Blows me away seeing these older vehicles you get to work on that have no rust. I forget that there are places in this country where road salt does not exist.
I hate it because it makes what I spend so much time doing look easier than it is lol. I'm blatantly, unabashedly jealous of how easy jobs are when the car has an innate desire to stay in one piece when you torque something inside of it.
Agreed I live in Minnesota all nuts and bolts are rusted nothing comes apart easily I think that’s why I enjoy watching this channel satisfying watching stuff come apart
I know this is old, but I had to comment. This was an an excellent job on this video. Audio and video was chrystal clear and concise. Instruction was unhurried and easy to follow. Commentary was professional sprinkled with a dose of humor here and there. I've been trying to locate the source of a fuel leak coming from one of the fuel lines on my daughter's Saturn L200 and this video was instrumental in helping me to visualize what's on top of fuel tank. Great post.
My family has always had major car problems right after filling the tank, if it was going to have problems. So far, my tank is usually at half or less when I have had car problems.
Good, work, Ray! One thing, unless you strap a fuel tank to a jack, never work on a full gas tank unsupported on a jack. It's too easy for the tank to get away from you, the fuel weight momentum will cause it to fall off.
YAAYYY we finally got to meet Peter! I love that you have kinda taken the kid under your wing Ray. I'm a firm believer in passing on knowledge to anyone that cares to learn, particularly those just starting out. iIn my almost 38 years as a master carpenter/builder and a better-than-most backyard mechanic I couldn't tell you how many folks I've gone out of my way, and tested my patience, to teach what i know. You're a great man Ray, and I admire you immensely.
Always impressed how fuel filters of that era were often made of polished stainless steel and look like something from the space station, while the rest of the car was rusting away.
I've had 3 Saturn 5 spds, an SL, an SL1 and an SW2, I live in NH ,and none of them rotted away....if you maintain your car and truck and wash it at a car wash. And do an underbody wash... they don't rot away usually....
Stainless steel is great as long as you're not machining it sometimes it gets hard as a rock and other times them little splinters you think you don't like oil on your hands Ray you would not like them little stainless splinters they will bite you bye
That's true that pal I'd love to learn that power so I can stop cutting my hands up every day I know its part of the job getting cut and I'm 30 years in now but it would still be nice to go easy on the money makers
Yes i did so many tank drops sucks with a full tank of gas so i had to siphon gas out first and one time i swallowed a mouth full of gas i burped gas fumes for a week not fun glad them days are done i love watching rainman work 👍
Please keep making more content! I enjoy seeing you working through the entire process. And including the need to revisit the problem again. Never give up! Never surrender!
Hey Ray. Love your content. I always remove the filler neck from the tank then siphon the gas out into a gas can. Makes for a safer/cleaner work area. The tanks are always full...darn it!
Did this on my 94 Ciera, on a nice cold winter day. New fuel pump, new fuel sending unit and fuel filter. That was 7 years ago. Had to drive rear wheels up on car ramps. Made for a nice day off project and was a success. I had the same adventures with the fuel leaking as this one is doing. I didn’t drain my tank either. Straps on the reinstall were rough too. Thanks for sharing.
I have a 1998 Saturn SL base model which runs great but does not start on a slight uphill after sitting overnight… it's a five speed, so I roll it backwards in reverse to Roll start it which works every time, Runs great the rest of the day… I came here and found what I believe is the answer and I appreciate it… Now I just have to find a good mechanic like yourself to replace the sending unit and the filter for a decent price… This video helped me out tremendously thank you… Bought the car last year 98,000 miles and I have 114,000 on it today 2022
Ray, I think you'd be fun as hell to hang with. You do pretty much the same weird crap I do. Keep having fun and thanks for taking the time to do these. I get done wrenching or doing the service writer thing, it's refreshing as hell to come home and watch another guy work lol.
Recently found your videos and I can't stop watching, even though I know next to nothing about cars. I'm a gunsmith and my boss came into my lab to ask me what was going on because I keep saying click now when I get a screw good and tight. He thinks I'm a nutter, lol.
LOL, I find myself predicting the "click" while watching Ray's videos. My wife thinks I'm a nutter as I watch with headphones on and will call out "click", apparently randomly. Hoping Rainman Ray will come up with some "click" merch on his Spreadshop storefront!
Ray you will always find people that will do things different to you and criticise but a majority of the time you are right. Any trade people make mistakes , you learn by that, but what puts you above others is that you fix it. well done love your vids
Ray, you know as well as I do, draining 2 or 3 gallons of gas would have been simple once you removed the filler neck from the tank. I’ve had some so full they had to be drained prior to beginning the tank removal process. Sometimes it’s much safer to pump or siphon out the gas instead of taking a chance on have a big fire and no marshmallows to roast. lol
It's just dirty, not burnt. The nickel plating on the resistor wire of the fuel sender card attracts the dyes that are used in petrol (and diesel). Love your videos, Ray. Cheers from down under.
I'm envious of you southern folks, to be able to do that without also replacing fuel lines and brake lines must be a treat. Also, think about using a brass chisel/hammer when removing those lock rings, you don't consider it until you're getting skin grafts. I've seen it first hand and it's horrifying Ray, just consider it please!
I have changed 6 fuel pumps in my life. Two of my vehicles thank God, was on a nissan. Just remove the back seat, and metal plate. That day, I felt spechial 🤣. And yes ,the other 4 were 3/4 to full. I empty Empty And cleaned out the tanks. Which is a PITA. Love your content brother. My heart goes out to all mechanics. I could not do what yall do on a daily basis! The sheer aggravation of constant model changes and customers, hell to the no. I don't have that kind of patience for that!
This made me nostalgic for my Saturn SL. The strut tower mounts rusted out, one dropping the front corner about five inches when it failed as I pulled into a parking lot. When the mechanic took a look at repairability, they found a lot more subframe rust than the car was worth.
Yep, don't use a steel chisel, we like you too much Ray, it will create a spark, go to brass as mentioned....I love your videos man.....Safety first....
Any Saturn that runs is worth saving. I bought a SL1 new in 1997 and it has never left me on the road with my thumb bin the air. Unbelievable reliability those cars have. Simple to work on when you rarely need to. I hope the fuel pump holds up in mine!
I can vouch for the reliability of the ole SC1. Actually, the one I had was (is) a race car. (A 2000 model year.) It had its issues when I first got it, mainly from the previous owner's inability to do things properly. The car had over 250,000 miles on it before it was built into a race car. After that, it raced 2 or 3 seasons before I got it. After an intake manifold gasket replacement (NOT a fun job!) that engine still sounded like it could go another 100,000+ miles in a street car. I actually have a couple videos of the car as a racer.....good ole Number 7. Had a blast wrenching on that car...and of course racing it.
I feel you on this I started last night on a 2003 ford explorer sport trac 4x4 ... bad fuel pump ... the fuel filler hose hadn't been removed in almost 300k miles fought with it for 20 mins and the fuel tank was completely full
I remember having to remove a fuel tank for repair from a 1976 XC ??? ford falcon ute for repair. The tank is actually located in the tray area just behind the cabin under the floor. This means you have to take off the tray floor cover and lift the tank out. Of course the tank still has at least 8 litres (2 gallons) left even if you run it to empty which sloshes all over the place as you remove it. That thing was fun to drive as it would leave rubber strips easily but was terrible in the wet (for the same reason). It would break traction so easily (even with the big boots on it) . It had a worked 351 in it.
I'm jealous, look how amazingly clean the threads are on those strap bolts. In Pennsylvania half of the frame comes out with them and the strap twists.
@@scottr3484your car is either 100% stainless,plastic or you don't drive in salt brine or calcium chloride or you trade them in every couple of years. Or you live in a different Pennsylvania than I do.
I have been binge watching and clicking 'like' on all your video's Ray.......I gotta say I really enjoy watching your vid's and listening to your comical banter.....I went back 6 years and you were not very chatty at first. I also think I speak for all Canadians, we now consider you an honorary Canadian due to how many times you apologize when you get in our way while trying to watch.....and also for your friendly video opening's and closing's.......in closing I must remind myself to remind you to have a great day.....be well sir, Paul.
Always a good idea to replace the fuel filter if a fuel pump has failed. Especially if the fuel filter is several years old or many miles old. Partly clogged fuel filter causes back pressure on fuel pump, it has to work harder, draws more amps, eventually fails.
