sweetask1ng

iTrader: (2)

So I was in an accident and there was damage to my front left fender. While the car was in the shop it was running fine and after fixing up the body, they drove it around for a bit to see how it was running. It ran fine but needed a wheel alignment so they took it to the service department.

When the service guy went to put it on the rack, it wouldnt start up. It was very low on gas if not out and it had been sitting for about 3 weeks.

I went to pick it up today and they told me about all of this. They quoted me 1150 w/o tax for a repair. I talked them down to roughly 900-950 for it, but even still I don't have that kind of cash laying around anyways.. its a 1998 Z28 with warranty @ roughly 68k miles... They told me when I bought it that the warranty for 50 bucks extra a month covered the car mechanically speaking, now I that I finally have a problem apparently its a "powertrain plus" and it only covers "Big ticket items" in their words, obviously not the small pocket change bill of 950.

I NEVER had a problem with the car until it went in after the accident. When I was there they were just turning the ignition key over and over trying to start the car when it clearly had no gas in it... could that have busted the Fuel pump and caused it not to work?? Or is there a cheaper way to get one installed? PLEASE HELP ME I HAVE BEEN OUT OF MY Z FOR OVER A MONTH !!!

jeromio

A totally dry pump can get quite hot if it is run for awhile. Also, I've had the fuel line coming right off the pump bust on me twice. Pump works fine, but it just pumps fuel back into the tank. Either way the pump has to come out and on an FBody, that's a whole lotta work. If I were you, I would do this "trap door" mod and assess the situation with the pump myself.

0rion

iTrader: (1)

The pump itself is also pretty expensive depending on where they're getting it from. I think I've been seeing a $400-$500 average. You can buy an aftermarket pump cheaper than that. Where are you located?

MIGHTYMOUSE

iTrader: (59)

#1 put some gas in it
#2 turn key listen for pump to prime
#3 have them pay for the replacement fuel pump since they burned it up and you witnessed it.
#4 but a $100 fuel pump from a sponsor here and put it in yourself.

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

id just spend the $100 and 2 hours of my time to do it in the parkinglot of the apartment complex.... sure they all look at you funny, but you should be all back together by the time they call the cops.


seriously though, its not hard if you're mechanically inclined.

Nasty N8

iTrader: (33)

Sounds like it could have sucked junk from the bottom of the tank being empty. New pump should not cost anywhere near that much. I sell Walbro for $129.99 and the install is about $300. Find a good shop in your area that knows these cars.

Nate

OutlawZ

iTrader: (4)

yeah cut that access panel and buy a pump from nasty and install it yourself..... get a cutoff tool and don't go too deep and you'll be good to go. there are a hundred pics of what the access hole looks like on this site by searching.... one of the best mods you can make....

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

or just take the extra 5mins it takes to put the rear of the car on jackstands...

short description of doing it the right way:

undo the small screws/nuts that hold the filler neck in place.

put the car on jackstands with the axle hanging.

undo the two nuts holding the shocks on, undo the small screw holding the brake line tight. and lower the axle. (sounds harder then it is.. its like a 2min job.)
theres only two screws holding the tank in... undo them, the straps swing down, and you can wiggle the tank down. halfway down, disconnect the fuel lines.


now at your leisure, do the pump swap out in the open where its really easy to do..

install is the reverse... hold it up, start both bolts.. tighten em down, swing the axle back up and bolt the shocks on.

you dont even need to remove the tires... lol




i know it SOUNDS hard.. but its only a couple bolts... i know it LOOKS like alot of work, but thats only because the parts are large... its really not difficult.

0rion

iTrader: (1)

Finally!!!! I was beginning to believe I was the only one that done things correctly. I can't believe pulling up carpet, cutting a hole, then trying to fish out the wires, and drilling 20 holes is any faster than just dropping the tank the right way. I've done it twice now, not by choice.

WS6HUMMER

iTrader: (19)

Get a Racetronix Pump kit for 250.00 and make the best out of a bad situation.

MIGHTYMOUSE

iTrader: (59)

its a LOT harder to drop the tank on a 98 with a metal fill tube.

WS6HUMMER

iTrader: (19)

Yep you did bring up a very good point! I've heard of guys with 98 model cars having to take the shocks loose and their sway bars off just to get the rear end to barely move enough to squeeze the tank out.

OutlawZ

iTrader: (4)

LT1's all have metal fill tubes.... You can HAVE dropping the tank..... besides if the pump ever goes bad or I want to run something bigger i just lift up the access panel...... It isn't like you see it since the carpet covers it......