The fuel pump supplies the necessary gasoline to a vehicle's engine. Any problems with this system can result in a sputtering engine, loss of power or a no-start condition. You may need a new fuel pump. You can do this at home, but you will first need to remove the old fuel pump. The owner of a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero can remove a fuel pump with just a few steps.
Lower the vehicle's fuel level. If the vehicle is operational, run the engine. Run until the fuel level drops to less than 1/8 of a tank. The reason for this is because the fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank, so you don't want a lot of gas in the tank when working on it.
Raise the vehicle. Use the floor jack to raise the vehicle to a comfortable level so you can easily perform the procedure. Place the vehicle securely on jack stands.
Remove the fuse in the fuel pump. Locate the fuel pump's fuse. There should be a diagram on the inside of the fuse box cover. With the engine running, remove the fuse. Once the fuse is removed, the engine should shut off from lack of fuel. This lets you know that you have pulled the proper fuse and there is no more fuel under pressure in the fuel lines. Shut off the ignition.
Disconnect the car's negative battery cable. This should be clearly marked on the battery and is normally the black connector.
Disconnect and lower the fuel tank. Make sure the fuel tank is safely supported from below with the floor jack. Slowly and carefully lower the tank, using the floor jack. You must be able to comfortably access and disconnect the fuel lines from the top of the fuel tank.
Remove the fuel tank sending unit from the fuel tank. The fuel pump is located within the sending unit. Remove the sending unit by turning and carefully lifting the unit out of the gas tank. Use caution around the O-ring seal.
Remove the fuel pump from the sending unit. The fuel pump is rubber-mounted and should easily come out.