Ray, you forget one vital thing! You forgot to ask the viewers, in exchange for the free content, to scroll down and tappy tap that thumbs up button, to let you, and RUclips know you did a good job. Because if RUclips thinks that you're doing a good job, they are far more likely to recommend your content to other pottential viewers. And that is good for you, and especially good for them!
@@wayneessar7489 I live where we use a ton of salt on roads during winter. There are many times on older vehicles when you try to remove a bolt and the head comes off but the rest of it will stay inside due to rusting through. Quite frustrating.
i had to laugh- waaaaay back in '69-'71 i took 2 years of body shop in high school. mr. hunter was, to me, an outstanding instructor. 'good enough' was NOT good enough. he taught me pride of workmanship and that has held me in good stead through the years, if only for my self-respect. i haven't worked in a commercial body shop, but i still have an assessing eye and can see (or not see) good workmanship. we used to put covers on the tires, and paper aprons along the bottom edges to prevent overspray.
Ray mentioned draining the fuel tank is a pain but I'd found some way to do it. A nearly full tank makes the job risky on dropping the tank, cracking the tank, fuel spills, etc. After the filler tube was disconnected could have siphoned out the gas quickly into clean gas cans and then refilled the tank later. But that takes time to do. I guess getting the job done quickly is a priority.
@@richsweeney1115 Once the filler neck is removed, you can siphon the gas out. This fact was proven when he was reinstalling the tank and gas was leaking out
@0:32 You meant to say "3-door 2001 Saturn SC1." 🙂 This car looks super clean for it's age. Those older Saturn S-Series were great cars. They don't quit unless you run them out of oil or the chassis rusts to pieces. I've owned 5 Saturns (3 SC2s, 2 Ions), and they were all great cars. I miss Saturn. :(
I had a 2004 Vue I got from my mother when she passed. It had 74k miles on it. Ex rear ended someone in it, we fixed it. Before our divorce, I signed it over to her. Through the years, she put 200k more miles on it, gave it to her daughter, and she totalled it a week later. I would love another Vue, but all the ones I see for sale are ragged out beyond recognition.
I still refuse to buy GM because of the death of Saturn. I miss my 02 SC2 that got rear-ended and I swear I had an identical 99 SC1 to the one in the vid.
This made me miss my 95 Sl2 5spd. First car I bought with my own money. Had it 18 years, put 265k on it. Gave it to my daughter. She totalled it within 6 weeks.
Oh man just seeing the car brings back so many memories of the Saturn I rode in as a kid. It had a manual transmission and manual windows and I loved it. It sends shivers down my back damn. I’m thinking of buying one someday just for nostalgia
I just realized I might have a bit of a problem. Got my coffee, sat down to take a break and get my daily Ray and what is this? No video? But? What am I supposed to do now? Then almost like like a gift from the RUclips God's, about 2 minutes later, bam, video. Thanks, Ray!
WARNING: Never ever use a brushed motor electric power ratchet or impact wrench when working with raw gas or near gasoline fumes. The arcing brushes can easily ignite the fuel, and burn your whole shop down. Brush-less motor powered tools, do not arc when running.
Brushless tools can also arc while running, but it's much less likely. The safest option is to not run anything until the fuel leak has been taken care of...
Super phone action and clicks. Man, getting gas all over oneself is a bummer. Keep them coming, seeing you work on cars I can appreciate my mechanic even more now
Makes me grateful for European motors which (usually) have a hatch under the back seats to get the pump out. Definitely should have drained the tank, whether you like it or not. And, please get yourself a hose clip driver, 7mm. Makes life a lot easier.
Since you were getting 9psi of pressure form the old pump, you could have bypassed the fuel pump relay to get the pump to run and then empty it out using your fuel pressure tester. That would probably take 15-20 minutes, but would make the job a lot cleaner and easier to handle an empty pump.
Boris why make it so complicated??? the easiest way to empty the fuel system is by removing the fuse for the fuel pump. and run the car. it will suck all the fuel from the filter and make the car run for less then 1sec. after that it's empty. and you don't get a mess ^^ simple af.
@@NotDiiZE He's referring to draining the tank completely before removing from the car. That way you don't get gas spilled all over you and have a fire hazard.
I would not deal with a fuel tank that full myself but you got thru it ok. I hate getting gasoline on me. It’s dangerous and it stinks. Nice job anyway Rainman!
Y'all need ti remember that these jobs pay flat rate. If he spends half an hour pumping out fuel and putting fuel back in that's basically time he's giving away. That being said, when my father in law had a bad fuel pump that made a little pressure I did disconnect the filter, jump the relay, get the gas cans, and pump that thing dry.
@@michaeldurrett8388 "Safety first". I know of a guy who thought it was best not to drain the tank first. He pulled the tank down, spilled a bunch of gas that somehow started a fire and he got burnt bad himself, to the point I think of requiring skin grafts. This is just one of the reasons that I despise the flat rate system. It causes techs to take short cuts just to "beat" time. Don't take short cuts especially if safety is compromised.
I'm amazed every time I watch you reach blind around some component to drop a bolt into a hole you can't see, give it a twist to get it started then drop the wobbly bit on top of it as though you were mating two magnets. You routinely do things in seconds that would occupy me and cause me to explore my vocabulary for a quarter hour. That said, I hope you had a fire extinguisher _very_ close by during that repair!
Just recently found your channel and I'm amazed by the steps needed to fix cars. I've watched Chris fix for awhile and he does an amazing job as do you. You guys inspire me so much to learn much more about fixing cars! Keep up the great work!
Ditch fixboy and stick with Ray. Fixboy comes across as a spolied rich kid. I unsubbed from him when he did that whole long string of look what I bought videos. Ray is a real blue collar working man with credentials. Never brags and keeps it real.
Brings back bad memories of changing the fuel pump for the third time on my wife's Dodge van. I ran it til the fuel empty light stayed on, but it still had gallons of fuel and at one point fuel went down my arm, all the way to my arm pit. I hated that Dodge and was so happy to finally see it gone.
I'm not a car person, but for what it's worth these videos are greatly entertaining to watch! My dad used to run a car repair shop in the countryside and as a kid I spent a lot of time just idling about, watching and listening to him work. These videos bring back a lot of memories while also being vastly more informative and far less laden in alcoholism than the work I witnessed back in the day. It's always a delight to see someone working and showcasing their knowledge and experience in practice. Keep up the good work, Sir!
I don't think I ever replaced a fuel pump where the tank wasn't full. It seems street diagnostic test is add 1 gallon of gas, if no start, add another gallon. If that doesn't work, fill tank, for the first time since owned.
True, I very nearly did the same myself recently, only added a gallon before I stopped myself adding any more, luckily I did need to remove the tank to access the fuel pump
Way back I ground a nice long cold chisel to a rectangular punch with a 3/4 x 3/16 flat tip. First for driving out bearing cups from hubs and diffs. Turned out to be perfect for removing first fuel tank sending units and when they can out- in-tank fuel pumps. (for non-USA 19mm x 6mm tip)
Not saying the fuel pump did not need replacement (especially since the send unit was bad and an intregal component) that said since there was some pressure measured it is a safe bet only the filter needed replacement as usually when a fuel pump goes bad there is no pressure (all or nothing)! I would at least have checked that first!
I see weak fuel pumps all the time, i don't know what you're going on about. Also a clogged filter usually feels heavy to an experienced technician, many guys will blow thru them to verify they aren't clogged whilst removing them
One of the little "never done this before" projects on the '05 mule van this past Spring was the fuel filter. The bolt that held it to the frame was so rusted out that the head twisted off by hand. I didn't have any self-tapping screws at home so I figured I'd just remind myself to grab some from work. Then I forgot. A week went by. I had an appointment one morning. Van wouldn't start. Small puddle of fuel on the ground. D'oh! Got a friend to bring his jack and some tools, and I got that damn thing self-tapped in and secured. I also made damn sure I got a CLICK on the ass-end connector to the filter this time.. lol.
Yeppers. The 1st New car I ever purchased was a '94 SL2. SL = Sedan SC = Coupe SW = Station Wagon 1 = Base model 2 = Loaded up with power everything and Leather plus 15" Alloy wheels instead of 14" steel wheels with hub caps.
@@brnmcc01 Yeah I think at the time it was a cost saving and simplification measure for GM. It makes for a slight hassle in the aftermarket but the filters are expected to last as much as 100k.
Yeah the 2nd and 3rd Gen S Series were like that, mine was a 95 (1st Gen body, 2nd Gen Dash). Filter was up more by the engine, regulator on the fuel rail. I can see why they would go with this setup though it does make the fuel filters more expensive.
