Need help getting fuel assembly back in

[mlipmd]

Also posted on the Corvette Forum because I am stuck, but I know somebody here can help.


My '90 all of a sudden wouldn't start immediately on turning the key, needing maybe 10-15 sec. of cranking before it started, and runs a little rough for a minute or two at idle, then seems to run OK. I suspected a fuel pump issue after looking at some other things and bit the bullet and pulled out the pumps today. I never could hear them go on from either inside the car or by listening to the open gas tank, and could only hear one when connecting the rear fuel pump connector under the rear deck to 12V, individually with + to the gray and then to the green wires, grounding the black.
I removed the whole assembly with little difficulty, just the usual turning and squiggling to get it out of the tank, and found what another member on here and on the CF found. Both of the pumps would run with 12V attached (they are really quiet), but on the outlet from the secondary pump the sheety black plastic hose clamp must have been loose because the hose could easily slide up and down on the pump, even though it appeared to be tightened down. So apparently I was leaking back fuel and had little pressure in the fuel rail on startup or running.
I replaced that crappy plastic clamp with a SS screw clamp, didn't change the fuel pumps because I wanted to see if that solved the problem. I didn't remove or touch anything other than replacing that black plastic hose clamp with a SS one.
My problem now is that now matter how I turn, maneuver, squiggle that assembly, I cannot get it in. I even zip-tied that bend in the upper hose to flatten it, making the whole thing more slender, thinking I would have more room to turn the whole thing, but that didn't help me. I'm stuck at the point with the filler neck flange rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise above the rear plastic and no turning or gentle pushing can get the bracket and fuel line pipe to go into the tank or get it to tilt underneath the plastic of the rear deck. So somebody tell me how to get it in there, I need suggestions from those of you who have done this before.

[A26B]

Did you rotate the screw on the new clamp, so that it doesn't interfere with re-installing process?

[Young1]

See sticky solutions. Look up a you tube video. It is easier to get out than to get back in.

[mlipmd]

Clamp's not in the way, it's flush with the hose, much less exposure than those plastic clamps.
Looked at stickies, all the videos I could find are for regular C4s, not ZR-1s.
I've played with this for way over an hour a few times and can't seem to figure out the right moves to get it to twist in. Everybody says it just drops right in, but not mine.
I may just decide to replace all the plastic clamps with SS ones even though they are working fine, maybe just replace the fuel pumps with new ones as long as I have this apart even though they were done by the PO last Spring, and change the fuel filter while this is all apart so I don't have to work underneath a waterfall of gas. But I really wanted to see if the problem was solved by eliminating the leak from the loose hose clamp.

[mlipmd]

Alright, here's a follow-up.
I replaced all those black plastic ratchet clamps with SS screw hose clamps because I never wanted this to happen again. Even though that clamp was tightened fully, the hose connection was loose and able to slide, and therefore leak, so I could not maintain fuel pressure as needed or keep the system primed.
I did see a YouTube video and apparently I was inserting the whole assembly pointed in the wrong direction, but once I did it the right way, it went back in without much fuss.
And now my car starts up within a second or two and seems to run fine.
While I was in there I did not replace the pumps because the PO told me he had that done last Spring, but why somebody would use those clamps rather than SS ones is beyond me. Trying to keep the car original for judging ??
Anyway, like what happened to another member on here where his hose actually blew off the pump, be aware that a leak like this can be symptomatic of a fuel problem and not necessarily require replacement of the pumps.
I will probably get a fuel pump pressure gauge just to be able to follow this and knowing if I do, I will probably never need it again.

[TX '90 ZR1]

I've related this story a few times, but here I go again.
Several years back I had a fuel pressure leakdown that took me forever to locate. It was the plastic "Y" on the sender/pump assembly. Had a small crack that was letting pressure bleed off.
Got with Carter and he designed one out of billet aluminum. I would recommend installing one of Carter's if one has ocassion to have the sender/pump assembly out.

z062718-07.jpg

[mlipmd]

Another follow-up. Car started this morning within a second, maybe one or two revolutions of the engine, so it's definitely holding and maintaining fuel pressure and my problem is solved.
TX - that is a great idea to replace those plastic Ys if you ever have to go back in there, do you have a link or contact info for him?
You might be able to get a copper or brass plumbing Y or T fitting from the hardware store too to replace that plastic one.

[TX '90 ZR1]

Originally Posted by mlipmd

Another follow-up. Car started this morning within a second, maybe one or two revolutions of the engine, so it's definitely holding and maintaining fuel pressure and my problem is solved.
TX - that is a great idea to replace those plastic Ys if you ever have to go back in there, do you have a link or contact info for him?
You might be able to get a copper or brass plumbing Y or T fitting from the hardware store too to replace that plastic one.

Carter is on the forum as Carter200. He makes quite a bit of stuff for our cars.
I tried to figure something out to replace the "Y" before I got with Carter. Problem is that you are dealing with 2 different sizes of hose. Carter has sold quite a few of these since he came up with them.