fatboy Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 Well last week i was going to my brothers house...and then all of a sudden, my reatta died. So i had it to towed. Well come to find out, the fuel pump went out. Well they wanted $300 for parts and labor. I called around and i found a pump for sale for $46.99 and a filter for $5.00. So me and my brother are goind to do it our selfs. Any ideas to make it as easy as possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta25 Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 This is one job I haven't contemplated on my car yet. Had one go out on an 89'Regal, which I would imagine is somewhat similar to replace. I found a shopin Houston that would do it for $140 on this car, and jumped at the offer.Draining and dropping the gas tank with no hydraulic lift,impact wrench, etc wasjust more than I was willing to tackle.I doubt the Reatta will be any easier, but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted June 1, 2004 Share Posted June 1, 2004 There's a reason it's $300. It's a pain in the ass! And maybe you can get a pump for $47, but i'm leary of aftermarket pumps. Been burnt too many times in the past.That said, let us know if it was worth $300 if you do it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 AC Delco pump at Autozone is $66 and has a 1 year warrenty. When all is done, about the same from GMPartsDirect. I used an AC pump for the Bonneville and the biggest pain is getting a siphon in the right place to remove the bulk of the fuel. Oral process is Right Out, I use an air hose blowing across the end of the hose to start the siphon.Have done several of my cars just up on four jackstands, if you can get almost all of the gas out, the tank itself is not very heavy. Be sure to wear eye protection.When doing a pump always replace both the strainer aka "sock" (goes on end of pump) and the filter. Both are about the same price.Once you get all of the fuel out, the rest is usally easy. I always follow the service manual in case something non-obvious needs to be removed first.Of course my cars have no rust 8*).ps for the Fiero, I used the $44 "Master" pump from AZ because it has a lifetime warrenty and if it clogs again... Major caveat their was that the pump wires had to be replaced with those from the kit and there is no +/- marked on the pump. There is one illustration of inserting the wires in the connector that shows which wire goes where. Make sure you get that page with the pump (are several sheets with various instructions). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 1. You will be sorry putting a cheap Fuel pump and screen in. It will be noisy and it wil not last as long as the AC Delco 2. It is a pain without a lift and really quite dangerous to get the gas out.3. If you decide to do it your self make sure your auto comprehesive, homeowners, health and Life insurance is paid up. You might need all 4 Just have somebody do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don B. Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Change the filter first you may get luckyand it's a clogged filter.If you must drop the tank get as much fuel out as you can or use a floor jack to support the tank when you remove the straps.No SMOKING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_JohnW Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">1. You will be sorry putting a cheap Fuel pump and screen in. It will be noisy and it wil not last as long as the AC Delco. </div></div>Oh so true. Had my van towed to a repair shop and I'm sure they replaced the fuel pump with a x-brand. One good thing though. I can always tell the fuel pump is running by the loud hum coming from the tank. Often time's, it's an attention getter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_jim13a Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 As a former automotive repair shop owner, I have only one word of advice....Get a new pump from your Buick dealer as it is designed for your drivetrain.Aftermarket pumps are generic and do not have the precise pressure rating that your car requires. Words of Wisdom: you get what you pay for!Jim Tedesco'89 pearl white Reatta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta25 Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 I believe Buick uses AC Delco too, and you can get those without going to aBuick dealer. Correct me if I am wrong.Buick dealers usually charge a lot more for the same parts than you would payat an independent parts supply company.Sometime you have to go to a dealership. Best avoided when good parts are available from other sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_jim13a Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Reatta25, You may be correct about the AC/delco replacement. But I would compare the part number of both the dealer pump and the AC/Delco pump to be sure they are the same.Like yourself, I am no fan of the dealers, but in many cases the extra cost is worth it for an oem replacement that will most likely last as long as the original. Jim Tedesco'89 pearl white Reatta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboy Posted June 2, 2004 Author Share Posted June 2, 2004 ALright thanks for all of the input. So in other words....take it somewheres and spend the money...its worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EDBS0 Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 If it is a DIY for you expect the tank to weigh 2X what you think it will. Gas weighs about 10 pounds a gallon and you likely can't get it all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Yes, getting the gas out of the tank first is an issue. I have used an in-line electric fuel pump that I hook into the main fuel line in the engine compartment to pump into a Jerrycan. Zip cord and alligator clips to the battery work well; just remember where the fuel vapor may lurk when you make or break the electrical connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Just for S&G "a pint's a pound the world around" except for gasoline which is seven pounds per gallon. Tank is probably 10 pounds but awkward and if much is left it will slosh to where you are not holding it.Best price is usually from an AC Delco jobber or GMPartsDirect (particularly if buying several things like a set of Rapidfire #14s).Pump shown is EP378 and is what I would use for a real car. Am trying the $44 "Master" on the Fiero because- any hum will be drowned by the exhaust- is only a 2.8- if it clogs again in four years, it has a lifetime warrenty 8*) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 It's not that hard. It took me about three hours working alone. An inline fuel pump probably will not work as it won't be able to pull fuel through the existing pump. Removing most of the fuel will make balancing the tank much easier and a transmission jack with a nice wide base would work the best. The rear stabilizer needs to be dropped as well as the heat shield on the exhaust pipe forward of the fuel tank. Mine is a summer only car so everything came apart easily, including the long bolts that hold the straps. Mine is also a '90 so the fuel lines are plastic and snapped apart without problem. The fuel filler hose was a bit of a bear as it was stuck pretty firmly. If you need to pry with something between the hose and nipple, be sure to use something non-sparking, like brass or aluminum. even wood. The stock GM pump is a good idea, however I have installed a hi-performance Walbro 307 190 liter/hr pump and have over one year and 9000 miles on it with no problem. Another alternative if you need a higher performance pump for other engine upgrades, the GM pump for the later model supercharged cars will also work. The stock fuel pressure regulator has enough capacity to use a little higher performance pump and still keep the pressure where it belongs, although more performance is not needed unless the engine is force fed or possibly for a nitrous system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboy Posted June 3, 2004 Author Share Posted June 3, 2004 Like i said before, thanks for all of the input. But you know what....my brother got under there and started looking...and the fuel pump was disconnected lol. Thankfully we didnt but no parts or nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2seater Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 Now that's a new one, but a good deal nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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