We had one of those 10 gallon gas tanks for the shop just for these types of jobs, easy to just siphon out the gas before pulling the tank and then feed it back in when done.
This brings back memories on welding the fuel tank on my old Mazda. Even though it was drained and rinsed with water there was a nice fireball when I started grinding rust away.
@@j.t.cooper2963 I was gonna say you leave water in the tank when grinding and welding them because fumes are more dangerous then liquid... liquid will start fires , fumes will explode if in the right conditions
@@timernewein5146 that's another way because argon is a heavier gas then oxygen no oxygen no boom I guess.... but what if you dont have a mig welder ? Just a scenario that may come up a few times in said situation lol
Found your channel a few days ago and have been binge watching, as the original owner of a still operating 1994 SL2 I found this fun to watch. One of the things I miss about Saturn were the plastic packages that the parts came in were adorned with an animal, getting a part from GM is just another shovel of dirt thrown on the grave. Love your channel.
Seems like Saturn used troublesome fuel pumps. I bought a brand new Saturn L300 in 2004 and it went thru 4 fuel pumps by the time I got rid of it it in 2011. On a positive note the bolts that held the tank straps in were never in long enough to get rusted in place.
My friends love Saturn he leased it after being unemployed for a long time. He think the Philosophy of manufactured of Saturn is using Honda and Japanese process to build a quality car in Detroit in 1990. I told him that Toyota City and Japanese QC and reliability of Toyota is much superior than Saturn. I ended up brought used Chevy Prizm with low mileage since I trust Toyota Corolla engine more than Saturn. His new Saturn needs new Generator after 36K new fuel pump and so much issue with his warranty and maintenance. While my Prizm needs new PS pump and I had Japanese took care of that for $80.00. I replaced Struct shock with Japanese used parts and my car still running fine 22 years later.
As much as the overspray was bad and it looked like it had a matte rear quarter on one side someone really loves that car. I can just tell by how polished it is and how clean the interior is and how in spite of it being 20 years old they had no qualms about fixing it. What a lovely, low mileage example of a quirky little car.
Whenever you are doing a fuel tank related job its a good idea to siphon the fuel out from the tank as much as you can. Believe me it will make your job a lot better. It can be clearly seen that you were tapping the fuel filter in a wrong way. Put some electrical tape around the universal joint to stop the wobble.
I had to remind myself to Tell you have a great day you are a hard worker at your Job God bless you and all your family and friends I'll be praying for all of you Blessings
@@Amp497 Because it's on the outside of the tank and he had the punch against the ring not hitting the ring, hitting the punch. The hammer is hardened steel the chisel is hardened steel you could get a spark out of it if you tried, but the chisel wasn't striking off the ring, it was firmly on the ring. That doesn't make a spark. He's not even getting sparks when he pulls out the old air chisel.
This reminds me of a job earlier this year pulling a fuel tank from a series 3 Land Rover, freaking tank fell off the stand on the way down and pulled my left arm with it tearing my bicep. Just feeling all the pain again watching this.
I've owned 5 Saturns and have had to drop a few tanks. Quickest way I've found is to unbolt the filler neck from the body, and unbolt the rear subframe, let it hang. Then the tank can come out as a unit with the filler neck, so no risk of spilling.
Right now I'm in a votec for auto technology and I love watching your videos you explain what your doing very well and I learn alot from it Thanks man 🔧❤
its crazy to see that there is no/ little rust on the cars you work on.. i live in NY so im used to my cars rusting out completely by the time theyre 10 years old smh
Agree -Eric O at South Main Auto is a wizard of the salty north in NY. I’m in north UK at the coast and we suffer a fair bit of the salty crusties too.
@@apc01352 he’s the man! - an honest, fair and talented guy…Me? I work to the principle that if he can do it then I can do it ;-) (and I bought a Toyota !)
Hey Rainman, I hope you read this; Once upon a time, at a VW Dealership in Spokane, just after Mt. Saint Hellen blew up - They had a Fuel Drain Cart = A hand-truck with a 12v batt on it - Half way up the H-truck was a Plywood Board with a 1979 VW 12v Rotary, Out-board Fuel Pump, a fuel Filter & a Fuse & a Switch & some wire & some Alligator clips & some "Out-going Hose" & some "In-coming Hose"! Add a few Gas Cans & That Tank will be Empty in 3 minutes!!!!
Love those little Saturns. They are great little cars. They are all plastic but they keep going and can take a beating. My ex wife got rear ended when she was completely stopped by a Jetta doing 80 then she plowed in to a Ford LTD. Her and our daughter who was a baby came out great and insurance fixed the car… Anyways that baby’s first car was also an SL-1…lol
They are decent little A to B cars, had mine for 15 years no real issues with it.. The Transmission did slam into Reverse on occasion but thats normal, the valve bodies on these tend to have issues. I did loose Reverse and 2nd Gear once but that was an easy fix (input shaft nut had loosened).
Hey Ray - Good stuff - I have learned a lot here. I do always wonder why you fight with worm clamps with a straight screwdriver rather than a nut driver or socket. Seems out of character for you to do all that sliding off with a screwdriver. Keep up the good work!!
SC 1 single overhead cam 5 speed. My 96 was blue. When that one was totalled by a wrong way driver in St Petersburg, I went back to the Saturn dealer and got a 99 SL 2 that had some cool options. I drove that car for 10 years.
That's a weird way to design a car. I'm so used to there being a service hatch either under the back seat or in the trunk through which you can get access to the fuel gauge and pump from the top instead of dropping the tank out. Would it have helped to pump out the fuel before this operation?
In the US cars, This way was most common prior to 2005. By 2010 I was encountering shade tree mechanic “repairs” where they would cut an access hole out, change the pump, then tachweld the cut out piece back on.
@@WooShell yes, I find German and Japanese vehicles usually have reasonable fuel pump access. Just don't splash fuel on the boot carpeting and air out the car before returning it to the owner.
The reason the fuel pump was hard to get in is because the weight of the tank was pressing down on the jack which in turn was holding the fuel pump up when it was getting put in but as usual Ray is the man he got her done and my hats off to you buddy
I learned how to drive stick in a 99 SC2. The plastic bumper on that thing was great. I hit a deer with it and it just bounced off and ran away, no damage to the car at all. Trying to switch the stereo out (with zero prior experience) bricked the car though
@@SoSlow252 i lived next door to a shop and it cost me about $500 to fix it but i got it running again and soon sold it and got a 92 notchback fox body mustang with a ton of work done to it - and eventually wrecked it. That was like 15 years ago. Had another fox body, a Cabrio, a 6-speed JK Wrangler, and a modified ES2 Civic. Both my cars are autos (Cadillacs) now but I'm in the market for a manual *anything* right now because autos get boring after a while
@@piggystims702 Jesus lol you've had so many cars!!! But that's awesome that you love manual. I can't drive autos, I fall asleep on the highway at night because it's boring. You can take my TSX, I need something that saves gas with these gas prices going up 😂
@@SoSlow252 haha those are just some of the manuals. I keep remembering other cars I've had. I forgot i also had a 97 Forester S in 03 and a 97 V6 mustang convertible back in 2011 and they were both stick also. i've had a bunch of automatics over the years. The main reason I have autos now was because I wanted a cheap luxury car with 4 doors that I knew well (Northstar/"time bomb" caddies are the devil i know, unfortunately 🤣) that I could throw some exhaust on and have a cheap hot rod. No regrets, but i miss feeling like I'm actually driving a car. TSX's are dope. Say, you could really save gas riding a motorcycle everywhere. I'll trade you for a Buell! Lol But yeah, gas prices suck right now
@@piggystims702 sorry I didn't respond earlier I had to go to urgent care lol yoo you must be rich 😂😂 be my sugar momma! I've only had 4 cars in my entire life!!! My next car will hopefully be a SUV so I can drive over everything and not care 😂 I do want a motorcycle but I have to get my license for that... Maybe next summer!!
Full tanks!!! What a pain! I used to get upset when customers dropped off their motorcycles with full tanks just before a full service. I feel your pain!!!!
yes at least draining some of the fuel would have been good and blowing the dirt off before loosening the fuel pump hold down is always a good thing to keep the dirt from falling into the tank just sayin!
I always leave between a quarter and a half tank when getting some work done, no more than that though because i did have a problem with a mechanic taking a 3.5 hour test drive after putting on new tires...
