I’ve been asked a lot for help on performing the bottleneck fix and setup a canister for a return line. I recently got a canister from someone that already had the bottleneck fix done and a bulkhead for a return line. The problem was the return didn’t go to the canister and the feed line wasn’t long enough for the pump to seat. Since they sent me their stock canister I decided to redo the entire setup so it was done properly. I decided to take pictures as I did it so maybe some others can benefit.
Here we have the stock canister.
The first step is to unplug the pump and fuel level sensor. Below is a shot of the plug. Next you’ll need to remove the wires.
To remove the wires, flip the plug over and push the green locking part out the front. You can see it just in front of the screwdriver below.
Push the locking part up to unlock it, and it will look like this.
With the locking part removed, you can see the connectors on the wires and the tabs that hold the in place.
Now would be a good time to mark the positive and negative wires on the connector for them pump. The wires for the fuel level sensor don’t matter.
Using a screwdriver, GENTLY pry up on the tab. While doing so, pull the wire out the back of the connector.
With all four wires out of the connector you can now remove the fuel level sensor. Use a screwdriver and pry the canister where it is holding the level sensor in.
Next let’s remove the canister. There are three tabs that lock this in place. You’ll want to be very careful here so you don’t crack the canister. I use a screwdriver and push it under the canister and gently pull the canister down. Do this on all three tabs. Be patient, you may pop one back on as you try the next one. You’ll eventually get it. This is the order I do it in.
You have now exposed the fuel pump. In the image below you can see the bottleneck. It is where the piece off the pump goes into the silver ring.
To get the pump out, push the rubber seal in the image below up from the bottom and pull it off the wires. Then pull the pump out.
Here is a view of the top of the canister. You can remove the black rubber part and discard it, we won’t be using it.
Now you’ll need to remove the metal ring. I use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and cut the side and bottom of the metal ring. Below you can see the ring and seal. Throw those away, we won’t be using them.
Next step is to create a hole for the feed line to pass through. I use a Dremel for this, but a drill will work. Be careful though, the plastic can be very brittle and crack easily. Below is where I started the hole.
Now that you’ve got the hole started, it is time to split the top of the canister off the part that goes in the hole on the fuel tank. This is a two-step process. First you need to compress the spring and lift plastic washer. Using a needle-nose pliers pull that washer out. It is split on the other side of the flat tab, so it will come off with a bit of force.
Now flip the top over and stick a screwdriver into the hole and pull towards the middle of the canister top. While doing so rotate the top down to disconnect the two parts.
Here is the result of the previous step. Now all you have to do is pull the canister top back and out.
Now cut a bit of the part of the feed off to make sure it won’t poke through the hole and hit your fuel line.
Here you can see the line going through the canister top. Make a note of this or draw around it with a marker because the next step is to drill for the bulkhead fitting.
Here is the bulkhead installed with a stat-o-seal. As you can see I had to remove some of the material to make room for the stat-o-seal.
Here is the top with the bulkhead and stat-o-seal.
Here you can see where I installed the bulkhead for the return line. Putting it here will allow for a straight shot through the top of the canister. No looping is necessary. Notice I had to remove some support material to make room for the stat-o-seal and bulkhead nut.
Top view of the feed and return bulkheads.
Both holes of the canister top.
Here is a view of the lines installed from the bottom of the canister top. The feed hose should extend down about 2.25 inches from the canister’s top. More on this later.
Now it is time to remove the bottleneck from the pump. There are two locking tabs on there, pry them up with a screwdriver and pull the piece off.
Now you need to remove the part that holds the bottleneck on. It is split so just insert a screwdriver and twist.
Here is the pump completely disassembled.
Here we have the stock canister.
The first step is to unplug the pump and fuel level sensor. Below is a shot of the plug. Next you’ll need to remove the wires.
To remove the wires, flip the plug over and push the green locking part out the front. You can see it just in front of the screwdriver below.
Push the locking part up to unlock it, and it will look like this.
With the locking part removed, you can see the connectors on the wires and the tabs that hold the in place.
Now would be a good time to mark the positive and negative wires on the connector for them pump. The wires for the fuel level sensor don’t matter.
Using a screwdriver, GENTLY pry up on the tab. While doing so, pull the wire out the back of the connector.
With all four wires out of the connector you can now remove the fuel level sensor. Use a screwdriver and pry the canister where it is holding the level sensor in.
Next let’s remove the canister. There are three tabs that lock this in place. You’ll want to be very careful here so you don’t crack the canister. I use a screwdriver and push it under the canister and gently pull the canister down. Do this on all three tabs. Be patient, you may pop one back on as you try the next one. You’ll eventually get it. This is the order I do it in.
You have now exposed the fuel pump. In the image below you can see the bottleneck. It is where the piece off the pump goes into the silver ring.
To get the pump out, push the rubber seal in the image below up from the bottom and pull it off the wires. Then pull the pump out.
Here is a view of the top of the canister. You can remove the black rubber part and discard it, we won’t be using it.
Now you’ll need to remove the metal ring. I use a Dremel with a cutoff wheel and cut the side and bottom of the metal ring. Below you can see the ring and seal. Throw those away, we won’t be using them.
Next step is to create a hole for the feed line to pass through. I use a Dremel for this, but a drill will work. Be careful though, the plastic can be very brittle and crack easily. Below is where I started the hole.
Now that you’ve got the hole started, it is time to split the top of the canister off the part that goes in the hole on the fuel tank. This is a two-step process. First you need to compress the spring and lift plastic washer. Using a needle-nose pliers pull that washer out. It is split on the other side of the flat tab, so it will come off with a bit of force.
Now flip the top over and stick a screwdriver into the hole and pull towards the middle of the canister top. While doing so rotate the top down to disconnect the two parts.
Here is the result of the previous step. Now all you have to do is pull the canister top back and out.
Now cut a bit of the part of the feed off to make sure it won’t poke through the hole and hit your fuel line.
Here you can see the line going through the canister top. Make a note of this or draw around it with a marker because the next step is to drill for the bulkhead fitting.
Here is the bulkhead installed with a stat-o-seal. As you can see I had to remove some of the material to make room for the stat-o-seal.
Here is the top with the bulkhead and stat-o-seal.
Here you can see where I installed the bulkhead for the return line. Putting it here will allow for a straight shot through the top of the canister. No looping is necessary. Notice I had to remove some support material to make room for the stat-o-seal and bulkhead nut.
Top view of the feed and return bulkheads.
Both holes of the canister top.
Here is a view of the lines installed from the bottom of the canister top. The feed hose should extend down about 2.25 inches from the canister’s top. More on this later.
Now it is time to remove the bottleneck from the pump. There are two locking tabs on there, pry them up with a screwdriver and pull the piece off.
Now you need to remove the part that holds the bottleneck on. It is split so just insert a screwdriver and twist.
Here is the pump completely disassembled.