Fuel pump access hole

Gnarvan · 03-16-2021, 06:30 AM

Have you considered cutting an access panel in the floor of your van to repair a fuel pump problem? This is a pictorial of how I did it. Word of caution, keep a close eye on how deep your grinder cutoff wheel goes. It is possible to cut into your fuel lines.

JWA · 03-17-2021, 10:18 AM

Another word of caution is to 100% definitely file/sand the cut area edges and use POR-15 or similar to prevent rust forming on exposed metal edges.

Personally I've never cared for this method especially if you have anything resembling a finished interior. No real use for an access panel that's covered over after its created.

Replacing a fuel pump isn't---or shouldn't be--- a regularly scheduled maintenance item.

Gnarvan · 03-17-2021, 06:43 PM

My interior is very utilitarian. I set it up as a white water rafting shuttle rig. Nothing fancy and nothing that a group of wet rafters in dripping drysuits can hurt. It is a simple giant rolling metal tent. I can haul 30 4X8 sheets of 3/4" ply under the bed. In order to get to the fuel pump I have to unbolt the job box and roll up 3 layers of carpet. Easy peasy. I'm still fighting fuel gauge issues so I may have to pull the fuel pump again.

Gnarvan · 03-17-2021, 06:46 PM

The job box is a place to lock items inside locked van. A little extra security.

Orv · 03-19-2021, 04:54 PM

That's a tidy job -- it should have come that way from the factory, really.

I considered something like this on my wife's 1999 Chevy Malibu, so I could replace a dead fuel gauge sender. Unlike the Hondas I've owned, Chevy didn't see fit to put a removable access plate under the rear seat. The head gasket blew before I got around to it, though, and we sold the car for parts.

BoxterRocks · 03-22-2021, 01:03 PM

Im wondering if anyone has attempted to modify the fuel system using an external fuel pump. I did it on 2003 mustang cobra years ago. It came with two fuel pumps in the tank. I yanked the engine after melting a piston, rebuilt everything after boring the engine block, oversized pistons, crower cams, new cylinder heads, and a whipple super charger. When it went on the dyno to be tuned the factory fuel pumps were not capable of feeding it enough fuel once it hit about 4500 RPM with the added boost and it would just fall on its face.

I took it home and installed larger diameter AN fuel lines from the tank all the way up to the fuel rails. I also installed return style fuel rails and a pressure regulator with a return line back to the tank. I installed two external aeromotive hi pressure fuel pumps with one way check valves, the second pump was activated by a boost reference switch so when the vehicle exceeded 12 PSI of boost the secondary pump would kick on. It worked great and we were able to get it tuned finally.

Im wondering if a guy can remove the OEM fuel pump on the vans, modify the fuel pump basket with a pickup tube, reinstall it, and then mount an external pump on the frame.

When i did this on the cobra i used an adjustable fuel regulator combined with a return line to fool the computer. I adjusted the fuel pressure to the factory recommended PSI at idle and never had an issue with it even though i was half expecting to get some sort of malfunction indicator light on the dash.

geoffff · 03-22-2021, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnarvan

Have you considered cutting an access panel in the floor of your van to repair a fuel pump problem? This is a pictorial of how I did it. Word of caution, keep a close eye on how deep your grinder cutoff wheel goes. It is possible to cut into your fuel lines.

As someone who has been stranded by a dead fuel pump, and since then has had anxiety about it failing again - I like it! Though I suspect my fuel pump failure was a result of having work done on my TransferFlow tank beforehand. I have this notion the mechanic dropped metal filings into the tank that damaged the pump.

-- Geoff

geoffff · 03-22-2021, 01:38 PM

It looks like you have aluminum touching steel here. Are you worried about the differing metals' contact causing rust?

REDOVAL · 03-22-2021, 03:37 PM

I will be doing this real soon as I am paranoid about it failing when we are way off the road like normal. Carrying a spare pump is super easy in the big picture.

Scott

Gnarvan · 03-22-2021, 05:37 PM

I hadn't thought about different metals causing rust. Since I'm still having fuel gauge issues I'll probably be opening everything up again soon. I'll get a little more proactive in my anti rust measures.
In my adventures in internet sleuthing I expect the new fuel pump sending unit reads on a different resistance scale than my guage is expecting to see. I could also be having an issue with the anti slosh thingamabob if I have one in my '92.