You had like 40k subscribers 3 or 4 months ago. I told a buddy about you who likes car shit, he told 140k people/ Love your contents, love your personality, just always be you, don't let you tube fame change who you are. Stud
Great stuff ! Really enjoying your content. My only point to raise for debate is about removing the pump clamp with a chisel - I was taught to only ever use a brass chisel so as not to risk sparks. Steel on steel is sparky boom time !? 💥
@@wssides I dropped the tank on a Ford transit once after the guy put ad-blue in there. It was 3/4 full and I dropped it to the floor (from axel stand height) then dragged it out and lifted it into my van to take home and clean. I tell you, it was like trying to hold on to a tantruming toddler walking with it. Just not worth the hassle to me these days. Better to drain
@@joecostantino3684 you can get insulated hammers and bolsters but TBH, is it worth it? This ring was metal with protrusions. They're usually plastic anyway.
I'm always irritated when I post a comment and refresh and my comment is no longer there. NOT COOL RUclips. (retyping begin) Ray! Your videos make me glad I am always patient when getting my car worked on. I want (A) fixed. But to get (A) fixed I need to take out parts b, c , d , e , f , g, h, , stuck part i and J. break parts k, l and m and then remember everything I did so I can put it back together. Well done Ray.
That filter didn't appear clogged from what i saw, and if it was clogged, whatever clogged it made its way thru the pump first so it's integrity has certainly been compromised, also you can blow thru the old filter to check for that if you want
@@shawnwimberly9294 Hey! Thanks for the reply. I love the content. I am not likely gonna make it to blow on that fuel filter...lol..but in my experience fuel filters tend to be a majorly neglected piece of maintenance. I have personally had cars where replacing the fuel filter had solved all kinds of weird intermittent stuff -Chris
Worth noting, this is not my page. I'm not the guy who didn't get the filter fully attached to the line at the 28 minute mark... that's a guy waiting for a comeback there.
I did this exact job on an 89 Mustang. 1/2 tank of gas, on jackstands in a bank parking lot. Having all that weight on your chest, and sliding it over was fun. Puttin it back up was even funner.
You can't imagine how many cars have passed through our shop in the last 20 years because a previous mechanic used some unexpected/unconventional item to plug a leaking orifice just like you used that blue shop towel to plug the dribbling fuel tank filler. We've found diapers, golf tees, marbles, plastic bags and cups and on and on in places they had no business being. It's a behavior of convenience but not necessarily of common sense!
As long as the one doing the work isn’t lacking in their attention span and has a mental checklist to ensure they remove such items used to temporarily plug a hole and the item used does not cause damage or consist of a material that will fall apart, it shouldn’t matter what the mechanic uses for the task as long as it works without causing more work later. As a former mechanic for over 25 years I too have found such things but have always made sure to remove anything that I used as a plug and in over 25 years of twisting wrenches, I never forgot to remove what I used and never used anything that broke or fell apart… not saying I haven’t made other mistakes but that had never been one of them. Some of us can’t justify spending money on buying a set of plugs and caps when that money could be better spent on other tools such as a hose removal tool to break the hoses loose from the fittings without damage or excessive effort.
Nice video Ray. It always seems that people with dying fuel pumps always fill the tank in an effort to cure the problem. We always drain the tank and give the car back on empty. I have seen a few high end European cars with a fuel pump access panel. I have a 1988 Monte Carlo with an aftermarket EFI unit. The high pressure pump is in a small fuel cell under the hood which is fed by the original fuel pump for the carburetor. Nice setup. Would be very easy to change. In 3 years this tank has only vapor locked once did to high summer temperatures. One customer over filled his engine with 3 quarts of oil when his oil pump gave out!!!
Had fuel pump fail at a gas station right after I had filled the tank. Drove into station fine, after filling car would not start. Had car towed to repair shop I trust, and yep fuel pump was bad. They took it out also without draining tank, or if they did they put fuel back in it.
@@DevileInside The manufacture doesn't want to pay that extra cost per unit for the parts and labor. The manufacture isn't going to be the one replacing a bad pump so they don't care.
Having the right tools and knowledge is key....but What a difference having a lift is! The everyday backyard mechanic doing this on jackstands wishing for a lift
Ray once you disconnected the filler tube syphoning enough fuel to keep from spilling it all over would not have been very difficult, as compared to draining it.
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Blows me away seeing these older vehicles you get to work on that have no rust. I forget that there are places in this country where road salt does not exist.
Living in the Midwest, I think the thing I enjoy most about this channel is all the basically rust free cars haha...
I hate it because it makes what I spend so much time doing look easier than it is lol. I'm blatantly, unabashedly jealous of how easy jobs are when the car has an innate desire to stay in one piece when you torque something inside of it.
Same up here in Canada
I live in Pennsylvania and none of my cars ever had any rust.
@@scottr3484 That's what happens when you don't live in reality.
Agreed I live in Minnesota all nuts and bolts are rusted nothing comes apart easily I think that’s why I enjoy watching this channel satisfying watching stuff come apart
Must be an unwritten rule that fuel pumps will only fail when the tank is full
Funny enough, when mine was going bad, it only acted up at half tank or below.
Yep, true story. An when u need 2 test drive something 2 diagnose a fault, car has no fuel..🥴
most likely the fuel level was low and it thermal shocked the pump (since the fuel is cold)
Lol I was gonna say fuel pump always goes right after you fill the tank up
indeed it happened to me as well!
I know this is old, but I had to comment. This was an an excellent job on this video. Audio and video was chrystal clear and concise. Instruction was unhurried and easy to follow. Commentary was professional sprinkled with a dose of humor here and there. I've been trying to locate the source of a fuel leak coming from one of the fuel lines on my daughter's Saturn L200 and this video was instrumental in helping me to visualize what's on top of fuel tank. Great post.
When it comes to mess with a fuel tank , its always full to max ... When it rains .. It pours . Great video Ray 👌
My family has always had major car problems right after filling the tank, if it was going to have problems. So far, my tank is usually at half or less when I have had car problems.
When it rains .. It pours, _gas!_
@@NemoConsequentae 😂😂😂😂😂👌
even more fun and overalls smelling terrible if its diesel
Good, work, Ray! One thing, unless you strap a fuel tank to a jack, never work on a full gas tank unsupported on a jack. It's too easy for the tank to get away from you, the fuel weight momentum will cause it to fall off.
YAAYYY we finally got to meet Peter! I love that you have kinda taken the kid under your wing Ray. I'm a firm believer in passing on knowledge to anyone that cares to learn, particularly those just starting out. iIn my almost 38 years as a master carpenter/builder and a better-than-most backyard mechanic I couldn't tell you how many folks I've gone out of my way, and tested my patience, to teach what i know. You're a great man Ray, and I admire you immensely.
PeTAH
His name is Peetah!
Always impressed how fuel filters of that era were often made of polished stainless steel and look like something from the space station, while the rest of the car was rusting away.
I've had 3 Saturn 5 spds, an SL, an SL1 and an SW2, I live in NH ,and none of them rotted away....if you maintain your car and truck and wash it at a car wash. And do an underbody wash... they don't rot away usually....
Stainless steel is great as long as you're not machining it sometimes it gets hard as a rock and other times them little splinters you think you don't like oil on your hands Ray you would not like them little stainless splinters they will bite you bye
Ray: "I don't have clearance, I will make clearance."
Me: "Is it possible to learn this power?"
Not... from a dealership.
That's true that pal I'd love to learn that power so I can stop cutting my hands up every day I know its part of the job getting cut and I'm 30 years in now but it would still be nice to go easy on the money makers
You must capture the force
Young Raymond you must use the force
Yes i did so many tank drops sucks with a full tank of gas so i had to siphon gas out first and one time i swallowed a mouth full of gas i burped gas fumes for a week not fun glad them days are done i love watching rainman work 👍
Please keep making more content! I enjoy seeing you working through the entire process. And including the need to revisit the problem again. Never give up! Never surrender!
Hey Ray. Love your content. I always remove the filler neck from the tank then siphon the gas out into a gas can. Makes for a safer/cleaner work area. The tanks are always full...darn it!
I knew some guys in New York in midnight Auto five finger discount with a siphon the tank for free hey I'm just joking guys
If I'm not mistaken, Saturn's have an anti-siphon mechanism in the fuel filler entrance of the fuel tank
😂😂 Why didn't I think of that?
I love watching others work on things I've done many many times. It's fun to watch others struggle lol.
