Fuel pump... filter

[nrk]

Sup guys?

Anyway, Was putting a new pump in my foxbody because mine died.

I have an access hole cut in the trunk so I can just pull the fuel pump bracket straight up and out of the tank without dropping the tank.

So, I pulled the fuel pump bracket out, but there was no filter on the inlet of the old pump. Not thinking anything of it, I put my new pump in, and new filter on the pump, slide the bracket in the tank...

But, the bracket won't sit flush, it's visibly jacked up on one side about 3" so I can't put the lock ring on it. So in the process of pulling it back out, my new filter falls in the tank (lolwoops), and now i'm thinking an old filter is stuck in the tank too (pretty sure there is a baffle the filter sits/slides into, which is why I can't get my new parts to fit in correctly - because the old filter is simply blocking it).


What's my best option for this? I tried to grab the filter with a pair of needle-nose but it didn't work too well. Should I just drop the tank, drain it, clean it and pull the filters out, then re-assemble with it all out of the car so I know everything fits right?

 

[toyman]

Try a pair of kitchen/BBQ tongs. Can you see the filters with a flashlight?

 

[nrk]

I had a light sitting right in my front seat... just didn't think to look.

I know my new filter is stuck down in there, I'd say the old one is probably in there somewhere as well.

I'm thinking i"ll probably just drop the tank and clean it while i'm in there.

Does the tank have a baffle or something that the filter/fuel pump rack sits into?

 

[toyman]

Never had a tank apart but they have baffles to prevent fuel from sloshing around. I've read somewhere about some kind of containment around the pump to prevent it from being fuel starved under hard braking and cornering.

 

[nrk]

Never had a tank apart but they have baffles to prevent fuel from sloshing around. I've read somewhere about some kind of containment around the pump to prevent it from being fuel starved under hard braking and cornering.

Yeah that's what I was thinking, pretty sure the old filter is stuck down there blocking stuff. I'm pretty sure i"ll just drop the tank and clean it while i've got it all out.

Thanks!