Anyone went against installation instructions?

[wirelessF]

On critical or not-that-critical parts? Workarounds trying to install difficult parts?
Replacing the fuel pump on the 02 Chevy Silverado it tells you to cut the old fuel pump harness and use the included crimps to install the improved harness. I soldered and heatshrink the connections instead. It also tells you to drain, remove and clean the fuel tank prior to installation. Heh, where am I gonna put all that gas after trying to full tank it when the fuel pump started acting up? (got stranded at a gas station luckily)

 

[Propflux01]

A better question would be "Does anyone actually USE the instructions?"

 

[Kool1]

I guess you are using an aftermarket fuel pump. I sure hope its not Airtex. Many people on this board, myself included, have had problems with Airtex fuel pumps.

 

[Donald]

Where is the pump? Where are the connectors you soldered? Did you drop the tank?

GM fuel pumps just suck. You could run a Camry out of gas every week and when it finally goes in the junkyard 20 yrs latter it would have the original fuel pump. Not so with GM.

 

[wirelessF]

I went with a Carter intank pump "module"(what NAPA has in stock asap). Pulled the bed off because I don't want a full tank of gas spilling on my head. Fuel pump died around 100,000mi so it was the end of life for the stock fuel pump.

 

[tinmanSC]

Originally Posted By: Propflux01
A better question would be "Does anyone actually USE the instructions?"

+1

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Pulled the bed off because I don't want a full tank of gas spilling on my head. Fuel pump died around 100,000mi so it was the end of life for the stock fuel pump.

Glad to hear you made it.

A local repair shop by me burned down a few years ago. They were doing something with the fuel tank, (think it was a pickup as a matter of fact).

They had a catch pan with fuel under the truck on the lift, somehow a fire began, one guy ran over with a fire extinquisher the force of which spilled the pan with fuel and whoosh!

One mechanic was badly burned and the place burned to the ground, only the charred cinderblock walls remain today.

 

[morris]

soooooooo, what is this "installation instructions" thing?

 

[TallPaul]

You're probably fine. Carter is a good name, but when I had my '92 Aerostar had two new Carter fuel pumps in a row, both bad. Finally the shop put in a Motorcraft pump and it has been fine ever since.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Propflux01
A better question would be "Does anyone actually USE the instructions?"

Yes, better question! Sometimes, the instructions are pretty useful, if not essential. Other times, they can be a little counterproductive. On the old Audi, if I followed their thermostat replacement instructions, it's about a two hour job (removing power steering and so forth). My hands are small enough I could do it without all that nonsense, and it becomes a twenty minute job.

 

[01rangerxl]

If instructions are model specific or the hardware being installed is challenging, I'll at least read and consider the instructions, though I may do a couple things differently for various reasons.

I have found generic instructions to be nearly useless though. For example, yes, I would assume the coolant needs to be drained to replace the radiator.

 

[sciphi]

Not really. I figure if the maker of whatever widget I'm installing included instructions, I should at least browse them before installation so I know what to look for. Even if it's better instructions.

 

[TFB1]

I generally look at the instructions afterward to see if they were written correctly...

It's often easier to pull the bed on a pickup than it is to hassle with draining & dropping the tank...As far as Carter, wouldn't touch one after having a new pump fail within 5K mi... I installed a OEM Walbro in '01, that pump is still operating just fine...

 

[rjundi]

Yes Headlight bulb and not touching it. Guess what a week latter I was $13 poorer and doing it over

 

[The_Jeff]

Yeah I tend to blow off "drain antifreeze" instructions when doing thermostats. Just throw a huge pan underneath: what comes out, comes out.

Similarly, oil filters want clean fresh oil on the gasket. Some brands even have cute little cartoons painted on them to this effect. They're lucky if I smudge my by-then-dirty glove over things. The engine flange has plenty of oil on it...

 

[cutter]

When putting on a rear sway bar, the instructions say the exhaust should be removed. Did it without taking the exhaust off, it was entirely possible.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Similarly, oil filters want clean fresh oil on the gasket. Some brands even have cute little cartoons painted on them to this effect. They're lucky if I smudge my by-then-dirty glove over things. The engine flange has plenty of oil on it...

My mechanic has the best trick; he "kisses" the new filter to the old one! That way, he verifies that they match, and verifies that both the o-rings are intact and now has the oil on the o-ring. All three steps done in a one kiss!!

 

[Kestas]

I had to reread that a few times before I realized the mechanic was not using his lips!

I'll ignore certain installation instructions if I know they're not critical, and only written as a CYA for the manufacturer. For example, I don't bleed off the fuel pressure before changing fuel filters. Yet I've never been sprayed with fuel when doing so.

 

[Silk]

Instructions are always wrong - you need to crank those spin on filters as tight as you can get them, otherwise they will leak or fall off.