Did this on my 94 Ciera, on a nice cold winter day. New fuel pump, new fuel sending unit and fuel filter. That was 7 years ago. Had to drive rear wheels up on car ramps. Made for a nice day off project and was a success. I had the same adventures with the fuel leaking as this one is doing. I didn’t drain my tank either. Straps on the reinstall were rough too. Thanks for sharing.
11:27 Sweet! You created An 18 gallon Molotov cocktail!
A tip from an old mechanic ....invest in a couple of sizes of fernco rubber caps W/ hose clamp to cap off the filler neck ....works great !
My favorite part of the morning is drinking coffee and watching Ray's newest video.
No wonder it died. He’s a Miami fan. Lol
Yeah, it's pretty slow around here as well.😉
i used black nylon starps with buckles to secure my tank on my 88 cherokee but i also emptied tank worked great
I use nut drivers on screw clamps. Almost always less frustrating.
Loving these videos, my dad was a mechanic when cars didn't have computers in them. He hated cars with computers in them :D
Next video. Angry customer states “Some of my fuel is missing!”
I have a 1998 Saturn SL base model which runs great but does not start on a slight uphill after sitting overnight… it's a five speed, so I roll it backwards in reverse to Roll start it which works every time, Runs great the rest of the day… I came here and found what I believe is the answer and I appreciate it… Now I just have to find a good mechanic like yourself to replace the sending unit and the filter for a decent price… This video helped me out tremendously thank you… Bought the car last year 98,000 miles and I have 114,000 on it today 2022
Ray, I think you'd be fun as hell to hang with. You do pretty much the same weird crap I do. Keep having fun and thanks for taking the time to do these. I get done wrenching or doing the service writer thing, it's refreshing as hell to come home and watch another guy work lol.
Recently found your videos and I can't stop watching, even though I know next to nothing about cars. I'm a gunsmith and my boss came into my lab to ask me what was going on because I keep saying click now when I get a screw good and tight. He thinks I'm a nutter, lol.
LOL, I find myself predicting the "click" while watching Ray's videos. My wife thinks I'm a nutter as I watch with headphones on and will call out "click", apparently randomly. Hoping Rainman Ray will come up with some "click" merch on his Spreadshop storefront!
Ray, you had many of us holding our breath with that fuel tank praying for it not to slip off. Great work as usual! 👍🏻
I was praying that it did slip off
@@tomgreen4520 that's not nice, why would you do that? Ray is an awesome guy.
@@tomgreen4520 that's not nice, why would you do that? Ray is an awesome guy.
@@tomgreen4520 LOL
Pro Tip: The jack has holes in it so you can run a couple of large screws up in to the tank to hold it in place. Also aids in draining the tank.
Ray you will always find people that will do things different to you and criticise but a majority of the time you are right. Any trade people make mistakes , you learn by that, but what puts you above others is that you fix it. well done love your vids
Ray, you know as well as I do, draining 2 or 3 gallons of gas would have been simple once you removed the filler neck from the tank. I’ve had some so full they had to be drained prior to beginning the tank removal process. Sometimes it’s much safer to pump or siphon out the gas instead of taking a chance on have a big fire and no marshmallows to roast. lol
@Don Bearden You know there is an anti-syphen ball in the tank. Or maybe be you did not know that.
@@ducewags once the filler neck is removed like this it can be siphoned.
It's just dirty, not burnt. The nickel plating on the resistor wire of the fuel sender card attracts the dyes that are used in petrol (and diesel). Love your videos, Ray. Cheers from down under.
I'm envious of you southern folks, to be able to do that without also replacing fuel lines and brake lines must be a treat. Also, think about using a brass chisel/hammer when removing those lock rings, you don't consider it until you're getting skin grafts. I've seen it first hand and it's horrifying Ray, just consider it please!
Agreed, and avoid brushed power tools while there's fule vapour loose too.
I have changed 6 fuel pumps in my life. Two of my vehicles thank God, was on a nissan. Just remove the back seat, and metal plate. That day, I felt spechial 🤣. And yes ,the other 4 were 3/4 to full. I empty Empty And cleaned out the tanks. Which is a PITA.
Love your content brother. My heart goes out to all mechanics. I could not do what yall do on a daily basis! The sheer aggravation of constant model changes and customers, hell to the no. I don't have that kind of patience for that!
Man this Saturn looks great still well taken care of
Back then, Saturns were built very well. Later models were a nightmare. No surprise the cord was pulled.
This made me nostalgic for my Saturn SL. The strut tower mounts rusted out, one dropping the front corner about five inches when it failed as I pulled into a parking lot.
When the mechanic took a look at repairability, they found a lot more subframe rust than the car was worth.
@12:43 I thought I saw a spark as you drove the retainer ring off, might want to switch to a brass version to avoid this in the future.
Yep, don't use a steel chisel, we like you too much Ray, it will create a spark, go to brass as mentioned....I love your videos man.....Safety first....
Any Saturn that runs is worth saving. I bought a SL1 new in 1997 and it has never left me on the road with my thumb bin the air. Unbelievable reliability those cars have. Simple to work on when you rarely need to. I hope the fuel pump holds up in mine!
I can vouch for the reliability of the ole SC1. Actually, the one I had was (is) a race car. (A 2000 model year.) It had its issues when I first got it, mainly from the previous owner's inability to do things properly. The car had over 250,000 miles on it before it was built into a race car. After that, it raced 2 or 3 seasons before I got it. After an intake manifold gasket replacement (NOT a fun job!) that engine still sounded like it could go another 100,000+ miles in a street car. I actually have a couple videos of the car as a racer.....good ole Number 7. Had a blast wrenching on that car...and of course racing it.
I feel you on this I started last night on a 2003 ford explorer sport trac 4x4 ... bad fuel pump ... the fuel filler hose hadn't been removed in almost 300k miles fought with it for 20 mins and the fuel tank was completely full
That’s how most fuel pumps seem to fail just after filling the tank.
300k? Nice
I remember having to remove a fuel tank for repair from a 1976 XC ??? ford falcon ute for repair. The tank is actually located in the tray area just behind the cabin under the floor. This means you have to take off the tray floor cover and lift the tank out. Of course the tank still has at least 8 litres (2 gallons) left even if you run it to empty which sloshes all over the place as you remove it.
That thing was fun to drive as it would leave rubber strips easily but was terrible in the wet (for the same reason). It would break traction so easily (even with the big boots on it) . It had a worked 351 in it.
I'm jealous, look how amazingly clean the threads are on those strap bolts. In Pennsylvania half of the frame comes out with them and the strap twists.
No doubt!
Atlantic Canada's the same. I've worked on cars with more rust after a couple of winters than that Saturn had after 20 years.
I live in Pennsylvania and none of my cars ever had any rust.
@@scottr3484your car is either 100% stainless,plastic or you don't drive in salt brine or calcium chloride or you trade them in every couple of years. Or you live in a different Pennsylvania than I do.
@@smallchunkaground2071 New car every 3 years. Keep it simple
I have been binge watching and clicking 'like' on all your video's Ray.......I gotta say I really enjoy watching your vid's and listening to your comical banter.....I went back 6 years and you were not very chatty at first. I also think I speak for all Canadians, we now consider you an honorary Canadian due to how many times you apologize when you get in our way while trying to watch.....and also for your friendly video opening's and closing's.......in closing I must remind myself to remind you to have a great day.....be well sir, Paul.
Always a good idea to replace the fuel filter if a fuel pump has failed. Especially if the fuel filter is several years old or many miles old. Partly clogged fuel filter causes back pressure on fuel pump, it has to work harder, draws more amps, eventually fails.
This. Cant believe the fuel filter wasn't replaced.
@@emersonbiggens1502 It was replaced.
@@BigLisaFan I thought so too, he said it at around 8 min and around 18 min he changed a part that looks like the filter...
@@emersonbiggens1502 this is what happens when you don’t watch the video before commenting. He did change it 😂
8:02
Ray, you forget one vital thing!
You forgot to ask the viewers, in exchange for the free content, to scroll down and tappy tap that thumbs up button, to let you, and RUclips know you did a good job. Because if RUclips thinks that you're doing a good job, they are far more likely to recommend your content to other pottential viewers. And that is good for you, and especially good for them!
Good videos. I can only imagine working in a climate where things come apart like they are supposed to
Does your climate effect the parts of the vehicle?
@@wayneessar7489 maybe he is from the rust belt
@@wayneessar7489 I live where we use a ton of salt on roads during winter. There are many times on older vehicles when you try to remove a bolt and the head comes off but the rest of it will stay inside due to rusting through. Quite frustrating.
@@itsjust2hard Thank you for your reply!
