1 year warranty, so $96.57 later.... i'm the happy owner of another fuel pump with 1 year warranty.

now i recall dropping the tank is a PITA

but a buddy of mine actually took off the truck bed and replaced it that way?

only 4 bolts holds the bed.... but is that easier to do or just crawl underneath, jackstand the truck and drop the tank (again) in the garage?


any tips are greatly appreciated!

-dave

 

[Earl43P]

I vote bed off.

T55 Torx bit (buy two) and a long breaker bar for the six bed bolts.

3 screws for the filler neck.

One connector for the tail lights (middle of the underside @ bumper).

Once you get it disconnected, check voltage to the FP connector at the top of tank, repair/replace wiring as needed.

 

[351rangerxxx]

drop the tank

 

[militarydave]

so.... drop the tank or the bed off. if the bed comes off i'll probably do the bedliner (line-ex).

honestly.... i need it running first though!

 

[IMenriched]

what kind of pressure are you generating?

my vote is to remove the bed.
reason being is that your not laying on the ground /floor getting junk sprinkled in your eyes/face/mouth/ears/nose.

it is far more visible to see what is going on with bed off....more natural light...better view of wires and hoses in their finial position.

 

[militarydave]

i'm generating about 10-15 in the rented fuel pressure gauge from autozone. i tested my other car and its up to about 30-35. if that makes any sense

 

[tommy182018]

what year is the truck and is it fuel injected cuz if so you are reading way low and if carb you are about right .... also if fuel injected it mnight be the front fuel pump since you just did the back one .... and i would take the bed that is how i did it all 7 times i had to get in there way easyer (my truck is having electrical problems the pump didnt go out that many times )

 

[IMenriched]

i'm generating about 10-15 in the rented fuel pressure gauge from autozone. i tested my other car and its up to about 30-35. if that makes any sense

aggreeed....15psi at best, is way too low. Should be up there with your the other tested car.

Is yours one of those which has only a single fuel pump (FP)?? or do you still have 2 FP's { ...1 in tank....& 1 on the frame }

If you have 2 FP's ....you need to know which one is not performing.

have you changed the fuel filter again...might want to do that prior to changing out pumps and retest fuel pressure. With a relatively resent change of fuel pump ,(in tank), it may have picked up crud from the tank and now the filter holds them. I realize you state a new fuel filter...but was that again (in resent times), after the new one went in with the last FP?

as far as ruining as fuel pump by running it to low...doubt it....the in-tank pump pulls fuel off the bottom any way (or nearly so)...regardless of how full the tank is. If you're constantly are running so low that your letting air get sucked in...then yeah maybe...but then it wouldn't run very well either.

 

[holyford86]

what year is the truck and is it fuel injected cuz if so you are reading way low and if carb you are about right .... also if fuel injected it mnight be the front fuel pump since you just did the back one .... and i would take the bed that is how i did it all 7 times i had to get in there way easyer (my truck is having electrical problems the pump didnt go out that many times )

what?

 

[militarydave]

ok to clarify this is on a 1989 Ranger 2.9 with a 5spd, single cab, long bed, 1 fuel pump (FP) only (18 gallon tank i think... dont recall).

the fuel filter was replaced when the last Fuel Pump was replaced a little over a year ago.

i then replaced the fuel filter in august, filled up the tank with premium (no additives like seafoam, B12, RXP, Lucas, StaBil, etc). and let it idle.

its Fuel Injected (not carb).

I'm leaning more towards taking the bed off..... (as someone so put it... it prevents getting all that gas and dirt and stuff all over my face - goggles only do so much)

so its a T55 Torx bit correct? i'll have to PB Blast the hell out of those bolts from underneath the bed (after all its a 20yr old truck) and let it soak for a few days.

my fear is i'm going to go through a nice couple sets of Torx Sockets/Bits to pull all 6 bolts out!


anyone whos' done this before (taken the bed off..... got any tips)?

 

[creepinjeepster]

As you said yourself. PB Blast and let set for a day or so. Can't hurt to hit them again just before you go to take them off too. I have what I call a hammer ratchet (might have another name or two). It's basically a handle with a 3/8 drive end for sockets on it. I use the T55 on it. Hit the other end with hammer and as it compresses, it turns the bolt too. That is my secondary too non turning bolts after the PB. Sometimes heating them up can help too.

As for going through a lot of T55's. Make sure they are seated really good before attempting to loosen (tap in with hammer if needed). Shouldn't have any problems with stripping them.

 

[militarydave]

cool. i'll have to fire up my old man's air compressor/air ratches and electrical impact wrench (if needed).
of course trusty old hammer works every time!

i might as well roll on some bedliner to take advantage that the bed is off!

 

[militarydave]

for those who have taken the bed off....

do i have to unplug all the brake light bulbs/turn signals, etc, or is there a quick disconnect harness to remove them completely off?

thanks,

-dave

 

[militarydave]

ok so the bed was taken off, the pump was replaced and the truck is running good again. i took the pump off and it had all this white residue by the sending unit. not milky, just kinda stained. i dumped all the gas since i figured it was bad anyways.

cheap AIRTEK pump. didnt least me more than about a year. the one used to replace this has only a 1 year warranty so hopefully it will keep up.

i know that some of these after market pumps go bad when gas is really really low

and i only had 4 bolts holding down my bed not 6 bolts??