Got the pump swapped out last night. It was relatively uneventful, once I managed to get one of the pump module quick-connect fitting released, I realized what I was dealing with: A simple push-to-connect/push-to-release fitting, very similar to this:
These fittings have come into very common use in pneumatic and fluid handling systems since the early 1990's. You push down on the releasing sleeve, it opens up the toothed guide ring, which lets you pull the hose out of the fitting.
Ford, or the fuel pump module supplier, in their infinite wisdumb, put the little two-tab collar over the fitting release collet, apparently as a dis-assembly aid - only it doesn't work all that well. If anything goes wrong with this stupid little piece of plastic, like it gets some age cracks, or some debris builds up underneath it, the two little squeeze tabs can't apply even downward pressure to the collet release ring, and the stem will not release from the collet, and the harder you pull on the stem, the harder the collet grips it.
Solution: Cut off the offending little f**kers and apply pressure directly to the collet release ring with one's finger tips. The fitting then comes apart with minimal effort, as it should. Here's the tops of the fittings without the offending tabbed collars. The fitting stems are fully seated, they cannot be pulled out unless the release ring is pressed.
Some folks here maintain that these two-tab collars keep the fittings locked together:
They don't, there's no mechanical way they can serve this purpose. The fitting is locked internally by the collet and it's internal ramp, the harder you pull on the stem, the tighter the collet grips the stem, sort of like Chinese finger-cuffs. The annoying extra piece of plastic on top is, in my engineering opinion, a mis-guided release tool.
I need to make a new plate today to cover up the enlarged hole in the floorpan, caulk and rivet it down, and call this job done. The pump works fine, it's quiet, nothing leaks, the engine runs fine, fuel pressure is correct, all is well.
Having read the horror stories of Contour fuel tanks swimming with crud and hopelessly clogged filter socks, I can say that I found no such thing. The tank was very clean inside, there were a few small pieces of debris on the large, L-shaped filter sock, but otherwise it was all in very nice condition. I think my pump just reached end-of-life, it measures electrical open circuit, this parrot is dead.
Here's the full photo album of this swap, since early posts in the archives don't seem to be available. When I get a cover plate made and installed I'll add a few more pics.
http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/n...20Replacement/
Gary M.
