Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
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Gas Tank Pick-up Pipe installation continued:
Before I can remove the fuel hanger from the gas tank I'll have to disconnect both the fuel lines. Notice the safety clip on each fuel connection. I found the clip on the return line was loose before I started.
Since the fuel lines are under pressure I can't just pull them off. I read of two different ways to de-pressurize them. The manual recommends using the bleed-off valve on a fuel pressure test gauge but I don't have one.
Backup plan. Remove the fuse for the fuel pump then crank the starter.
Open the engine compartment fuse panel.
Remove the fuse for the fuel pump. It's this one. Position number 17 on the diagram in the owners manual.
After that I ran the starter for a few seconds. Having never done this before I wanted to double check that it actually worked. I'll check it using the Schrader valve located on the fuel rail on the side of the engine. This is where the fuel pressure test gauge would be attached, if I had one.
To access the Schrader valve remove the doghouse (aka engine cowl). Here is the view looking from inside of the van at the engine.
The valve is on the left hand side, driver's side, of the engine. It has a black plastic cap.
The Schrader valve is the same kind of valve you find on the tires. I used a regular tire gauge to release the pressure on Schrader valve. You can see the half a drop of gas on the bottom of the gauge which is all that came out. The "pull the fuse" method must have worked.
I put the cap back on the Schrader valve and buttoned up the doghouse. One other housekeeping matter. Use a wire brush to clean off the top of the fuel hanger and the area around it.
Then used compressed air to blow off the top of the hanger and top of the tank.
Next unplug the electrical wires to the hanger. To reach the plug get under the van where the fuel fill lines are. The wire disconnect is located just on top of the frame below the fill lines.
To access the plug I had to pull it up off the frame rail. There is a small clip on the connector that must be pushed down to separate the two parts of the plug.
To disconnect the fuel lines from the hanger I need a special tool. Amazingly enough it's called a "Fuel Line Disconnect Tool". Bought this one at Advance Auto for $7.39.
From the back of the package. It's made for 3/8" and 5/16" fuel lines which match the ones connected to the fuel hanger.
Pop off the safety clips first. The tool works by sliding in between the hanger tube and the fuel hose connector. It releases the clip inside the connector. Anyway that's how it's supposed to work.
Problem is I couldn't get the return line to release. Not having done this before I wasn't sure how much I could force things without something breaking. So while I was working the problem Supervisor Bob shows up.
After studying the problem she said to just push it a little farther and showed how.
She was right of course, as always. Pushed it in a little farther and pulled a little harder on the connector and it popped off. The supply line connector came off easier.
Here's everything unhooked.
continued -
Before I can remove the fuel hanger from the gas tank I'll have to disconnect both the fuel lines. Notice the safety clip on each fuel connection. I found the clip on the return line was loose before I started.
Since the fuel lines are under pressure I can't just pull them off. I read of two different ways to de-pressurize them. The manual recommends using the bleed-off valve on a fuel pressure test gauge but I don't have one.
Backup plan. Remove the fuse for the fuel pump then crank the starter.
Open the engine compartment fuse panel.
Remove the fuse for the fuel pump. It's this one. Position number 17 on the diagram in the owners manual.
After that I ran the starter for a few seconds. Having never done this before I wanted to double check that it actually worked. I'll check it using the Schrader valve located on the fuel rail on the side of the engine. This is where the fuel pressure test gauge would be attached, if I had one.
To access the Schrader valve remove the doghouse (aka engine cowl). Here is the view looking from inside of the van at the engine.
The valve is on the left hand side, driver's side, of the engine. It has a black plastic cap.
The Schrader valve is the same kind of valve you find on the tires. I used a regular tire gauge to release the pressure on Schrader valve. You can see the half a drop of gas on the bottom of the gauge which is all that came out. The "pull the fuse" method must have worked.
I put the cap back on the Schrader valve and buttoned up the doghouse. One other housekeeping matter. Use a wire brush to clean off the top of the fuel hanger and the area around it.
Then used compressed air to blow off the top of the hanger and top of the tank.
Next unplug the electrical wires to the hanger. To reach the plug get under the van where the fuel fill lines are. The wire disconnect is located just on top of the frame below the fill lines.
To access the plug I had to pull it up off the frame rail. There is a small clip on the connector that must be pushed down to separate the two parts of the plug.
To disconnect the fuel lines from the hanger I need a special tool. Amazingly enough it's called a "Fuel Line Disconnect Tool". Bought this one at Advance Auto for $7.39.
From the back of the package. It's made for 3/8" and 5/16" fuel lines which match the ones connected to the fuel hanger.
Pop off the safety clips first. The tool works by sliding in between the hanger tube and the fuel hose connector. It releases the clip inside the connector. Anyway that's how it's supposed to work.
Problem is I couldn't get the return line to release. Not having done this before I wasn't sure how much I could force things without something breaking. So while I was working the problem Supervisor Bob shows up.
After studying the problem she said to just push it a little farther and showed how.
She was right of course, as always. Pushed it in a little farther and pulled a little harder on the connector and it popped off. The supply line connector came off easier.
Here's everything unhooked.
continued -
