Can anyone tell me what is involved in changing out the fuel pump. Prior 1992 Chev Astro the entire job at a local shop was $250. Now same shop saying $900 ~ $1000 for 2000 Chev Astro Fuel Pump. Why the big jump and does this sound reasonable. Is the job that hard that I couldn’t do it myself?
Replacing the fuel pump in both the 1992 and 2000 Astro’s requires the dropping of the gas tank. Is this something you’re willing to take on?
On your old van, it may have been possible just to replace the pump portion of the fuel pump assembly. On your new van, the entire fuel pump assembly probably has to be replaced. Just the pump? Maybe $70.00-$100.00. A fuel pump assembly? Maybe $200.00-$300.00.
Also, the gas tank removal procedure for the 2000 Astro may be more involved than it was for the 1992 Astro.
Tester
I’ve done a fuel pump myself on a '94 Chevy full-size Blazer, and while it’s a pain in the butt, it’s also really not terribly difficult. The most annoying part of the process is draining and dropping the tank (which you will have to do), but the $$ you save over having a shop do it is well worth the effort.
The pump may be separately replaceable, or it may be integrated with the in-tank sending unit; this depends on the make/model. On the Blazer I could replace just the pump, but the sender (specifically, the bolts for the fuel lines) was so rusted that it broke during removal. I’d suggest that you go ahead and replace the entire unit if you undertake this. A new fuel pump assembly should come with a new o-ring for where it seals against the tank; this is essential to prevent fuel leakage and odor.
Definitely consult a Haynes or Chilton’s repair manual before deciding to do this. It’s not difficult, but it’s a lot of work and requires extra care since there will be fuel vapors in abundance while the assembly is out of the tank.