Posted by Ben on March 04, 01 at 23:26:19:
In Reply to: Re: Intermittent fuel pump failure posted by swanny on March 04, 01 at 17:30:23:
The harness will hold up the tank and get the wires stretched/ruin the connector if it's not disconnected and that bolt to the cross member removed.
Then there are the two hoses for fill and air vent to the metal filler neck. They will also hold up the tank.
If you went so far as to remove the two straps, the whole tank & any gas inside was held up by those things.
Place two ropes in place of the straps, before removing the straps (or loosening them). Tie off one end on the cross member towards the front. Snake the ropes next to the strape and through to the tow hitch or bumper. Have about 10 feet of slack at that end. Tie it off onto the the bumper. Remove the two straps. Now the tank is held up by the ropes. Untie the rope at the tow hitch and lower the tank slowly. You'll have to stop and tilt it so that you can reach in and losen the two hose clamps at the metal filler neck. Then lower it making sure the harnes isn't hanging up.
Once it gets to the ground, you can remove the sender unit. There is wax poured around the locking ring to keep moisture out and gasoline fumes in. The locking ring just needs to be rotated about 1/4 turn. Nothing really comes off as the locking ring stays part of the tank. The sender unit/fuel pump will come out as a unit. YOu will have to snake it out as the float will swing down and get in the way. MAKE NOTE of the orientiation of everything, especially how it came out as going back in will note be easy if you don't remember EXACTLY how.
Make sure you have all of the necessary parts and rehearsed the procedure a few times.
You will need flare nut wrenches to remove the connections towards the engine. Think they are 16mm and 20mm.