I'm looking for a replacement lower/lift pump for a 1988 H&E XJS... I've heard they're the same as certain years of Ford Bronco but just wanted to know if anyone has done this before and had a part number, most of the old forum posts I could find had dead links or nobody mentioned part numbers or anything.

Just from looking around at pictures, it looks suspiciously similar to an Airtex E8371, I'll attach some pics of my old pump I pulled out

Old Pump Assembly

Top of old pump, with end broken off

Airtex E8371 Top

Airtex E8371

Rough CAD Sketch of Old Pump

 

In my 1988 Hess & Eisenhardt XJS, I used a Carter Fuel pump P74096 for the lower fuel tank. Works great but a little noisy. There is a 3/8 fuel line attached to the lower fuel pump which pushes the fuel from the lower tank to the upper tank. Be careful that you don't break this line, mine was very brittle and the replacement line cost me $12.00 a foot. It is a special type of fuel line that has to be compatible with being immersed in fuel all the time. Also if you break the wires the replacement wires must also be the type that could stay immersed in fuel. I bought some but I can't remember the price. If needed, the Rochester valve is AC Delco 214-552.

 

So with your Carter replacement pump, I see the pump has a little 3" section of 3/8 fuel line built into it. From there, did you just shove the old metal elbow into the line with a clamp and then attach the clear line into that elbow like it was from factory?

 

Pretty much. I replaced the fuel line from the pump to the metal elbow and and also the clear fuel line. The metal line is held in place via a clip which requires a special tool to remove. I did not have the tool so I left the metal line in place and just replaced the flexible lines using clamps. The line goes through the L hose that connects the lower tank with the upper tank. I had both tanks out for cleaning so I was able to do a mock up of how the fuel lines were oriented prior to installing the tanks back in the car. I also replaced the L hose that connects both tanks.

 

I ended up ordering an Airtex E8371 from a late 80's Honda Accord. From my measurements and my CAD drawing of the original pump, it looks near identical... figured it would be worth giving it a shot and see if it fits up perfectly with all the stock wiring connectors and everything like I suspect it will..... Or it won't and I'll do like you've done and attach it to a hose then the elbow, then to the outlet line... I'll update once it arrives and I can test it

 

Remember that the lower tank fuel pump has to be a low pressure fuel pump (9-13 psi) .

 

Yep, thankfully Honda kept using carburetors into the early 90s, spec on the pump i ordered seems to be in the 7.5 psi range, so should be good to go

 

After you install the new pump, be sure to put back the sealing compound that was used. The new gasket and screws alone will not prevent fumes from escaping. Also, use a new L- hose and clamps connecting both tanks. If the L-hose is hard, the clamp may prevent fuel leakage but not the fumes.

 

As an update: The Airtex E8371 is a near enough 100% perfect match for the original pump. I was able to snap it into the original metal fitting, the body of the pump is the same size, it's a perfect fit.

Sadly not everything is perfect. When I took out the old pump and tested it, yes it's 100% dead, no sound/movement at all. However, the new pump also isn't getting power... Probably the relay on the left side of the trunk, just haven't had a chance to look into it yet. But, when manually powering the pump, it was definitely pumping from the lower tank into the main tank and the car was running perfectly fine for the ~15 minutes I was testing it for.

 

Both pumps work together. The FP relay is located in the trunk and controls both pumps. If the main pump in the trunk works, locate the splice for the lower pump and repair.
I will look at mine today and get back to you.

 

I'd appreciate that, maybe something's come loose. My understanding from looking at the Hess repair manual is that they were both on the same fused power circuit but controlled via separate relays? I.e. I can make my main pump run by jumping the relay on the right side of the trunk above the battery, but the Hess manual lists the #2 relay on the left side of the trunk by the top pump as being the secondary lift pump relay.