Auto Dealership mechanic work.. a license to steal.

[mbalexander]

I changed the fuel pump on my 98 Chevy myself. Picked the bed up with a cherry picker at the rear, & the front with the A frame. Rolled the PU forward about 3 feet, changed the pump, reset the bed. Took about an hour. A friend got the pump for me (GM) for $85.

 

[david04]

I changed the fuel pump on my 98 Chevy myself. Picked the bed up with a cherry picker at the rear, & the front with the A frame. Rolled the PU forward about 3 feet, changed the pump, reset the bed. Took about an hour. A friend got the pump for me (GM) for $85.

How'd you remove the bed bolts? When I started removing the bolts on my bed, they were really tight for many, many turns. It would have taken forever to remove all eight. Is there some easier way to do it besides an impact wrench?

 

[milsurp2.0]

I can't imagine lifting the bed off the frame to change a fuel pump! I guess to each his own.

 

[prophet]

I was joking about it. But im not surprised people agreed with me.

We do it at work with our work trucks, we also have the ability to make a patch that will match the corrugation of the bed floor.

 

[twoguns?]

In the good old days (carbs, not EFI), a fuel pump for a mid-1970s small block Chevy with no return line was $12.95, $16.95 with the return line. Generally took about 15 minutes to change (two bolts). Progress is wonderful....

Unless you drop that little rod, then it might be an hour getting it back up there

 

[ZombieHunter]

Went out to start my 98 GM PU this morning and discovered the fuel pump was out. Made a initial call to the dealership and was quoted $550 to replace the fuel pump & gas filter + $80 towing. I could live with that so I called AAA and had it towed for no charge. 3 hours later the stealership lets me know that it was gonna be $900 to replace the fuel pump... not the $550.

So I contacted the towing company that does the tow work for AAA [who also does repair work in a ratty looking older 4 bay shop] and asked what they would do the fuel pump repair for. They quoted me $498 out the door with a lifetime warranty on the fuel pump-- I think the part was going to come from NAPA. This truck is never gonna be out of town so all warranty work would be done locally. And they only charged me $40 to tow my truck back from the dealership to their shop. Hope I didn't make a mistake by going to the little repair shop.... but the $300+ more seemed like robbery. As it stands right now, the cost to me is gonna be the $498 for the repair, $40 for the tow from the dealership to their shop... and $48 to the dealership for diagnosing the problem= approx. $596... not the $900 that the dealership wanted.

Anybody out there do this kind of repair work? Is $500 parts & labor pretty close to what a fuel pump repair in a 98 GM P/U 2 wheel drive, short bed should run?

Had mine done on my suburban just a bit ago, it was around $350 just for the pump and sending unit, another $100 for labor, you try dropping a 40 gallon tank with 25+ gallons of gas in it and have fun! so it was $450 plus tax out the doo. My replacement also fixed my gas gauge not showing correct fuel as the sending unit had fried.

 

[mbalexander]

I can't imagine lifting the bed off the frame to change a fuel pump! I guess to each his own.

For me, it was easier to just zip the nuts off with an impact wrench & lift the bed with the engine hoist on the rear and the A frame on the front. Then do all the pump changing from the top, standing up. Easier than rolling around on the floor, wrestling with a fuel tank...........under the pickup.

 

[bmxr4life87]

Dealer service managers get a demo vehicle... Its no wonder most people cant change their own flat tire if your really mind blown by removing 8 bed bolts and unhooking a wire harness i can tell you first hand its the easiest way by far... And mechanics dont set prices at dealership thats the parts guy and service writer changing prices.old chevy trucks are recommended to replace the pigtail when the fuel pump is replaced

 

[Mad Professor]

Unless you drop that little rod, then it might be an hour getting it back up there

There is a threaded hole in the front of the block that intersects the hole for the pushrod. Pull out the bolt and put in one that is 1/2" longer and it will hold the pushrod in place.