@@webmasale Thank you, it snows here but rains a lot.
i had to laugh- waaaaay back in '69-'71 i took 2 years of body shop in high school.
mr. hunter was, to me, an outstanding instructor. 'good enough' was NOT good enough.
he taught me pride of workmanship and that has held me in good stead through the
years, if only for my self-respect.
i haven't worked in a commercial body shop, but i still have an assessing eye and can
see (or not see) good workmanship.
we used to put covers on the tires, and paper aprons along the bottom edges to prevent
overspray.
Ray mentioned draining the fuel tank is a pain but I'd found some way to do it. A nearly full tank makes the job risky on dropping the tank, cracking the tank, fuel spills, etc. After the filler tube was disconnected could have siphoned out the gas quickly into clean gas cans and then refilled the tank later. But that takes time to do. I guess getting the job done quickly is a priority.
Some cars you can't siphon
@@richsweeney1115 Once the filler neck is removed, you can siphon the gas out. This fact was proven when he was reinstalling the tank and gas was leaking out
Got super lucky that oldie but a goodie was Soo rediculously clean and not rusty never seen a gas tank drop that easy or go so smooth
@0:32 You meant to say "3-door 2001 Saturn SC1." 🙂 This car looks super clean for it's age. Those older Saturn S-Series were great cars. They don't quit unless you run them out of oil or the chassis rusts to pieces. I've owned 5 Saturns (3 SC2s, 2 Ions), and they were all great cars. I miss Saturn. :(
1994 Saturn SL2 was the best car ever made.
I had a 2004 Vue I got from my mother when she passed. It had 74k miles on it. Ex rear ended someone in it, we fixed it. Before our divorce, I signed it over to her. Through the years, she put 200k more miles on it, gave it to her daughter, and she totalled it a week later.
I would love another Vue, but all the ones I see for sale are ragged out beyond recognition.
i got an sw2 with 208k on it right now and a vue 2.2 with 87k
I still refuse to buy GM because of the death of Saturn. I miss my 02 SC2 that got rear-ended and I swear I had an identical 99 SC1 to the one in the vid.
This made me miss my 95 Sl2 5spd. First car I bought with my own money. Had it 18 years, put 265k on it. Gave it to my daughter. She totalled it within 6 weeks.
Oh man just seeing the car brings back so many memories of the Saturn I rode in as a kid. It had a manual transmission and manual windows and I loved it. It sends shivers down my back damn. I’m thinking of buying one someday just for nostalgia
That was a close one! I didn’t think we were getting any “click’s” today. Keep up the awesome content.
Same, I was waiting for the oodle-doodle doo, answer the phone too...!
I laughed at the Click on the fuel pump ring
You should sell merchandise with Click and Do da do da do!
And click...
Yeah, I was hoping that ball peen didn't hit a radius or phalange and cause a bad day.
I just realized I might have a bit of a problem. Got my coffee, sat down to take a break and get my daily Ray and what is this? No video? But? What am I supposed to do now? Then almost like like a gift from the RUclips God's, about 2 minutes later, bam, video. Thanks, Ray!
WARNING: Never ever use a brushed motor electric power ratchet or impact wrench when working with raw gas or near gasoline fumes. The arcing brushes can easily ignite the fuel, and burn your whole shop down. Brush-less motor powered tools, do not arc when running.
I was thinking the same thing.
@@samuelriemer5720 All I can say is "Baa Boom"!!!!!
No DUH
Brushless tools can also arc while running, but it's much less likely. The safest option is to not run anything until the fuel leak has been taken care of...
Also, the doo de doo de doo of the phone can cause a spark and burn the shop down.
Super phone action and clicks. Man, getting gas all over oneself is a bummer. Keep them coming, seeing you work on cars I can appreciate my mechanic even more now
Makes me grateful for European motors which (usually) have a hatch under the back seats to get the pump out.
Definitely should have drained the tank, whether you like it or not. And, please get yourself a hose clip driver, 7mm. Makes life a lot easier.
@@CajunReaper95 if you think draining a tank takes all day you clearly need more spanner time.
It is sweet how peter looks up to you figuratively and literally.
Since you were getting 9psi of pressure form the old pump, you could have bypassed the fuel pump relay to get the pump to run and then empty it out using your fuel pressure tester. That would probably take 15-20 minutes, but would make the job a lot cleaner and easier to handle an empty pump.
Boris why make it so complicated??? the easiest way to empty the fuel system is by removing the fuse for the fuel pump. and run the car. it will suck all the fuel from the filter and make the car run for less then 1sec. after that it's empty. and you don't get a mess ^^ simple af.
@@NotDiiZE He's referring to draining the tank completely before removing from the car. That way you don't get gas spilled all over you and have a fire hazard.
I would not deal with a fuel tank that full myself but you got thru it ok. I hate getting gasoline on me. It’s dangerous and it stinks. Nice job anyway Rainman!
Y'all need ti remember that these jobs pay flat rate. If he spends half an hour pumping out fuel and putting fuel back in that's basically time he's giving away.
That being said, when my father in law had a bad fuel pump that made a little pressure I did disconnect the filter, jump the relay, get the gas cans, and pump that thing dry.
@@michaeldurrett8388 "Safety first". I know of a guy who thought it was best not to drain the tank first. He pulled the tank down, spilled a bunch of gas that somehow started a fire and he got burnt bad himself, to the point I think of requiring skin grafts. This is just one of the reasons that I despise the flat rate system. It causes techs to take short cuts just to "beat" time. Don't take short cuts especially if safety is compromised.
I'm amazed every time I watch you reach blind around some component to drop a bolt into a hole you can't see, give it a twist to get it started then drop the wobbly bit on top of it as though you were mating two magnets. You routinely do things in seconds that would occupy me and cause me to explore my vocabulary for a quarter hour. That said, I hope you had a fire extinguisher _very_ close by during that repair!
Just recently found your channel and I'm amazed by the steps needed to fix cars. I've watched Chris fix for awhile and he does an amazing job as do you. You guys inspire me so much to learn much more about fixing cars! Keep up the great work!
Ditch fixboy and stick with Ray. Fixboy comes across as a spolied rich kid. I unsubbed from him when he did that whole long string of look what I bought videos. Ray is a real blue collar working man with credentials. Never brags and keeps it real.
Brings back bad memories of changing the fuel pump for the third time on my wife's Dodge van. I ran it til the fuel empty light stayed on, but it still had gallons of fuel and at one point fuel went down my arm, all the way to my arm pit. I hated that Dodge and was so happy to finally see it gone.
Thanks for the vids… always enjoy watching. Old and new
I always used brass drift punches. Steel a slight risk of creating sparks. Just my $.02.
I am shaw he used a approved flash light and cordless socket driver LOL. he is a bad accident waiting to happen!
I'm not a car person, but for what it's worth these videos are greatly entertaining to watch! My dad used to run a car repair shop in the countryside and as a kid I spent a lot of time just idling about, watching and listening to him work. These videos bring back a lot of memories while also being vastly more informative and far less laden in alcoholism than the work I witnessed back in the day. It's always a delight to see someone working and showcasing their knowledge and experience in practice. Keep up the good work, Sir!
I don't think I ever replaced a fuel pump where the tank wasn't full. It seems street diagnostic test is add 1 gallon of gas, if no start, add another gallon. If that doesn't work, fill tank, for the first time since owned.
Isnt that the truth!
True, I very nearly did the same myself recently, only added a gallon before I stopped myself adding any more, luckily I did need to remove the tank to access the fuel pump
Way back I ground a nice long cold chisel to a rectangular punch with a 3/4 x 3/16 flat tip. First for driving out bearing cups from hubs and diffs. Turned out to be perfect for removing first fuel tank sending units and when they can out- in-tank fuel pumps. (for non-USA 19mm x 6mm tip)
Not saying the fuel pump did not need replacement (especially since the send unit was bad and an intregal component) that said since there was some pressure measured it is a safe bet only the filter needed replacement as usually when a fuel pump goes bad there is no pressure (all or nothing)! I would at least have checked that first!
I see weak fuel pumps all the time, i don't know what you're going on about. Also a clogged filter usually feels heavy to an experienced technician, many guys will blow thru them to verify they aren't clogged whilst removing them
One of the little "never done this before" projects on the '05 mule van this past Spring was the fuel filter. The bolt that held it to the frame was so rusted out that the head twisted off by hand. I didn't have any self-tapping screws at home so I figured I'd just remind myself to grab some from work. Then I forgot. A week went by. I had an appointment one morning. Van wouldn't start. Small puddle of fuel on the ground. D'oh!
