A Dummy's Guide to Replacing an In-Tank Fuel Pump

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tands@ukonline.co.uk - 05 Apr 2006 11:06 GMT

I've posted a few threads recently, trying to pin down what's wrong
with my 940 wagon - threatening to stall on a regular basis. Various
suggestions about AMM, fuel pump relay, etc. However, I failed to
mention one aspect of the initial flare up of this fault (duh!):

The afternoon that this problem first arose, the fuel gauge had just
given up. I'd thought this was just a dashboard fault and ignored it,
thinking we'd carry on driving watching the mileage and guessing the
fuel level. It was that afternoon that the car started to threaten to
stall.

Reading another thread to day, the lights have come on!
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.autos.volvo/browse_thread/thread/106a2a22d4
d90707/9ff022eee148ec37?q=940+in-tank+fuel+pump&rnum=7#9ff022eee148ec37

There has been a whine from under the bonnet for a long time, but I've
never really investigated it as there's not seemed to be a problem.
Now, reading the thread I've referenced above, I discover that the
whine could well point to a faulty in-tank fuel pump. If that pump has
now completely failed, I guess that would explain why the car is
threatening to stall all the time.

So, an in-tank fuel pump is just £36 from German&Swedish and, not
being flush with cash, I'm hoping to fit it myself to save the labour
charge. Am I being stupid, or is this job do-able?

If so, can someone please outline the basic pointers and give me
something of a dummy's guide to replacing an in-tank fuel pump?

Thanks

Tim

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Stephen Henning - 05 Apr 2006 16:09 GMT

> So, an in-tank fuel pump is just £36 from German&Swedish and, not
> being flush with cash, I'm hoping to fit it myself to save the labour
> charge. Am I being stupid, or is this job do-able?
>
> If so, can someone please outline the basic pointers and give me
> something of a dummy's guide to replacing an in-tank fuel pump?

The directions depend upon what kind of a vehicle you have. I saw them
replace mine on a 240 wagon. They opened the floor area in the back
until they got down to the top of the fuel tank. There you could see
where the fuel pump was mounted.

The symptoms were that the car would run OK until you started up a
slight grade, then it would cut out. It would go on the level or down
hill but not up hill. A local mechanic diagnosed it promptly and fixed
it in a couple minutes.

Obviously avoiding sparks and keeping dirt out of the tank are
essential.

Signature

Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA, USA
Owned '67,'68,'71,'74,'79,'81,'87,'93,'95 & '01 Volvos.
The '67,'74,'79,'87,'95 and '01 through European Delivery.
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/volvo.html

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zencraps@comcast.net - 05 Apr 2006 20:34 GMT

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=7342&highlight=tank+fuel+pump+rep
lacement

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Robert Lutwak - 06 Apr 2006 00:32 GMT

Years ago, I replaced the intank pump on my 1976 262 (awesome car, by the
way. Too bad they don't make them like that anymore). For years
thereafter, I was perpetually terrified that the nuts on the wiring
connections to the pump would wiggle loose and a spark would happen and blow
me to smithereens. I wished they had just pigtailed the pump or that I had
coated the nuts with something (RTV?) to keep them from wiggling loose.
Then again, the car worked for many years and never exploded so perhaps I
was worried for no reason.

-----

-RL

('76 262, '78 264, '87 240, '89 240, '96 850, '96 850, '05 Acura TSX)

>> So, an in-tank fuel pump is just £36 from German&Swedish and, not
>> being flush with cash, I'm hoping to fit it myself to save the labour
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Obviously avoiding sparks and keeping dirt out of the tank are
> essential.

Reply to this Message

User - 06 Apr 2006 03:09 GMT

> > So, an in-tank fuel pump is just £36 from German&Swedish and, not
> > being flush with cash, I'm hoping to fit it myself to save the labour
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Obviously avoiding sparks and keeping dirt out of the tank are
> essential.

This is a good read:

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-
900/FuelSystem.htm#FuelPumpandSenderReplacement

or

http://tinyurl.com/r8u47

Bob

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The goal when driving is to miss the maximum number of objects.

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tands@ukonline.co.uk - 18 Apr 2006 19:31 GMT

Thank you all for your tips and the links to other sites for reference.
The note about fire risk put me off attempting the job. So I bought the
part and took the car along to my mechanic to be fitted. An lo and
behold, as they prepped to get into the tank, they discovered that the
wiring that feeds the in-tank fuel pump had been disconnected,
somewhere in that boot-side pocket at the back of the car.

My wife and I really are the stupidest Volvo owners around and our
mechanic really is the most honest I can ever imagine finding. He
didn't even charge us an hour's labour for wasting his time.

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