As with anything I post...this is the way I did it. You may run into other difficulties or easier ways to do it!
ALSO REMOVE YOUR POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL BEFORE ANY ELECTRICAL WORK!Get the butt end of your car up in the air and SAFELY AND SECURELY put it on jackstands. Where you place them is your decision so if you crush yourself or hurt your car too damn BAD! With that said the best place I found to locate them (and you will see later why) is where the front of the trailing arm meets the frame/body of the car. With them here you will have enough room to swing the tank straps to the side.
As you see in the pictures I used an old rear TGP rotor to help even the load out on the gas tank. The small disk on a jack may dent the bottom of the tank and cause more end problems!
OK now that I have enough disclaimers in place in the Lawsuit happy capital of the world...
1). DRAIN YOUR TANK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Do not try to stick a hose down the neck because there is a anti-syphon ball at the entrance of the tank. Hopefully your pump is moving enough fuel for you to do like I did. Hook a barbed nipple to the exit of the fuel filter with a 3/16" hose on it. Run that to a gas can and use the fuel pump test point to run the pump constantly. Worked for me because it is only trying to get the fuel out of the tank not all the way up to the fuel rail and produce pressure.
2). Put your jack and weight distribution apparatus in place centered on the bottom of the tank.
3). Just jack it enough to slightly indent the gas tank so you know it is holding the load.
4). Remove the fuel lines at the front of the tank for the feed and return as well as the fuel vapor line.
5). ONLY LOOSEN THE REAR TANK STRAP BOLTS! Seemed to work for me to only loosen them 1.5-2 full turns out.
6). Remove the tailpipe heat-shield at the front right corner of the fuel tank.
7). Remove the two front strap bolts.
8). With the jack stands where I recommended you can now swing the straps 90* towards each sides tire. Try not to bend them too much as this will cause problems later when lining things back up when completing the job.
9). With the previous steps completed you can now start to lower the tank.
10). With the tank about 4 or 5" dropped you will need to disconnect the vapor return line and a vent line. They are just rubber hoses on the metal line and should slide off with a little twisting action. You will also see the fuel power lines and sending unit connector at the top of the tank (a yellow plastic piece)
DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THAT! I don't think it is supposed to come loose. Follow the wires over to the fender well on the drivers side. There is a weather connector there to take it loose there.
11). Drop the tank the rest of the way to the floor.
12). With the tank out use compressed air to blow the dirt and debris away from the access for the pump and sending unit. I just used some canned air for cleaning out computers...worked fine.
BE CAREFUL! When opening the sendunit/fuel pump access panel the O-Ring is incredibly important that you do not damage it. The O-Ring that came in the Walbro kit is much smaller and can not be used!
13). Using the proper tool (I used a hammer and large flat-blade screwdriver) turn the retaining ring counterclockwise until it releases the access top.
14). VERY SLOWY AND CAREFULLY...take out the sending unit/fuel pump. You will need to twist and turn it to make sure you do not bend anything. Don't worry about the filter...WORRY ABOUT THE SENDING UNIT FLOAT!!
15). Pay attention to the fuel pump orientation! Now that it is out you need to remove the fuel pick-up screen, fuel pump, and unplug the pump.
16). You will need to save three things:
1). The rubber spacer
2). The rubbery sleeve for the fuel pump
3). The rubber bumper that the bottom of the fuel pump sits in. It will not come out
unless you pull it out.
17). Connect the adapter cable from the kit to both ends. Use small zip-tie to latch the extra length of cable to the pick-up tube.
18). Put the spacer and collar on the new Walbro.
19). Put the new fuel pump in place. This is a direct replacement so it will go back the exact way the old came out! I put the fuel pump pick-up screen at a 90* angle to the pump facing to the right if you were looking down from the top if it was oriented to go back in the tank. The baffles in the tank might get the filter kinked any other way...but my way it slide right to the bottom without trouble.
20). You are now ready to put the unit back in the tank. Make sure the lip is clean and free of debris! I used some Tri-Flow on the O-ring to help it seat correctly an not bind when the top is twisted a bit. ALSO make sure the O-ring does not slip out of it's groove or you will have a full tank leak!!
21). Gently turn the clip ring back in place. It might try to not go in on all three edges...but if you are careful you will get them all and knock the ring back in place like you took it off. Make sure it goes all the way to the stops and it will be sealed.
22). Reverse the order for removal and be careful you don't forget any of the press on lines!
The straps will be a pain in the ass to get back in the front...but with the tank centered and a little coxing they will line up and you will get the front bolts started.
DO NOT RUN YOUR PUMP WITH AN EMPTY TANK! I put 5 of the removed gallons of gas back in and then test ran it.
I just realized I did not take pictures of removing the clip ring...but you will see it. It is a large ring that goes around the circumference of the access plate.
Just be careful of your gas level sending unit arm when removing and the 0-ring for the access plate! Also in the Walbro kit is a 6" length of fuel hose and two small worm-gear clamps...you will NOT need them for this. Just the pick-up screen/filter and the wire connector/adapter.
The fuel pump I used was a Walbro 255 L/hour HP. Walbro P/N 20000169.
I purchased mine from
www.autoperformanceengineering.com Was at my door in 3 days for $113.xx.
Their P/N is FPG003 - $108 a.k.a. GCA758
Hope this write-up helps!
