2004 Buick Rendezvous Fuel Pump Part?

[ls973800]

Had to change out the fuel tank on my sons 04 Buick Rendezvous. The replacement used tank did not come with the fuel pump/fuel sender so I had to swap it out from the old tank to the replacement tank. I had the old tank on sawhorses next to the car, and the new tank directly in front of it also on sawhorses.

Got everything put together and the replacement tank up in place and all buttoned up. As I was crawling out from the rear of the vehicle I found this plastic piece laying on the ground by the rear wheel under the car. The car started up with no problems once I put some fuel into the tank, but I don't think the fuel gauge is reading correctly. One start it shows full (only about 3 gallons in it) another start shows low fuel and the needle on empty.

My son is driving the car today so I don't know how it is reading or if it is still inconsistent. Anyone know what this piece may be? I don't have any idea how it came to be under the rear of the car. I have tried looking at fuel pumps on line but can't see this part at all!

Flared on one end, flat on one side, has a channel on the other side, and the one end has an O-ring right under the flat cap.

 

[Nick1994]

Off topic, but why did you replace the tank?

I ask because I know at least 03’ Rendezvous models had a recall for the gas tank, my mom’s was replaced.

 

[Warstud]

What brand of pump ?

 

[ls973800]

The rear resonator/tail pipe and a hanger rusted off. The remaining exhaust system including the muffler than somehow shifted over and got jammed on top of the rear suspension frame and under the plastic fuel tank. Noticed a pool of gasoline on the driveway one day. Once I freed the muffler I saw melted plastic on the bottom of the tank and a slow leak.

The recall was due to two different plastics being used in the filler pipe attachment to the tank. I've read that they had different expansion/contraction rates and that resulted in a leak from the filler tube at the tank. Corrected in 2003 from what I understand.

The fuel pump is the original one from the factory. My wife was the original purchaser of the Rendezvous and gave the car to my son back in 2010. It was never replaced and the fuel gauge was always accurate until the transfer to the other tank. All electrical connections are tight so I'm thinking this piece has something to do with the reading?

 

[ls973800]

OK, just a follow up as to what this part actually is!!!

I was with my son the other day when he had to stop to fill up the Rendezvous. While it was filling, he mentioned how nice it was that the fuel nozzle could now be kept fully squeezed and he didn't have to slowly fill the tank to prevent the fuel nozzle from shutting off often.

I asked him how long he had been having that problem, and he mentioned for several years, ever since something had come out of a portable gas can he used one time to put gas into the Rendezvous. I went home and looked at the piece that I had posted a picture of here, and it is indeed a piece that fits inside the fuel nozzle of his spare gas can!

I also rechecked the wire connections coming off the fuel tank, and found corrosion on some of the terminals. Apparently they were allowing enough contact for the fuel gauge to read properly until I removed the tank. By disconnecting and then reconnecting the wires when I swapped out the tank, a poor connection resulted allowing for the false readings of the fuel gauge.

Cleaned up the terminals and now the fuel gauge is working properly for the last several weeks!!

The piece must have come out of the filler tube when I disconnected it and removed the old fuel tank. I did originally find the piece by the rear tire, but never thought it was something that had come out of the filler tube.