Chevy & GMC Vans

Green appears to need a new fuel pump. I'm not finding the most recommended on this board yet, (damn AS crashes and thumb nose at Will). ACDelco or Bosch?

And just to throw it out there, anyone try taking apart the assembly and just replacing the pump? Say maybe with a Walbro unit or something. I'm thinking about looking into this.

Who has a hole cut in the body for fuel pump access? Did you do it yourself? Got pics/measurements?

funny i noticed a rather unpleasant sound coming from my rear-end looks like i'll be replacing my pump soon too

Seems like I'd remember this as many times as I removed my tank but I think you'll need to remove it to cut hole in floor due to lines being so close to the floor of van. You may slice a line and you may possibly have an off cenetered or worn 0-ring seal letting fumes escape. Not good.
Also be sure to use a brass punch or something non-metalic to turn sealing ring. Don't want any sparks.

It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to remove your tank any way so not a big deal.

Cobra wrote:funny i noticed a rather unpleasant sound coming from my rear-end looks like i'll be replacing my pump soon too

Some members of the board will find this statement rather amusing. #-o

Yeah I figured I'd drop the tank this time, but since I plan on keeping my vans until they are completely destroyed I figured I could cut the hole for next time.

This will be the third pump I've replaced, in the same number of vans.

i haven't seen peter around in a while so i should be ok


i also intend to keep my van till it's beyond unsafe

Fuel filters play a large part in fuel pump longevity, I highly recommend that you replace this $20 part every 20k miles.

It is possible to replace just the pump in a fuel module, use only AC Delco pumps, anything else just does not last.

Empty the gastank before you drop it, it will make the job 100 times easier.

Already on the fuel filter band wagon, just this van had 147K miles that I don't know how frequently it was changed.

I was thinking it was the Delco pumps that everyone was recommending.

I have about a quarter tank of gas in it right now, dropped one with about that amount before without too much trouble.

I've had the same poor luck with my pumps as well (on my third). I just cannot believe these aren't more dependable. I wish someone had an upgrade we could do to avoid this over and over. A nice $150 external pump that will last forever, good enough for a hot rod, good enough for an Astro. The next time mine goes, I will do the swap myself and also cut the floor for any future repairs.
As for the best pump, I've terrible luck with everything other than OEM, even if it is $300-$400. DO NOT buy from Global Auto on ebay. That guy is a rip off and caused me much grief and expense.

I've asked this before but don't remember if there was a reply. Why can't you run an external electric pump ? Seems so much easier than going through all some of you have to replace the tank pump. Any reason why not ? :-k

If you are gong through pumps, carefully check the wiring harness, both at the connection up by the trans and the actual wiring at the pump that goes up to the bottom of the sending unit. The ground wire up by the trans has to be clean, rust free, and tight.

Larry, you haven't changed a tank north of the Mason-Dixon. It can take an hour or more to wrestle off the lines, extract the broken strap-hanger bolts, heck, even getting the filler neck loose can be tough. I don't know about the external pump. I don't think that they "pick up" real well.

As far as cutting a hole in the floor, I've done it. It sucks. It is way harder than just dropping the tank. And that was just making the hole, I didn't patch it over or anything. That would have been a feat in it's self. Like Larry said, it is next to impossible (but possible) to not nick the lines or wiring. When the weather breaks, I'll get some pics. I dropped the tank on the 4x4 later the same day, much easier.

Seems to me if external pumps are just fine for 600 hp hot rods they should be just fine for my "Maxi-Van", pick-ups and all. I can't say I've ever spoke with anyone that tried. Maybe they won't work due to the vacume of internal versus external type set-ups.

LaGrasta wrote:Seems to me if external pumps are just fine for 600 hp hot rods they should be just fine for my "Maxi-Van", pick-ups and all. I can't say I've ever spoke with anyone that tried. Maybe they won't work due to the vacume of internal versus external type set-ups.

Part of the reason on the newer ones I think is because the sending unit / pump / fuel float for the gauge is all one unit now.

SoCalli V8 wrote:Fuel filters play a large part in fuel pump longevity, I highly recommend that you replace this $20 part every 20k miles.

It is possible to replace just the pump in a fuel module, use only AC Delco pumps, anything else just does not last.

Empty the gastank before you drop it, it will make the job 100 times easier.

but if the pump is in the tank itself..........doesn't the filter come after the pump has already seen the fuel? i thought the filter was to clean the fuel that the engine see's? help me out......

blk lt awd wrote:

SoCalli V8 wrote:Fuel filters play a large part in fuel pump longevity, I highly recommend that you replace this $20 part every 20k miles.

It is possible to replace just the pump in a fuel module, use only AC Delco pumps, anything else just does not last.

Empty the gastank before you drop it, it will make the job 100 times easier.

but if the pump is in the tank itself..........doesn't the filter come after the pump has already seen the fuel? i thought the filter was to clean the fuel that the engine see's? help me out......

As the filter gunks up tho more pressure/resistance is put on the pump motor. Think of it like capping a line connected to a water pump as the pressure builds up and that pumps works like a bugger to try and turn something gives eventually.