ride of shame...

[ryan george]

Wouldn't you know it, take the car out for the 1st time this spring to get gas and it dies on me about a mile up the road. Did my spring cleaning, just needed gas and a good washing and I was set to go. Popped the hood and no fuel pressure at the rail. Turn the key and no pump running. Towed home and put it in the garage. Haven't even been back out to look at it. Just replaced the damn fuel pump with a new XP from Red that I ran up and got from him last year (I'm in the Akron area). Trying to get that damn fuel tank back on last time was a real pain. Took me forever to get the straps back on. 1st time it's left me stranded, so I guess that's good when I've owned it for 20 years. Still, what a pisser. I just do not have the desire to change that pump again after the last time. Hopefully it's a fuse, but doubtful. Just venting...

 

[ttaowner]

check the fuse in your hotwire kit. check the fuses in the fuse box. could be the relay on the passenger side fender or the one in the hotwire kit. probably not the fuel pump since you just changed it

 

[ryan george]

I printed out Steve's checklist from his Vortex site, just haven't checked anything yet, but thanks.

 

[~JM~]

Be glad that it happened before you filled up. Hopefully you won't need to drop the tank again.

Good luck
~JM~

 

[whitehot1]

I've changed the fuel pump a few times on different turbo regals and i did it like everyone else. While it wasn't to big of a job to complete,it just didn't seem like the best way to accomplish the task.

So what i did was cut a hole in the floor of the trunk right above the fuel tank sending unit and made a metal plate to place over the hole to seal it up, with the carpeting in place you can't tell that it's there. It sure makes life easy to change the fuelpump sock or if needed the pump,and it could be done anywhere in about 15 minutes. No jacking up the car,no more dropping the gas tank and lifting it back into place. Just open the trunk pull back the carpeting and remove the plate and the sending unit is right there,no fuss and no mess to clean up.

 

[ttaowner]

I've changed the fuel pump a few times on different turbo regals and i did it like everyone else. While it wasn't to big of a job to complete,it just didn't seem like the best way to accomplish the task.

So what i did was cut a hole in the floor of the trunk right above the fuel tank sending unit and made a metal plate to place over the hole to seal it up, with the carpeting in place you can't tell that it's there. It sure makes life easy to change the fuelpump sock or if needed the pump,and it could be done anywhere in about 15 minutes. No jacking up the car,no more dropping the gas tank and lifting it back into place. Just open the trunk pull back the carpeting and remove the plate and the sending unit is right there,no fuss and no mess to clean up.

Sounds like the hack way to do things to me. 2 bolts with a impact gun it takes a minute

 

[GNandGS]

One should not have to be messing with the pumps so often to need a trap door. In a case like that I would just go external!

 

[whitehot1]

Sounds like the hack way to do things to me. 2 bolts with a impact gun it takes a minute

I will just take a guess and say that when someone has their fuel pump go out they're not at home in their garage with an impact gun and a minute to remove those 2 bolts up on the car lift.

I drive my car once a week depending on the weather and don't ever expect the fuel pump to go out but if it did.

If i was in a hurry i could change out my fuel pump in 10 minutes anywhere it happened to be,along side the road,parking lot of any store or business,right in the middle of town in a parking space, and no one would know or care what i was doing with the trunk lid open.

You want to have a race on changing out the fuel pump and see which is faster and easier.

Sawzall makes a nice cut and no hack job appearances when done as long as you know what you're doing.

 

[GNandGS]

hrrm... there are just too many failure points on a car to make that argument. If one anticipates regular servicing of the FP then I suppose this is one way to make it easier.

In THIS case he is not so happy about doing the job again and has had issues in the past. I'm wondering if there is debris in the tank! It might need to come down anyway to ensure all wiring is good to go and no issues inside the tank.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

I've changed the fuel pump a few times on different turbo regals and i did it like everyone else. While it wasn't to big of a job to complete,it just didn't seem like the best way to accomplish the task.

So what i did was cut a hole in the floor of the trunk right above the fuel tank sending unit and made a metal plate to place over the hole to seal it up, with the carpeting in place you can't tell that it's there. It sure makes life easy to change the fuelpump sock or if needed the pump,and it could be done anywhere in about 15 minutes. No jacking up the car,no more dropping the gas tank and lifting it back into place. Just open the trunk pull back the carpeting and remove the plate and the sending unit is right there,no fuss and no mess to clean up.

love this idea, there is a TTA with the same thing on this site.
i have to replace my pump and been thinking about doing this as well.

 

[turb0buick57]

Somebody remind me the next time Im trying to buy a g body to lift the carpet in the trunk and see if someone cut a whole in the floor. Used to read about guys on the camaro boards doing similar things so I'm sure it works, but I wouldn't do it to my car.

 

[HouTX87]

Somebody remind me the next time Im trying to buy a g body to lift the carpet in the trunk and see if someone cut a whole in the floor. Used to read about guys on the camaro boards doing similar things so I'm sure it works, but I wouldn't do it to my car.

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[ttaowner]

I takes several hours to get a tank out of a f body guess how I know i stripped around 10 of them. You got to drop the exhaust and the rear end to get the tank way different than a regal. I would never ever cut a hole in my 2 tta's to pull the pump because I'm to lazy to do it the right way.

There is no reason to cut a hole in a regal floor!!!!

Back to the thread did you figure out your problem yet?

 

[HouTX87]

I agree. Very bad suggestion. I'd hate to see guys getting so lazy as to start chopping up their cars. Just another good reason alot of buyers want unmolested cars. That is the definition of a molested car!

 

[HouTX87]

There have been a few cars with a factory access panel in the floor or the trunk. I remember the geo prisms had a panel under the back seat bottom and I believe some of the w body impalas had an access panel in the trunk. Too bad our cars don't have access panels, but taking my time I spent maybe an hour and a half when I changed my pump in the driveway. I've already spent too much hard work on my car to preserve it. I can't imagine cutting it up.

 

[3.8L V-8 eater]

Under regular circumstances I think this would devalue the car and most would be opposed to cutting up the trunk floor...However, if your car is heavily moded and more of a stripped out race car I could see it being a good idea.......

 

[87chrisss]

ive changed the tank and fuel pump over 3x in one night... without a jack or without air tools a hand ratchet with the tank on my chest pushing it up then putting my knee on the belly of the tank pulling the strap under and presenting the screw same on other side, wasnt that bad, no need to cut up holes in your trunk....and i had 1/2 or 1/4 tank of gas in the tank..

 

[BEATAV8]

What's the big deal? Making an removable access panel on the truck floor. Who cares? Just do a nice job of it and make it cool.

For most here it would be just another little modification on an already heavily modified car.

 

[Slow91z]

Under regular circumstances I think this would devalue the car and most would be opposed to cutting up the trunk floor...However, if your car is heavily moded and more of a stripped out race car I could see it being a good idea.......

Stripped out racecars should have a fuel cell, no reason to do this on a street car as long as the car gets quality parts installed.

Disclamer, if some installed a factory door like some cars have and made it look factory I'd be ok with it assuming not a super nice car.

 

[3-5.0]

If its a really nice job,why not. Can't be any worse than rolled fenders...actually probably less.