86 B2 fuel pump/Explorer

[Clem]

That's kinda misleading.
Swapping into my 86 B2, most everything from a 92 Explorer, engine/transmission-transfer case/complete wiring harness - engine and cab. Dash from a 89-90 B2, interior from same. That gives an idea of what I'm up to.
Now I am to the fuel system, I have the Explorer wiring harness back to the fuel tank in the B2 and am surprised that it is very close to the same length, so I am thinking about putting the Explorer fuel pump into the B2 tank, which happens to be 3/4 full, and siphoning it out is not an option.
First off, will the pump sealing plate that is held in place by the lock ring fit the hole in the B2's tank? If that will fit, I can then use the metal fuel lines to the engine and eliminate the second pump in the fuel rail.
And seeing as I am lazy and know that sooner or later, I will have to replace the fuel pump and I don't have the desire to drop the tank now or later. My plan at the present, and I may just do it anyway as I am where I am on this swap, is to cut the rear floor pan from the Explorer and then cut a hole above the pump/sending unit so that pain can be changed without having to drop the tank, then use a corresponding portion of the Explorer rear floor pan to patch the hole. It will be sealed up with silicone and pop riveted in place, rather than metal screws.
Any thoughts on either ?.

Ray

 

[phatdaddy]

I had once bought a 88 chevy that had a hole cut in the bed and a piece of medal screwed back down and I cussed every time I saw it. The one day the pump went out when I had loaned the truck to a friend . He was in town and is was about to rain . I swapped the pump in about 15 mins and when I was done I looked at my buddy and said I'm gonna cut a relief panel in every car I buy from now on . You should now make a job hard on yourself just because you won't do it that often .

 

[CheapThrillB2]

I don't beleive the Explorer sender is gonna fit in the b2 tank. When I did the exact swap like your talking, I simply took the B2 sender out and installed the explorer pump on the b2 sender. Then eliminated the frame rail pump as the explorer pump gave the correct psi. I simply wired the b2 sender pigtail to the explorer harness.

 

[Clem]

OK.
I cut the hole in the rear floor of the B2 to access the fuel pump, then cut the rear floor pan out of the Explorer for the patch, folks I have dropped 2 tanks to replace fuel pumps in B2's, (that does not include dropping mine this spring to clean it out) I will NEVER drop another one. It took less time to cut the hole and the patch and pull the pump, than it does to remove the skid plate and wire harness so you can drop the tank. I will get it measured up as to where the hole goes and a couple pictures so every one can see what we are talking about, and post them here. Why Ford didn't do this for us to begin with is beyond me.
Anyway, the 92 Explorer pump assembly does fit the hole and will lock down, BUT, the fuel pressure/return lines are facing in the wrong direction and the Explorer pump assembly is an inch or so shorter than the B2 assembly inside the tank.
I did what CheapThrillB2 did with his and moved the pump from the Explorer assembly to the B2 assembly, and rewired it. A NOTE: while I had the two pumps off their assemblies I see that the B2 pump has plastic internals, while the Explorer pump has metal. Hopefully that means the Explorer pump will last longer. It may also mean that we can go to a wrecking yard and pickup an Explorer pump that will more than likely work. The hole in the base of the B2 pump support had to be enlarged, die grinder or Dremel will do the job.The pieces are ready to reinstall now, but darkness has me by the tail, so I will close this out by suggesting that if you own a B2 and are having pump problems, go get an Explorer tank fuel pump, cut a large chunk of the rear floor pan out of that Explorer, and cut a hole in the rear floor of your B2, change the pumps, do the wiring on the pump, get rid of the frame mounted pump and get on with life.
I wish I had payed attention to this years ago, it would have saved a ton of time, scraped knuckles and a lot of cussing.

Ray