How to Change a Fuel Pump on a Ford Escort

Is your Ford Escort not starting, or are you struggling to keep it running? A failing fuel pump could be the culprit. The electric fuel pumps on fuel-injected cars provide constant power to the pump, supplying a steady flow of fuel to the engine. When the pump gets clogged or begins to fail, that fuel supply is interrupted and the vehicle begins to sputter, skip or simply not run. You can replace the fuel pump in your Ford Escort fairly easily with a few simple tools to get fuel delivery back on track.

Jack up the rear of your Escort, and place the car on jack stands.

Open the hood and disconnect the vehicle’s battery.

Loosen the connection of the cold start valve at the top of the fuel distributor, using a small wrench. Use a rag to absorb any fuel that may drain from this valve. You may need to loosen the connection of the fuel feed line where it runs into the warm-up regulator if you have the K-Jetronic system. You can loosen the feed line with a small wrench, using a rag to soak up any spilled fuel.

Clamp the fuel inlet hose with line clamps, vise grips or something similar. Be sure this fuel line is clamped well to prevent fuel spillage.

Disconnect the inlet and outlet lines from the fuel pump, using a small wrench. You may want a container under the lines to catch fuel spillage. Cover the ends of the lines or tape them off temporarily to ensure that no dirt or dust enters the fuel system while the lines are exposed.

Disconnect the electrical connections on the fuel pump. Loosen the bolt on the retaining bracket holding the fuel pump in place, and slide the fuel pump out. Place it in the container you used to catch fuel spillage if you want to contain all the fuel in one place for easy cleanup.

Position your new fuel pump in place where you removed the old one. Be sure the rubber sleeve around the pump is properly in place to protect the pump. Tighten the bolt on the retaining bracket to hold the pump in place while you complete reassembly.

Reconnect the electrical feed, inlet and outlet lines. Remove the clamp from the fuel inlet hose once it is securely reconnected to the pump. Tighten the cold start valve at the fuel distributor or the fuel feed line at the warm-up regulator.

Lower the car and reconnect the battery. Start the Escort and check it for any fuel leaks.