Fuel pump assembly question

Fueled up my new to me jeep xj and found out I have a steady stream of fuel coming out where the wiring goes into the tank. Besides going to the junk yard, I am not having good luck finding the piece that you see on the tank where the fuel lines connect (the whole circular piece). Help?

When you say it is leaking where the wiring goes into the tank do you mean the fuel is coming out around the wires, or do you mean that it is coming out from around the round piece in which that wiring (and the fuel lines themselves) are mounted.

If coming from around the wires themselves then you are probably looking at needing a new sending unit/pump assembly.

If coming from around the round piece in which everything is mounted then you probably need nothing more than a new rubber seal. That part is readily available from Napa. Try Spectra Premium P/N L001 as a starting point. At least that was the P/N for my '96. Unique sending unit for '96, but I doubt that gasket is unique for '96.

I have never seen fuel come out from around the wiring, but there is a first for everything. More likely guess is that whoever serviced the fuel pump did not want to drop the tank (I don't blame them) but also could not figure out how to overcome the effect of gravity on that O-ring while trying to reinstall the assembly. If that is indeed the case it should be a simple repair. Otherwise, that round plate is a welded-on element in the fuel pump/sending unit assembly. I don't have any ideas I would really want to count on for re-sealing that wiring. JB Weld might be up to the job, but I would only try that as a last resort, and a temporary one at that.

Yes there was a steady stream from the wiring not the cheap rubber gasket unfortunately. I gotta go to the junk yard anyway for some odds and ends but rather have new

It is a pain in the butt, however you might be able to reseal the fitting if it really is leaking through the wiring grommet. If it is leaking around the hard lines, you need to silver-solder the fittings or replace the assembly.

Well that is a bummer.

I can tell you RTV silicon is not your solution. I figured that one out all by myself. The hard way. :looney:

Your best bet is to get another fuel pump assembly. Either new - or get a used one and
transfer your known good pump on to it.

That plastic grommet is held in place (from inside the tank) by a serrated washer that
grips on to the boss on the grommet. It is pressed in place in order to get the O-ring
to seal against the assembly mount plate.

Most times you'll end up mangling the whole thing when trying to pry the washer off.

If you do manage to get it apart without destroying it, then it is damn near impossible to
get everything to stay in place and keep pressure on the O-ring (for it to seal) when you
reassemble it.

Not worth risking a fire, IMHO.