fuel pump questions - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

maroman88 · 02-19-2005, 05:51 PM

well i need to put in a TPI fuel pump to get my car going. i read about it in my haynes manual and i am not looking forward to it. ive heard some 4th gen guys from camaroz28.com (couldnt find it on the site but i was told) have made "trap doors" through the floor of there lump in the hatch to get right to the fuel pump on the top of the gas tank. to me this sounds like the best idea ever. only problem is i dont no exactly where to cut the hole? of course i would drain all the gas and let the fumes leave the tank before cutting anything. also i was told there is a few inches of clearance between the floor and the tank so it shouldnt be a horrible cut with the saws all. any input?

ar0ck · 02-19-2005, 06:24 PM

The best way I have been told to F' with the fuel pump is to drop the Rear-end and drop the tank out from underneath. But of course that requires an ass-load of work. Ive heard of the trap door trick, but I think they loosened some things up underneath to make room for a sawzall. It would be a tricky manuver, and you risk cuttting into a line or something important.

deadtrend1 · 02-20-2005, 07:51 AM

tell you the truth man, I did the trap door technique once and it was about just as easy to drop the rear and benchpress the tank down.

I thought the trap door was easier at the time but after i got to know the car a little better I realaized it didnt take that long to yank out the rear and drop the tank.
Not to mention all the flaming that happened at TGO on the TBI board which is one of the reasons I stop posting in that place.

The Fixer · 02-20-2005, 08:29 AM

If you're going to go through the trouble of draining the tank, you should just drop it out the way the factory recommends. It'll be light with no fuel in it. And, like mentioned above, you run the risk of cutting a line. I'd be more worried about that than dropping the axle out of the way.

Slow Z · 02-21-2005, 12:14 PM

Definately dont go cutting into the sheet metal of the car just to replace the fuel pump... The first time you drop the tank it'll be a pain in the ass, but once you figure it out you'll be able to do it very fast and easily.

9secfirebird · 02-21-2005, 03:10 PM

there are steellines connecting to the pump, you can cut a door but ya wont be able to get the pump out. i didnt drop the rear, just the muffler and tailpipes

Fasterthanyou · 02-21-2005, 04:13 PM

I wrote up a "tech article" in a post over on TGO that explained step by step the process. You just jack up the rear of the car HIGH, remove the passenger side rear wheel, unbolt the shock, panhard, and LCA bolts (3 total), then unbolt the exhaust at the back of the cat, loosen the brake line bracket and lower the rear as low as it'll go, remove cat-back as one LARGE piece and drop the tank. Yes it's a lot of unbolting but no cutting! It's an evening project but it's nothing but bolts, no fabrication skills/tools required.

deadtrend1 · 02-21-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fasterthanyou

It's an evening project but it's nothing but bolts, no fabrication skills/tools required.

Or two evenings when we realized the float was stuck after putting it back together ...

camaro2you · 02-21-2005, 05:26 PM

that must have sucked

maroman88 · 02-26-2005, 10:07 AM

anyone got a price/ part number on a TPI fuel pump from napa or gm. i looked and theres a bunch of different ones but i dunno which one exactly to get, and if it comes with gaskets and such?

Fasterthanyou · 02-26-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maroman88

anyone got a price/ part number on a TPI fuel pump from napa or gm. i looked and theres a bunch of different ones but i dunno which one exactly to get, and if it comes with gaskets and such?

http://www.autoperformanceengineering.com/
Go to pumps only and grab the 190lph if you're going to stay under 400hp, get the 255lph if you want more. Best prices I've seen and they're REAL walbro pumps, much better than a stock replacement.

maroman88 · 03-28-2005, 04:02 PM

ok i got the fuel pump and its all ready to go in the tank, except its pouring out and i had a brain fart....which way does the strainer lay, parralel to the float or the other way. also i know it sed a million times not to bump the float or the other important piece but im sure i did at some point, what happens?