Got a friend to bring his jack and some tools, and I got that damn thing self-tapped in and secured. I also made damn sure I got a CLICK on the ass-end connector to the filter this time.. lol.
FYI that is an SC1....also for anyone replacing the fuel filter, DO NOT use a generic filter, these filters have the regulator built in. 98-02'
Yeppers. The 1st New car I ever purchased was a '94 SL2.
SL = Sedan
SC = Coupe
SW = Station Wagon
1 = Base model
2 = Loaded up with power everything and Leather plus 15" Alloy wheels instead of 14" steel wheels with hub caps.
@@MrWoodyBalto I will never give up my Satty. 1=SOHC 2=DOHC.....
That explains the 3 lines coming out of the filter, that looks strange to me. Most are just single inlet, single outlet.
@@brnmcc01 Yeah I think at the time it was a cost saving and simplification measure for GM. It makes for a slight hassle in the aftermarket but the filters are expected to last as much as 100k.
Yeah the 2nd and 3rd Gen S Series were like that, mine was a 95 (1st Gen body, 2nd Gen Dash). Filter was up more by the engine, regulator on the fuel rail. I can see why they would go with this setup though it does make the fuel filters more expensive.
We had one of those 10 gallon gas tanks for the shop just for these types of jobs, easy to just siphon out the gas before pulling the tank and then feed it back in when done.
This brings back memories on welding the fuel tank on my old Mazda. Even though it was drained and rinsed with water there was a nice fireball when I started grinding rust away.
Ya. You have to do that with water in the tank.
@@j.t.cooper2963 I was gonna say you leave water in the tank when grinding and welding them because fumes are more dangerous then liquid... liquid will start fires , fumes will explode if in the right conditions
Yes, it was a good lesson for an 18 year old :)
Stick the hose from the mig welder in the tank and fill it with argon. No more boom.
@@timernewein5146 that's another way because argon is a heavier gas then oxygen no oxygen no boom I guess.... but what if you dont have a mig welder ? Just a scenario that may come up a few times in said situation lol
Found your channel a few days ago and have been binge watching, as the original owner of a still operating 1994 SL2 I found this fun to watch. One of the things I miss about Saturn were the plastic packages that the parts came in were adorned with an animal, getting a part from GM is just another shovel of dirt thrown on the grave. Love your channel.
Seems like Saturn used troublesome fuel pumps. I bought a brand new Saturn L300 in 2004 and it went thru 4 fuel pumps by the time I got rid of it it in 2011. On a positive note the bolts that held the tank straps in were never in long enough to get rusted in place.
My friends love Saturn he leased it after being unemployed for a long time. He think the Philosophy of manufactured of Saturn is using Honda and Japanese process to build a quality car in Detroit in 1990. I told him that Toyota City and Japanese QC and reliability of Toyota is much superior than Saturn. I ended up brought used Chevy Prizm with low mileage since I trust Toyota Corolla engine more than Saturn. His new Saturn needs new Generator after 36K new fuel pump and so much issue with his warranty and maintenance. While my Prizm needs new PS pump and I had Japanese took care of that for $80.00. I replaced Struct shock with Japanese used parts and my car still running fine 22 years later.
As much as the overspray was bad and it looked like it had a matte rear quarter on one side someone really loves that car. I can just tell by how polished it is and how clean the interior is and how in spite of it being 20 years old they had no qualms about fixing it. What a lovely, low mileage example of a quirky little car.
Yes! That Saturn is 20 years old and only has 70,000 miles. If accurate that's only 3500 miles driven per year. Crazy!
Whenever you are doing a fuel tank related job its a good idea to siphon the fuel out from the tank as much as you can. Believe me it will make your job a lot better. It can be clearly seen that you were tapping the fuel filter in a wrong way. Put some electrical tape around the universal joint to stop the wobble.
I had to remind myself to Tell you have a great day you are a hard worker at your Job God bless you and all your family and friends I'll be praying for all of you Blessings
Personally I would have bench tested the new pump prior to install in the tank. I also would have drained the tank. Gas Cady works great
This makes me so glad my pump and things can be reached by taking out the rear seat.
I thought the proper procedure is to use a brass drift when removing the ring from the gas tank to avoid Sparks. Any thoughts?
....no there was no chance of sparkling the gas
@@vulgervulcan Why?
@@Amp497 Because it's on the outside of the tank and he had the punch against the ring not hitting the ring, hitting the punch. The hammer is hardened steel the chisel is hardened steel you could get a spark out of it if you tried, but the chisel wasn't striking off the ring, it was firmly on the ring. That doesn't make a spark. He's not even getting sparks when he pulls out the old air chisel.
This reminds me of a job earlier this year pulling a fuel tank from a series 3 Land Rover, freaking tank fell off the stand on the way down and pulled my left arm with it tearing my bicep. Just feeling all the pain again watching this.
I've owned 5 Saturns and have had to drop a few tanks. Quickest way I've found is to unbolt the filler neck from the body, and unbolt the rear subframe, let it hang. Then the tank can come out as a unit with the filler neck, so no risk of spilling.
Asian people.
Right now I'm in a votec for auto technology and I love watching your videos you explain what your doing very well and I learn alot from it Thanks man 🔧❤
its crazy to see that there is no/ little rust on the cars you work on.. i live in NY so im used to my cars rusting out completely by the time theyre 10 years old smh
Agree -Eric O at South Main Auto is a wizard of the salty north in NY. I’m in north UK at the coast and we suffer a fair bit of the salty crusties too.
@@mrbigvanlife7130 I live about an hour from Eric o! If i ever need major work done i will definitely be driving to him.
@@apc01352 he’s the man! - an honest, fair and talented guy…Me? I work to the principle that if he can do it then I can do it ;-) (and I bought a Toyota !)
My brother tells me his only last 5 years....
Is that expensive having to keep getting a replacement car? we don't do salt here in New Zealand
Hey Rainman, I hope you read this; Once upon a time, at a VW Dealership in Spokane, just after Mt. Saint Hellen blew up - They had a Fuel Drain Cart = A hand-truck with a 12v batt on it - Half way up the H-truck was a Plywood Board with a 1979 VW 12v Rotary, Out-board Fuel Pump, a fuel Filter & a Fuse & a Switch & some wire & some Alligator clips & some "Out-going Hose" & some "In-coming Hose"! Add a few Gas Cans & That Tank will be Empty in 3 minutes!!!!
i knew European cars have at least one advantage. All have the gas Tank accessible from the inside. 5 min job to change the pump
no such thing as a five minute job,,,,,PERIOD
@@tomstiel7576 Oh there sure is! Dial 1-800-Classy, cash only.
Love those little Saturns. They are great little cars. They are all plastic but they keep going and can take a beating. My ex wife got rear ended when she was completely stopped by a Jetta doing 80 then she plowed in to a Ford LTD. Her and our daughter who was a baby came out great and insurance fixed the car… Anyways that baby’s first car was also an SL-1…lol
They are decent little A to B cars, had mine for 15 years no real issues with it.. The Transmission did slam into Reverse on occasion but thats normal, the valve bodies on these tend to have issues. I did loose Reverse and 2nd Gear once but that was an easy fix (input shaft nut had loosened).
Hey Ray - Good stuff - I have learned a lot here. I do always wonder why you fight with worm clamps with a straight screwdriver rather than a nut driver or socket. Seems out of character for you to do all that sliding off with a screwdriver. Keep up the good work!!
I know lol. I never use a straight screwdriver unless I utterly have to.
SC 1 single overhead cam 5 speed. My 96 was blue. When that one was totalled by a wrong way driver in St Petersburg, I went back to the Saturn dealer and got a 99 SL 2 that had some cool options. I drove that car for 10 years.
That's a weird way to design a car. I'm so used to there being a service hatch either under the back seat or in the trunk through which you can get access to the fuel gauge and pump from the top instead of dropping the tank out. Would it have helped to pump out the fuel before this operation?
Easy access is rare for fuel pumps on North American vehicles.
@@wssides ah, so it's a regional/historic thing.. I've mostly worked on VW and BMW cars so far.
In the US cars, This way was most common prior to 2005. By 2010 I was encountering shade tree mechanic “repairs” where they would cut an access hole out, change the pump, then tachweld the cut out piece back on.
@@WooShell
yes, I find German and Japanese vehicles usually have reasonable fuel pump access. Just don't splash fuel on the boot carpeting and air out the car before returning it to the owner.
