Thread: Tips dropping fuel tank on a 2002 Suburban

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Well I disconected everything wires and hoses.
The problem is that there is a protective plate that is welded to the frame and comes back under the front of the tank.
The back of the tank is flared back over the top of the rear end.
I tried to jack up the back of the tank and side the take back but it's to tight to do it. The side of he tank has a metal plate on it and is about 1 inch away from th drive line, plus even with the drive line removed I think the tank would hit the yoke from the rear end. So any tips from some one that has done this before. Thanks guys. Kurt

I think it's ugly Kurt. Found this link - might help

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you...hevy_Surburban

Thanks Glenn; I tried dropping the front and jacking up the back and that would not work. I'll have to reverse it tomarrow and see if that will work for me. I swear they put the tank in then put the rear end in it. I hope I don't have to remove that thing.
I looked in the car manual and they don't have the front plate in front of the tank like I do. But I'll be at it again in the morning.
Kurt

Once you have the lines, fuel hoses and elelectrcal disconnected, the tank drops down in the back just enough to clear the differential, then slides back so the front of the tank clears the frame crossmember. Remember to disconnect the two fuel line quick connects in the front (one fuel pressure, the other fuel return). If you pull the driveshaft and the heat shield mounted on the tank, it gives you some addition room, but without a lift, it's a bi_ _h. I really helps if the tank is empty . . . . On the pickups, it's easier to raise the pickup bed off the frame to replace the pump/sender. D

Kurt, hopefully you've already checked this but I thought I would throw it out there. A lot of todays vehicles have an access hole for the fuel pump that is inside the car so dropping the tank to replace the pump isn't necessary. For example, some Volvos are under the rear seat.

Mike

Thanks Dwayne and Mike; My neigibor called me to night Mike and said the same thing.
So I wil be checking for that first thing in the morning. I've got two jacks under it right now. One is my buddy's moter cycle jack and my regular 3 ton floor jack.
I've also got the rear end up on my steel ramps so the back end is way up in the air for plenty of room to work.
The bad thing is that I had just filled it up when I started having problems, so I have a full tank of fuel.
Kurt

I go the easy way. Cut a hole in the floor and then go to a junkyard and cut another one an inch larger for a patch. Looks good and the next person putting in another fuel pump will thank you over and over.
Do NOT buy a China built replacement pump..... they are GARBAGE

You are so Funny Tom: if there ain't a hole there allready there is not going to be one there when I get done. This is no Isuzu, this was a $50,000 doller car brand new fully loaded with leather and on star. It's all origanal and in excellant shape. There has got to be a way to do it, buddy. But thanks for the tip and the laugh anyway.
Kurt

Delco pump only is my suggestion.Those Airco pumps and alike are junk.Trust me,with Astro vans,been there,done that.

Thanks Gary; after you said that and I checked it.
Mine is a Delco, so at least I got that right anyway.
It should be a good pump for $305 after taxes.
Thanks for the good tip Gary, because I don't want to be
doing this next year again, because of the work or the cost.
Kurt

When I replaced the fuel pump in my Chevy P.U. I removed the front 4 bolts holding the box down & loosened the rear 2 using them as a hinge. Then I jacked up the box and the fuel pump was right there.

Now since you have a suburban you would have to also cut the body in half to accomplish this......... Then simply weld it back together when done.
Problee' outta' remove the interior in the HAZ while welding too.

No need to thank me. I like to pass my experience along to help others..........

Kurt

A couple of things your doing don't seem right to me--might just be my mis understanding of what has been written, but---

It sounds as tho you have the car weight setting on the wheels on ramps----you will need the rear end to be hanging to do this job--the factory puts the rears up after al the tanks and exhaust

Second and maybe more important----I don't think the fuel pump is your problem--I have started these vehicles on not only starting fluid but once with my Mother in laws hair spray and got them running---low pressure will continue to run and it should run fine with 40# you say you have----
The symphons as you state them seem to me that the cam sensor did not fix the original problem or is once again acting up which might indicate that you haven went far enough with that repair--

I always go back to the last repair done when something shows up later that could possibly be the same

HE! HE! HE! Ok at this point I think I might be better off removing the rear end.
HE! HE! HE! Thanks for these great tips Pro 70, I'll keep them in mind for my neighbors suburban when he does his. I didn't care for him much anyway. HE! HE!
You guys keep me laughing anyway. Kurt

Thanks Jerry; It's not throwing a code like it did with the cam sensor.
I often even wondered if the cam sensor was just a loose connection because the car allways ran great with all kinds of power till it would just stop running.
And when I researched it on the internet I found lots of other people that had the same problem with thiers. Plus my wife ran it out of fuel just before it started acting up this time. So what it sounds like, is the pump was over heating and cutting out then after it cooled down it would run about ten minutes or so then cut off again.
But I got the tank out now and am getting ready to put it back up in.
You have to put a jack under the tank take the straps off the get under the back of the car and push the tank forward as much as you can then drop the back of the tank down first.
After the back of the tank is down go to the front side of the tank and push it back and it will drop right down. I was trying to drop the front first and it won't work like that.
And now we all know, thanks to all for you tips and help and keeping me laughing thru it all. It's about a dunn deal now. Thanks again. Kurt

Well the cars all back together and seems to be running fine.
I will take it for a hour ride tomarrow to make sure it's
running after it's had time to act up if it's going too.
It would usally take about 30 to 45 minutes to start acting up.
Once again thanks for everyones help.
Kurt