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How To Install A Walbro 255 Pump *Lots of Pics*

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16K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  yellow  
#1 ·
Just installed my Walbro 255 LPH pump in my 91 9000. Took some pics along the way. This should give you a good idea of what's involved. It took me an hour to do, however I had already taken out my back seats so it went a little quicker for me. It's not really necessary to remove them, but I'm swapping them out so I was already there. If you want you can remove the top half or the rear seats and you'll be fine. Here's a step by step for you. I think pictures will give you a better idea of what's needed, so I included a bunch of them.

Pump I used
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Comparison of Bosche (OEM) and the Walbro 255
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Tool used to remove the pump housing's screw-on retainer, actually my tech gave me the wrong one. It had to have a bigger toothed wheel, but I made due and managed to take the retainer off without damage.
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Location is right behind the rear seats, dead center of car.
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Remove the spare wheel cover to access the pump. There are two screws to remove, and it come right off.
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Once the cover is removed, this is what it looks like.
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Remove this retainer, might have to get creative, I sprayed it first with lots of WD40 and then used plier handles and twisted. When I say plier handles I mean the part where you normally grab was placed between two slots on the retainer and then I twisted.
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Mark your return and pump hoses, and pry out slowly by hand, these thing can be pretty fragile. Don't pull on the hose part cause more than likely, you'll snap it right off.
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Remove the pump housing at a slight angle, once out remove the metal bracket. It is clipped to the lid, just use a small screwdriver and unclip it.
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Unplug this
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Separate the housing by unclipping these
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Use an exacto knife to cut the hose off the tee. I didn't take a pic but this will give you an idea. Use a fuel resistant hose & small hose clamps to reattach to the new pump and tee
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Cut out the rubber cover to accommodate the new pump.
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Since the pumps have different thicknesses, I used a heat-shrink to thicken it up a bit.
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I used a second layer to thicken up the top part
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Rubber placed back on the pump
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Clean inside the housing
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Reassemble everything
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****Important**** Make sure these two markings line up, if they dont, your fuel level sensor will not work.
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Close it all up and you're done

Enjoy
 
#6 ·
INteresting idea with the heat shrink tubing. I would be a bit leary of it myself, but I guess I have no info that would lead me to believe it wouldn't work...just not something I'd think of :)

I have heard of people cutting up the old pump to use that to slip the new pump into. I think that is what I will try when I finially get around to installing mine.
 
#7 ·
Didn't think of that option. So I guess it would mean you'd have to cut both ends of the old pump, or at least the top end and then slide it out and then slip the Walbro in. Interesting, let me know how it goes.
 
F
#8 ·
Note that this is different for a '96 9k pump. The Walbro is bigger than stock diameter so a flap sander on a drill opens out much of plastics to help it fit. Externally the buckets look pretty similar

Walbro on the left. Much chopping of the rubber disc to fit over.
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Finished bucket:
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Only pics I have ... just take LOTs of pics as you take stuff apart. I forgot to mark the flow and return hoses on the top of the tank and spent ages trying to verify them 100%
 
#9 ·
It was an easy install, it did take cutting on the rubber piece up top. I also used fuel hose with clamps to put it in.

Easiest way eeeeeever to take off that ring that locks down the pump basket is to cross two pry bars in an X and put the tips in the slots in the ring, then push one bar against the other to turn left and take it off. So easy, I never understood why people complained so much about that ring or made special tools for it..

Also, I always install the 9-3 recall fuel clip on 9000's, they say it does not fit, but the assembly is basically the same as the 9-3. I keep it on hand at least...

Always have two extra L elbows too, since they are prone to breaking

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Take care,
-Chad
 
D
#20 ·
Chadwick said:
It was an easy install, it did take cutting on the rubber piece up top. I also used fuel hose with clamps to put it in.

Easiest way eeeeeever to take off that ring that locks down the pump basket is to cross two pry bars in an X and put the tips in the slots in the ring, then push one bar against the other to turn left and take it off. So easy, I never understood why people complained so much about that ring or made special tools for it..

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Take care,
-Chad
Click to expand...
Maybe you could elaborate on that a little more?

bars?
 
F
#10 ·
Just to explain on the 'big ring' - I had the pry bar type approach with a full 2ft bar handing off the side and it STILL wouldnt budge. That's with my full body weigh behind it - eventually snapping a tab.
Only solution was the 18mm plywood template idea cut carefully to lean tight against the full hight of the tabs evenly.
I then clamped this up and used the 2ft bar and it eventually went. The ply works best as there is no outward force. Anything that also pushes the ring outwards can cause it to stick imho.

There - I managed all that without saying that some rings are tighter than others..
 
#18 ·
Good ideas on the ring removal etc...thanks guys for all the input:smile:



mcrowley said:
Great writeup. Def should be a sticky.
Click to expand...
Yes please!:cool:

moose said:
since the terminals are so close together on the 255 lpb i took some small fuel resistant hose and cut two small pieces to slide over the terminals so i don't have to worry about them touching.
Click to expand...
Yeah forgot to mention that I used heat shrink for both terminals. You can do only one if you want but I did both. 1 ounce of prevention.;-)

Tikka said:
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^My solution. We were breaking off tabs left and right, so decided to spread the force evenly.
Click to expand...
Love them home made tools:)
 
#24 ·
Don't know exactly I figure it'd be a 1/4" maybe

oliversexpedition said:
What size/diameter pvc pipe did you use? Tweek and I spend time in Lowes and couldn't find the right sized pipe.
Click to expand...
PVC pipe, for what exactly, the homemade tool that Tikka made? If that is your question maybe PM him, cause I've got no clue. Figure it'd be 1/4-1/2" smaller diameter than the retainer ring itself.
 
Y
#27 ·
Just to tag onto this thread just in case this topic gets revisited again. I recently had a fuel pump fail and decided it would be an opportunity to upgrade.

I purchased a spare fuel pump assembly which I was told was only about 2000 miles since new. I believe that Saab/GM used a 10mm line to the pump with these newer units, with obviates the need for any extra work trying to get a reducer union (10mm->8mm) in place.

In addition, these newer units have a different rubber housing above the fuel pump, and no cutting is needed. Just pure luck on my part, I guess.

Picture 1 shows how the rubber housing just expanded a bit to house the Walbro.

Picture 2 shows the pigtails from Walbro, and I reused the female molex connectors from the 4-pin plug.

Picture 3 shows that the opening of the basket had to be dremeled by about 1mm around the rim, as the Walbro is about 2mm thicker than the original pump.
 

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#29 ·
If I recall correctly, the lead sizes are very slightly different, perhaps by 1mm. I used a small series of DC batteries to test the pump before installing.
 
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