Like I said above, how may times do you guys plan on changing your pumps?

 

Nascar pit stop. Right front, 7 gal, and a fuel pump.
How many times you gotta change your fuel pump?

 

My old 2001 Bonneville was just as easy. Pull the trunk carpet, remove 4-5 screws, and there's the fuel pump! Reason for that is because the fuel tank sits up between the rear wheels and is held in place by a main suspension cross-member. Fuel tank removal requires removing the rear suspension and associated cross-member which isn't very practical if the pump goes bad. Pulling straps holding a fuel tank in on most vehicles with a full frame isn't all that bad.

My K5 has a hole in the rear floor from a previous owner. Sooner or later I will be fabricating a flush mounted & contoured removable cover for over the pump instead of the road sign that is currently screwed fast to the bed. I will be making the cover out of another bed section I have from my parts 'burb and it will have a recessed flange that will allow for a full perimeter gasket and probably 9 or so flat socket head cap screws. It sucks when you have stuff in the back and run through some juicy mud only to find that there is water getting into the bed from the hole...

I'm with everyone else on the "don't do it" side of things. If you are planning on replacing the pump with the junk aftermarket stuff, then by all means, hack away. But if you use quality parts and do the job correctly, you shouldn't expect to be doing it again in any length of time where the removable floor section would be worth the trouble.

If you still decide to go through with this, you need to make sure that you have no fuel leaks anywhere on the truck if you are going to use any kind of tool that will make a spark. Even a recip saw can cause sparks so just be careful.

 

i just did a pump like that, might have been a bonneville but i wanna say it was a grandprix, anyways looking under the car i seen that suspension thinking holy crap i have to lower all this rusty garbage, but soon as i looked it up seen the access panel.

 

2 times on the jimmy, second time was a misdiagnosis and did not need to be changed.
But luckily, it only took 15-20 minutes tops to change it.

 

Well, given these things eat fuel pumps like candy, even if it is Delco or Delphi, and I plan to keep it until it dies, and being I live in MN the odds of getting the gas tank straps off are slim to none.

 

understand what your saying, but living where you live and I in Ma. changing the straps is a good idea

 

When my truck dies on the side of the road on a fishing trip, that's when I will be glad I can access the pump from above. Especially if it's raining or snowing.

 

it's not a given! But hack is as hack does. Unless of, course,you use 22 gage in your press brake and use dzus fasteners over a neoprene gasket. And dont forgit to joggle the truck bed so the panel will sit flush.

 

I have a little over 450,000 miles on my 89 S15 Jimmy and I am on my 3rd fuel pump. I do not believe that these vehicals eat fuel pumps like candy. However it is your vehical and if you want an access panel cut away. I agree an access panel would make the job of replacing the fuel pump easier in the future.