Has anyone else ever suffered pulling out a fuel pump assembly out of the 4th gen f-body - like my `99 TA?
With 412,000 miles on it and 3 fuel pumps, I can assure that I've never had issues like I'm having now. It went in when I put it in .... but damned if I can get it out. I'm about to start clipping some sheista!!!!

 

Well if you've already done it three times you should be a pro at it by now! Are you still dropping the tank or did you do the trap door? Are you having trouble removing the locking ring or is the assembly just being difficult to pull out of the tank? I have ran into that issue with the assembly not wanting to come out but I was able to finally remove it. I wonder if there's swelling involved or the opening becoming deformed by old age.

 

Right?! That was my thought about having been there 3 other times. I have a trap door. I too was wondering if there's been some swelling. The locking ring was no problem; I reckon since I've been there before - that sure helps. I'm having trouble removing the whole assembly. I think I'm going to have to hit those tabs and separate the outer bucket - which is the problem. At least if I have the inner assembly removed, I'll have a better shot at getting the bucket out.

 

If I recall the last time I dealt with the plastic assembly I used a small flathead screwdriver to assist in getting it out. The pump I have now is from Squash Performance and is two Walbro 450 on an aluminum bar so no clearance issue with the plastic bucket rubbing against the tank opening.

 

That's the route that I was going when I'd had enough. I even tried a feeler gauge. I'll get back to it. Did you have help ... or handle it by yourself? Seems that it would be much easier with one holding the pump up and the other doing the prying.

 

No, I removed it by myself by holding onto the assembly while at the same time sticking a flathead screwdriver in there and gently prying and pulling. I went around the diameter of the housing doing this while trying not to break it and because it's made from plastic it does have some give.

 

That's exactly what it takes. I pulled one side up and "unscrewed" allowing most of the fuel pump to be out of the hole. There was only a small area that needed to be pried to get it out.