I have a 2004 4 door/4x4./ Alltests indicate dead fuel pump. I have no great desire to drain and drop the fuel tank. Plan B is to install an external, fuel injector rated electric pump in the area of the fuel filter. The wiring harness runs right past the filter so I hould have no problem with wiring.
Anybody ever done this or have a comment?

 

It will be wayyyy easier to drop the tank, trust me. These systems run 60+ psi, you cant make good enough connections that will be reliable unless you have proper fittings and a crimping tool, almost nobody attempts what you are talking about. You just have to lower the rear of the tank a few inches so that you can unhook the fill tube, stick a hose in there and siphon it out. Gasoline weighs 6 pounds per gallon, a full tank only weighs about 100 pounds, if you have half a tank in it you dont even need to bother siphoning, you should be able to handle it, i just dropped the tank out of a 4 door in my garage, had 1/4 tank in it, jacked up rear end and put jackstands under the leaf spring pads, loosen fuel fill and vent tube clamps at the tank, remove a couple sheilds, put a jack under the center of the tank and remove the straps, lower the jack a few inches loosen fill and hose and disconnect hoses and wires from the pump. Lower the tank a couple more inches and DONT MISS THIS PART, theres a vent hose on the top front of the tank, if you dont disconnect it it will break the fitting and you will have to rig something up or you will have a fuel leak over 3/4 full and an evap leak code, unhook this little guy, top front of tank on the outboard side close to the frame rail. Drop the tank the rest of the way and change the pump. ONLY PUT IN a DELPHI pump, all aftermarket pumps are junk and only last a few months. The only other alternative is to cut an access panel in your rear floor and seal it back up when youre done. I dont recommend this but if money is tight and your going to put in a cheapo pump anyway, then the access panel my be a good option because i gaurantee you will be doing it again in 6 months or less.
You can find tons of videos on doing the fuel pump so i dont know why i just typed all that but i hope i steered you back toward a conventional fuel pump replacement, its the way to go and will be a lot less time laying on your back...
Good luck with whatever you do!

 

Thanks...I appreciate the feedback. Lots of food for thought!

 

I just did the pump in my 4 door and didnt drain any gas out 3/4 full just dropped the rear strap pulled down on the tank and dropped the new DELPHI pump in ,took about 45 minutes

 

Its not really all that hard, I dont know why people complain about it so much

 

Lets say you install an external pump.... The new pump will not suck fuel through the old pump in the tank. You'll need to remove it and cobble up a new pick up tube of some sort, along with a filter, level sensor, and the fuel tank pressure sensor. Might as well do it right with an AC Delco or Delphi pump and save yourself a lot of work and money

 

Thanks for all the input...weather has been too nasty to even think about doing the job. I will take the advice and install a new delphi in the tank. Thanks again!

 

There ya go , cooler heads prevail.