Fuel Pump Question

Trav_13 · December 26, 2010

My 01 Suburban just lost the Fuel Pump heading uptown this morning....died right there on the spot...I was able to get it going by beating on the tank and get it home...my question is, is there an access door in the Floorboard of this truck to get to the Fuel Tank which is located right underneath the Left Rear Quad Passenger Seat. I am trying to determine if this is a job that can be done from the top, or if you need to get underneath the truck and drop the tank.

sabre364 · December 26, 2010

From what I understand the suvs you need to drop the tank. Either that or cut a hole in the floorboard...which probably isnt the best idea since the fuel tank is sitting right below it.

For the trucks, you can just take off the bed.

How many miles? My buddies fuel pump blew up in the middle of nowhere canada as he was driving 4000 miles from alaska to ny lol. He was also towing his old 5.0 and everything he owned (and the kid owns a lot of crap).

oldmann · December 26, 2010

Dropping the tank on a silverado is easy. Maye a two hour job for a non mechanic like me from jack stands to washing hands. Not sure about da burb.

[email protected] · December 26, 2010

Nope no access door, the only thing I've ever seen with an access door to the fuel pump was a third gen camaro, and that's because it was put there. The tanks on those took forever to drop unlike tanks in silverados and tahoes.

Trav_13 · December 26, 2010

Thanks for the input guys....its got 166K miles on it....I'm not aware of how difficult or easy it is to drop the tank...I don't have lift access either, and of course even though I have a heated shop the truck is packed with snow and ice underneath....bottom line, I'm pressed for time this week, and was planning to do new brakes anyway, I may just have the shop do it all that a way the truck is only down for a day....I always have my 09 Sierra that I can get out and drive, but that was the point of this Suburban so the truck could be a garage queen in the winter! I've put 3K miles on this truck in the last 3 weeks, I guess I'm very lucky it only died 2 miles from home considering what it could have been!

oldmann · December 26, 2010

Sounds like a good idea. You only need a jack and some stands. The only special tool you need is to unhook the fuel lines from the tank. A set is only $15-25. Its like a spring clip opener. Auto pars store will know about it. Unbolt the filler neck. Take the bands off the tank and let it down with a jack. If its got a lot of fuel in it siphon it out before you begin. Don't blame you for hiring it done though.

Trav_13 · December 27, 2010

Sounds like a good idea. You only need a jack and some stands. The only special tool you need is to unhook the fuel lines from the tank. A set is only $15-25. Its like a spring clip opener. Auto pars store will know about it. Unbolt the filler neck. Take the bands off the tank and let it down with a jack. If its got a lot of fuel in it siphon it out before you begin. Don't blame you for hiring it done though.

Anyone know what the book time is on this? I'm just trying to figure out true costs on this project...What is going to bug me is that I can buy Auto Parts all over the place for a large discount with my Auto Parts Business. Usually in doing so, I can also perform the labor myself and really fix things cheap with quality parts. However when I get to a shop I never get a discount on labor (which is fine), but my discount also seems forfeited if I buy the parts from the Service Department via the Service Advisor on the Service Ticket...I'm just wishing I could pay true straight labor and still retain my discount on parts, but it never seems to work this way....and thats what burns me!