[85vett]

Finally got some time to hook my smoke machine up to my car to try and chase down this lingering P0442 issue. I could hear a gurgle and a small stream of smoke coming from the top of the tank. Looks to be the fuel pump to tank seal again from what I could tell. Changed that thing years ago when I bought the car. If I recall it was a PITA to change. Tried tightening it a bit more and now I can smell gas clearly in the car and the gurgle sound got worse so pretty sure gasket failed. Smoke machine works at something like 1psi of pressure. Questions:

• is the pump nut supposed to be just snug or a specific torque? I recall the first time having a hard time tightening it down without the gasket bunching up. Can't find a torque setting for it.
• All the lines going to the top feel loose in the pump hat. I can't find replacement grommets for them. Anyone know where to get them or if that's even needed? Didn't see smoke from them or hear anything but I don't want to have to do this a 3rd time.
• I bought the special tool to remove the pump nut (looks like an adjustable claw). Anything else I should look at to make life easier?

Open to advise on other things to do while in here.

 

[GTS Dean]

Man, I was just doing the same thing Saturday evening. The new neck seal I got was a bit too big and kept bunching up trying to seat everything. I ended up re-using the old seal (slightly shorter and thinner) with a nice, even coating of grease around it and the tank neck. It was hard to get the nut tight, but it finally did. I turned the nut down nice and snug by hand, then followed up yesterday morning and got another quarter-turn wearing a good pair of thin work gloves. I don't think a spanner would get much more.

I see that your fuel module looks identical to mine - so we can be reasonably assured that '96-'98 are the same. Fuel pumps are NLA, nor are the pressure regulators (round stainless part). Dan Cragin says he can rebuild with Gen3 components and a new float gauge for about $650.

Standard Motor Products made the OE regulators (PR322) and many other parts for Chrysler vehicles. Here's a link to one of their catalogs where you can find many related parts: SMP

 

[85vett]

Appreciate it Dean. If you did it by hand then that means I probably over tightened mine then as I used one of these and snugged it down real tight. - https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-25156-Module-Spanner-Wrench/dp/B004FDL3BS

I threw away my factory seal 6-7 years ago when I did this the last time so am super hopeful I can get a new one to seal properly. I'll order up another one as I'm betting I messed this one up and will install by hand with some grease on it.

Note to self - I have the impossible to find pump so be stupid careful with working on it this time. With any luck I'll get this to seal up and can finally stop the constant EVAP codes and can finally get this thing inspected again. Sucks not being able to drive the car anywhere but at night. Car drives to much attention already from the local law enforcement so stopped risking it 6+ months ago with the car out of inspection for a year now.

 

[GTS Dean]

Brad,

The seal has a square lip at the top that squeezes between the tank neck top and the flange that the big nut bears down on. It needs to be tightened enough to preload the seal uniformly, but not crush it. There's a 1" tall shoulder at the top of the module (under the flange) that presses the gasket outward against the neck vertical. It's a very tedious process to get the seal smoothly inside the vertical neck without bunching, or damaging it. Next, you have to press hard straight down about 3/4" to preload the lower bucket against the tank floor, then screw the retainer nut down very snug. A lot of sweat and swearing helps the process.

Now that I'm thinking about it more, it is probably best to also grease the inside of the band seal uniformly and leave it below the 1" tall expander. That should help get it started smoothly in the tank neck. Next, press down square while twisting back and forth a little bit to seat the upper module section, then tighten.

 

[85vett]

Appreciate the tips. I'll give those a try this go around. I know I cussed it quite a bit last time I went through the process, as like you, every time I thought I was good it would bunch up or even push through into the tank. I'm just happy I found the leak finally. Wife is pissed that the garage stinks now though. I totally forgot how bad the fluid stinks that came with my smoke machine. I may need to find something else that will work without the smell as it's pretty bad.

 

[85vett]

Well, got the new one on tonight. Hopefully that fixes my evap codes. Old seal was ripped in a couple spots.

Should I erase the error codes or just drive the car? Thinking of leaving it there for a couple drives to see if it turns off on its own since clearing codes seems to take forever to get off pending.

 

[GTS Dean]

The codes may clear after a few drive cycles and extinguish the MIL on the cluster. If not, then you will need to affirmatively clear them. I hope this gets you through emissions check and back on the road!

 

[99RT10&GTS]

I see that your fuel module looks identical to mine - so we can be reasonably assured that '96-'98 are the same. Fuel pumps are NLA, nor are the pressure regulators (round stainless part). Dan Cragin says he can rebuild with Gen3 components and a new float gauge for about $650.

Standard Motor Products made the OE regulators (PR322) and many other parts for Chrysler vehicles. Here's a link to one of their catalogs where you can find many related parts: SMP

I have new NOS fuel baskets for the 1996-98 cars.

 

[GTS Dean]

WOW! Where were these a few months ago????