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So, my 1998 WS6 Trans Am A4 (@ ~70,000 miles) fuel pump is on its way out. Whining noises when warm, it takes about 5-6 primes to make the car start (it fires up instantly if I do this, if I try on first prime it just cranks and cranks like I have no fuel.) Fuel pressure is 5-9PSI below normal for idle, and EXTREMELY low on first prime.
So.... the question is, what am I supposed to be replacing? Some fuel pumps look completely different from the other...
I thought they were a lot bigger than that with 3 lines (for like feed/return/evaporative pressure or something.) I'm going to pay a shop to do it, if they can (with the full custom exhaust in the way...). I'm not scared of hacking my car because of maintaining its "classic body", I'm scared of cutting near and playing with fuel. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing here, and I feel like gas lines could easily send me to my wife if I **** up.
I just did this. Bought a racetronix pump with the hot wire kit. Did the trap door with a pair of sheet metal nibblers. ($15 shipped from eBay). All you have to do is drill the pilot holes in the corners
The old CD is perfect for temporary protection from dirt getting in the tank.
you just have to be really **** about vacuuming and wiping up all the dirt and metal shavings. Before you open up the tank.
I wish you were a little closer than Jacksonville, (I'm in Ft. Myers), I'd pay you to help me. LOL.
Is it easy to figure out where to wire everything up? Should I pull the negative on the battery and then relieve fuel pressure somehow? I'm "noob" and super nervous LOL. Also, where is the FPR? I know on the LT1 it was on the back of the engine and was a huge pain in the *** to get to.
And then another question (sorry), is there some kind of foam insulation that isn't flammable or could I put some kind of cardboard or something in there to keep potential gas fumes from coming in to the cabin?
I used the links above to do the pump and hotwire kit. Its not really that difficult if you have it up in the air. I would back up on ramps and if you want help with the hotwire kit routing I can make suggestions.
The regulator is in the pump assembly. Its the brass piece in the pic.
As you research this project and look through these links, be sure you are NOT looking at images/templates from a '99+ car. The '99+ cars need to be cut in a different spot, and if you follow the wrong template you will be very disappointed as it won't work for your '98. For example, the image posted above by jaxcam02 is for a '99+ car and NOT the correct cut location for your '98. However, the tool he posted in nice choice.
There are lots of images for the earlier cars as well, they need to be cut closer to the rear seat. I don't have any links handy at the moment, but there are plenty on this site if you do a search.
In 2004,I cut my door on my 98Z. Just laid a sheet of foam over the hole and covered with a street sign. Then the factory carpet foam pad and the carpeting. Was not sealed as most like to do it. You will not have gas odors as the tank/lines is a sealed system,if there was a leak it would show up as a EVAP(small leak/gross leak)code. My Z is a traveler,current 180,000,and driving thru rain storms never had water/moisture get past the foam.
In 2006 on a trip to Florida,the pump died getting off I95. I had a spare pump along and 10/15 minutes later it was up and running. I carry spare 'stuff' along because of the extensive travelling. Called Summit back at the motel and ordered another pump which was delivered before I left back to Ohio.
As you research this project and look through these links, be sure you are NOT looking at images/templates from a '99+ car. The '99+ cars need to be cut in a different spot, and if you follow the wrong template you will be very disappointed as it won't work for your '98. For example, the image posted above by jaxcam02 is for a '99+ car and NOT the correct cut location for your '98. However, the tool he posted in nice choice.
There are lots of images for the earlier cars as well, they need to be cut closer to the rear seat. I don't have any links handy at the moment, but there are plenty on this site if you do a search.
So, I have the pump and FPR (no hotwire kit.) I'm thinking about giving this a shot, but I'm still super nervous. Would a shop even be ABLE to do it, now that I have completely custom exhaust in the way? (Some parts are welded, etc.)
If your not comfortable a shop definitely could do it. Just all them which method they with do. Make you know know whether they gonna drop the exhaust and tank or do the trap door. That's a huge difference in cost.
But just so you know it's really not that difficult to do. Once you get over the low risk of flakes it's pretty straight forward.
Okay, so I had the shop do it... great guy (family friend's shop) and got everything up and running with a new fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel filter. It starts perfect, awesome fuel pressure, and idles/runs great. But now my fuel level gauge doesn't work!! He was working on it all day well in to midnight tonight (he knew I needed it for my upcoming vacation so he went out of his way for me) so did he forget to plug something in? Is it something I can do... or am I SOL without cutting the hatch or dropping the tank..
Did you buy a new pump or modify the old one and are you running the racetronix wire kit? Sounds like a connection issue with the wires for the fuel level sensor. Hopefully the trap door was done so it will be easy to get at the pump.
Did you have to install the racetronix pump into your existing fuel pump module or did you buy a complete assembly. Not sure what year your car is or if it has the plastic tank or the metal one but I'm pretty survey it has something to do with the connector or the small wires from the level sensor to the connector. I ran into this issue myself and ended up buying a complete fuel pump assembly from the WS6 store that came with a racetronix 255 pump. I was fortunate that the connector on my racetronix hotwire kit is the same as the one on their pump so it was just plug and play.
And I bought a new racetronix pump but no racetronix wire kit.
Loosen the tank straps a bit and it will drop your tank a good half inch. Cut the trap door. Like RPM WS6 stated, 98's pump location is different.
First picture is measurements for 98's and the second picture is my trap door.
If using your old fuel pump assembly the fuel level sensor contact points could be suspect also.
Old assembly, it just came with the pump. So, if I DO make the trap door, what am I looking for to make the gauge work again? I'm really noob at this...
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Fuel Pump Help 
