Let us know what happens. For what it's worth, I've replaced the fuel pump in my 1996 C1500, and did it without dropping the tank. I removed the 8 or 10 bolts that hold the bed to the frame, and my helper (my dad!) and I lifted the bed on each side, and walked it back a couple feet and left it hanging off the back of the frame, as that was all I needed to expose the top of the tank where the fuel pump is mounted. It just drops into the top of the tank, and has a wiring harness and of course the fuel line connected.

Once I got in there, what we found was that my intermittent fuel pressure issues were not due to the fuel pump itself, but due to the fact that the two wires to the pump were frayed from vibration and shorting against each other INSIDE THE TANK! Scary! Simply spreading the wires out to where they didn't touch made the old fuel pump work, but I went ahead and replaced it while I had the bed unbolted. That was probably 15 to 16 years ago, and still going strong on the Autozone replacement fuel pump... I seem to recall also adding heat shrink tubing over the wires, or something like that.

The fuel pump is on a frame that hands down in the tank from a round plate, and the wires run through the plate and down to the pump. The tank level sensor also hangs on there if memory serves.

 

Well....the tester they gave me does not have any means to hook up to my truck. I worked for Air Products for 23 years and have run a million miles of pipes. I tried to adapt it with some fittings I have and it's a no go. I read or watched some video which said 95 was the last year of a particular tester that was need and from 96 on they had a new one. I asked when I rented it and got a "it should hook up" They said to check the output of the fuel pressure regulator and it should be between 55 and 60 psi. I see no outlet of the regulator anywhere to hook into.

I am at a crossroad of taking another stab at it and just replacing the fuel pressure regulator. It's accessible at least. I live off the grid so to speak so have no other man I think could spare the time to come up here on the mountain to help me remove the bed. My wife can't. She is the most beautifullest woman in the world but is as mechanical as a blind hamster. I have to start the 4 wheeler for her from time to time. She curses the can opener.

I am going to see if anyone has any ideas before ordering that pressure regulator.

 

Not very many counter salespeople at the parts store are familiar enough with these older trucks to know what they’re talking about - they weren’t even close on their instructions.

These trucks require an adapter to check fuel pressure - it can be installed in place of the fuel filter or between the fuel supply line and throttle body.

Here’s what GM originally used - - most aftermarket adapters just have a threaded shrader valve instead of a quick connect.

55-60 PSI is too high for TBI - it should only be 8-12 PSI.

The throttle body/injector housing has to be removed & disassembled to replace the FPR because the screws are only accessible from underneath the housing.

 

Well, the bed would only need to be pulled off, or the tank dropped (easier if it's just you I guess, if the issue is the fuel pump itself. If you always have fuel, likely isn't the issue (I hope!). In my case, I was intermittently dying or being unable to start, then other times I could start and run, but then it would die. Your's seems to always start, just dies when you give it the gas, so maybe you are right - it could be the regulator, and not the pump itself.

As ​​​@Gumby22 points out, if it is TBI the pressure is a lot lower than my 1996, which is the first year to go to full up fuel injection with an injector per cylinder.

 

Weelllllllll...Bingo..it's the fuel pump. When I went to get the tester, I took along pictures of my engine. The guy there told me to connect right before the carb. and showed me on the pic. Gumby22 told me I could connect at the filter. Got gas all over me again but it worked. Running about 4 psi

 

Glad to hear you found something definitive!

I just reviewed my Hayne's manual, and they outline a procedure to drop the tank. Just be sure to siphon all the gas out first!

 

JF Morris......what are the odds you would give that I filled it to the brim just before I drove it home and had issues getting up my road? Gonna start youtubing how to pull the bed off. I was looking and I should be able to connect to it so I can lift it with my tractor bucket.

I wanted to Thank EVERYONE here who helped me with this issue. Thank Y"all So Very Much

David

 

Yeah, if you unbolt the bed, you ought to be able to lift it easily with something like a tractor bucket, if two guys can lift it.

Other things to disconnect - the gas fill tube and cap where it attaches to the outside of the bed. Also the tail light wiring harnesses, otherwise you will be ripping those loose, and I would go ahead and just pull the tailgate off so you got a few less pounds suspended in the air... I think we had the bed off inside an hour, and it was mostly be slid up under there unbolting stuff.

I may be removing the bed on both my trucks soon just to clean up and repaint the back side of the cab, where I see peeling paint between the bed and the cab.

 

Hey Everyone... I just watched a video where someone cut a square out of the bed of the truck perfectly over the fuel pump. About 20"x20" ish overall. He then had a pretty nice way of remounting it. This is a farm truck and it's never going to be sold. When it dies, will have a nice funeral with cake. Anyone have an opinion on this? I have watch and rewatched videos for the last hour or so. I probably could do ether, drop the tank or lift the bed if my body wasn't like a bag of Cheetos and possibly had a little help. But cutting out this square seems like a really good idea. I have been pondering whether or not to weld it back on. Fire and gas.....doesn't seem like a good combo

 

Cutting the hole in the bed could work. I would look up under there and if you can reach over the tank, you can feel where the pump is. It wouldn't be hard to cut a smaller hole - 20x20 is WAY bigger than needed. I would think a 12x12 square would be fine, unless it's a matter of avoiding the fuel lines. I've seen folks on here who cut a hole in the floor of their Suburban to access the fuel pump in order to avoid dropping the tank. Do a search and see how they patched the hole in the floorboard before they covered it back up with carpet.

If you have a welder, what you might could do is weld a flange to the piece you cut out, so that it can overlap the hole, and just screw it down with sheet metal screws after putting a bead of silicone around the opening. That way it could be removed in the future if need be, and the overlap with the silicone would prevent rain water from running down on top of the gas tank and other stuff under the truck.

Welding the square plate back in would be ok if the gas tank is totally empty, or if you slip a heat shield between the tank and the hole, that you can pull out from underneath...