@@wssides Especially GM vehicles.
The reason the fuel pump was hard to get in is because the weight of the tank was pressing down on the jack which in turn was holding the fuel pump up when it was getting put in but as usual Ray is the man he got her done and my hats off to you buddy
I learned how to drive stick in a 99 SC2. The plastic bumper on that thing was great. I hit a deer with it and it just bounced off and ran away, no damage to the car at all. Trying to switch the stereo out (with zero prior experience) bricked the car though
Damn that fucking sucks lol. Hopefully you found another manual car 🤣
@@SoSlow252 i lived next door to a shop and it cost me about $500 to fix it but i got it running again and soon sold it and got a 92 notchback fox body mustang with a ton of work done to it - and eventually wrecked it. That was like 15 years ago. Had another fox body, a Cabrio, a 6-speed JK Wrangler, and a modified ES2 Civic. Both my cars are autos (Cadillacs) now but I'm in the market for a manual *anything* right now because autos get boring after a while
@@piggystims702 Jesus lol you've had so many cars!!! But that's awesome that you love manual. I can't drive autos, I fall asleep on the highway at night because it's boring. You can take my TSX, I need something that saves gas with these gas prices going up 😂
@@SoSlow252 haha those are just some of the manuals. I keep remembering other cars I've had. I forgot i also had a 97 Forester S in 03 and a 97 V6 mustang convertible back in 2011 and they were both stick also. i've had a bunch of automatics over the years. The main reason I have autos now was because I wanted a cheap luxury car with 4 doors that I knew well (Northstar/"time bomb" caddies are the devil i know, unfortunately 🤣) that I could throw some exhaust on and have a cheap hot rod. No regrets, but i miss feeling like I'm actually driving a car.
TSX's are dope. Say, you could really save gas riding a motorcycle everywhere. I'll trade you for a Buell! Lol
But yeah, gas prices suck right now
@@piggystims702 sorry I didn't respond earlier I had to go to urgent care lol yoo you must be rich 😂😂 be my sugar momma! I've only had 4 cars in my entire life!!! My next car will hopefully be a SUV so I can drive over everything and not care 😂 I do want a motorcycle but I have to get my license for that... Maybe next summer!!
Full tanks!!! What a pain! I used to get upset when customers dropped off their motorcycles with full tanks just before a full service. I feel your pain!!!!
yes at least draining some of the fuel would have been good and blowing the dirt off before loosening the fuel pump hold down is always a good thing to keep the dirt from falling into the tank just sayin!
The top of that tank was pretty damm clean, just sayin..
Glad I got my Ray fix. It’s hard to have a good day without Ray😁
Car comes in for a tune up, it’s on reserve for fuel. Car needs fuel pump, customer fills up car……Every damn time when I was at dealerships.
I always leave between a quarter and a half tank when getting some work done, no more than that though because i did have a problem with a mechanic taking a 3.5 hour test drive after putting on new tires...
As a customer, I keep my tank about 1/2 to 1/4 when I take it in for service. Then afterwards, I take the car for a wash and top off tank.
You had like 40k subscribers 3 or 4 months ago.
I told a buddy about you who likes car shit, he told 140k people/
Love your contents, love your personality, just always be you, don't let you tube fame change who you are.
Stud
Great stuff ! Really enjoying your content. My only point to raise for debate is about removing the pump clamp with a chisel - I was taught to only ever use a brass chisel so as not to risk sparks. Steel on steel is sparky boom time !? 💥
He definitely should have used a brass drift or something similar.
I'd have drained the tank completely too.
Or at the very least put some electrical tape on both the hammer and chisel ends to prevent sparks..
@@ssss-df5qz Well, at least down to 1/4 tank. Wearing a 3/4 full tank that kicks off a jack would not be amusing.
@@wssides I dropped the tank on a Ford transit once after the guy put ad-blue in there. It was 3/4 full and I dropped it to the floor (from axel stand height) then dragged it out and lifted it into my van to take home and clean.
I tell you, it was like trying to hold on to a tantruming toddler walking with it.
Just not worth the hassle to me these days. Better to drain
@@joecostantino3684 you can get insulated hammers and bolsters but TBH, is it worth it?
This ring was metal with protrusions. They're usually plastic anyway.
I'm always irritated when I post a comment and refresh and my comment is no longer there. NOT COOL RUclips.
(retyping begin)
Ray! Your videos make me glad I am always patient when getting my car worked on.
I want (A) fixed.
But to get (A) fixed I need to take out parts b, c , d , e , f , g, h, , stuck part i and J. break parts k, l and m
and then remember everything I did so I can put it back together.
Well done Ray.
Just curious why we didn't try changing the fuel filter first? If the pump was running is it not possible the filter was blocked causing low pressure?
That filter didn't appear clogged from what i saw, and if it was clogged, whatever clogged it made its way thru the pump first so it's integrity has certainly been compromised, also you can blow thru the old filter to check for that if you want
@@shawnwimberly9294 Hey! Thanks for the reply. I love the content. I am not likely gonna make it to blow on that fuel filter...lol..but in my experience fuel filters tend to be a majorly neglected piece of maintenance. I have personally had cars where replacing the fuel filter had solved all kinds of weird intermittent stuff -Chris
IF a filter is clogged, whatever clogged it likely had to pass thru that pump correct?
A smart person could certainly figure out a way to blow thru that filter without putting their mouth on it, that's for sure
Worth noting, this is not my page. I'm not the guy who didn't get the filter fully attached to the line at the 28 minute mark... that's a guy waiting for a comeback there.
It's been a few months since I've came through to check out the channel. Life and all. Congrats on the growth bro! You're killing it!
2001… life in salt free zone.
I did this exact job on an 89 Mustang. 1/2 tank of gas, on jackstands in a bank parking lot. Having all that weight on your chest, and sliding it over was fun. Puttin it back up was even funner.
You can't imagine how many cars have passed through our shop in the last 20 years because a previous mechanic used some unexpected/unconventional item to plug a leaking orifice just like you used that blue shop towel to plug the dribbling fuel tank filler. We've found diapers, golf tees, marbles, plastic bags and cups and on and on in places they had no business being. It's a behavior of convenience but not necessarily of common sense!
As long as the one doing the work isn’t lacking in their attention span and has a mental checklist to ensure they remove such items used to temporarily plug a hole and the item used does not cause damage or consist of a material that will fall apart, it shouldn’t matter what the mechanic uses for the task as long as it works without causing more work later. As a former mechanic for over 25 years I too have found such things but have always made sure to remove anything that I used as a plug and in over 25 years of twisting wrenches, I never forgot to remove what I used and never used anything that broke or fell apart… not saying I haven’t made other mistakes but that had never been one of them. Some of us can’t justify spending money on buying a set of plugs and caps when that money could be better spent on other tools such as a hose removal tool to break the hoses loose from the fittings without damage or excessive effort.
Nice video Ray. It always seems that people with dying fuel pumps always fill the tank in an effort to cure the problem. We always drain the tank and give the car back on empty. I have seen a few high end European cars with a fuel pump access panel. I have a 1988 Monte Carlo with an aftermarket EFI unit. The high pressure pump is in a small fuel cell under the hood which is fed by the original fuel pump for the carburetor. Nice setup. Would be very easy to change. In 3 years this tank has only vapor locked once did to high summer temperatures. One customer over filled his engine with 3 quarts of oil when his oil pump gave out!!!
Had fuel pump fail at a gas station right after I had filled the tank. Drove into station fine, after filling car would not start. Had car towed to repair shop I trust, and yep fuel pump was bad. They took it out also without draining tank, or if they did they put fuel back in it.
Just about all European vehicles have fuel pump access panels, I never understood why none of domestic ones don't.
@@DevileInside The manufacture doesn't want to pay that extra cost per unit for the parts and labor. The manufacture isn't going to be the one replacing a bad pump so they don't care.
Having the right tools and knowledge is key....but What a difference having a lift is! The everyday backyard mechanic doing this on jackstands wishing for a lift
Ray once you disconnected the filler tube syphoning enough fuel to keep from spilling it all over would not have been very difficult, as compared to draining it.
I was also wondering why he didn't just syphon some out as well :D
Yeah, at that point my job would have sucked. Sucked fuel out of the tank, that is.
common sense to syphon the fuel out. but this is youtube lol
@J McCormick There is an anti-syphen ball in the top of the tank. Good luck getting past that.
@HelixInCar Tanks now days have a rollover valve in them. No way to get past that, as it covers the fill and vent side molded into the tank.