How to Change a Fuel Pump on a 1982 Chevrolet Corvette

The fuel pump in the 1982 Chevrolet Corvette is mounted inside the fuel tank. To change a broken fuel pump, you must lower the tank from the vehicle. The most common reason for fuel pump failure is a pinhole in the pump's diaphragm. This reduces the amount of "head pressure" the pump can make and your engine will fail to get enough fuel to run.

Tools Used: Jack, Socket set, Pliers, Cam ring tool, Sending unit O-ring

Change a Fuel Pump

Place a floor jack under the fuel tank and raise the jack until it butts up against the tank. This will help you stabilize the tank while you remove the straps.

Remove the four bolts that secure the Corvette's fuel tank straps with a socket and pull the straps out from under the car.

Lower the floor jack half way. An assistant would be helpful in keeping the tank steady while you work on it.

Disconnect the wiring harness from the fuel sending unit and pull the fuel hoses off of the fuel sending unit. You will need a pair of pliers to loosen the clamps that secure the hoses to the sending unit.

Lower the Corvette's fuel tank to the ground with the jack.

Turn the cam ring off the sending unit with a cam ring wrench. (You can purchase cam ring wrenches from an auto parts store.)

Pull the sending unit out off of the fuel tank. The pump connects to the pickup tube mounted to the bottom of the sending unit.

Unplug the fuel pump's wiring harness from the bottom of the sending unit and disconnect the pump from the pickup tube.

Snap the new pump onto the pickup tube and plug in the wiring harness.

Remove the old sending unit O-ring from the recessed lip on the top of the fuel tank and replace it with a new one.

Place the sending unit onto the fuel tank and secure it with the cam ring and cam ring tool.

Jack the tank up half way with the floor jack. Plug the wiring harness into the sending unit and secure the fuel lines to the sending unit with the pliers and the clamps.

Jack the fuel tank up against the bottom of the Corvette. Secure the tank with the four bolts, two tank straps and the socket.