Fiesta fuel pump removal

[xerxes]

I'm changing the fuel pump on a Mk IV Fiesta.

I'm struggling to remove the fuel lines from the pump connectors (colour coded red and white). I've tried squeezing the plastic tabs on the sides, but can't get the line fitting to release.

Now I've managed to snap off one of the tabs, so things have gone from bad to worse.

Has anyone any ideas for how to disconnect these fittings (especially the one I've damaged)?

The Haynes manual simply says: "release the protruding locking lugs on each union, by squeezing them together and carefully pulling the coupling apart". This worked fine for the connectors to the filter, but the pump connectors seem to have a different design.

 

[Belle427]

It may be the type that needs pushing on first and then squeezing the tabs, sometimes a pointy nose pliers can help with the squeezing.

 

[xerxes]

Thank you. I've tried this, but there seems to be no movement of the connector in or out of the fitting, with or without the lugs squeezed in.

I'm using pliers (smooth-jawed, to try to avoid creating any further problems).

 

[Peter.N.]

Try twisting the pipes to loosen them, they can be quite a tight fit.

Peter

 

[xerxes]

I solved this in the end, though I'm not proud of the way I did it.

Assuming the pump was of no further use, I picked off the outer collars on both connectors using needle-nosed pliers; the plastic was fairly brittle. Squeezing the lugs in the collar is supposed to move them inwards and downwards; it is the downwards movement which is supposed to depress the inner sleeve (which is coloured red in both cases). For some reason this wasn't working.

With the collars out of the way I was able to press directly on the sleeves so that the inner jaws released their hold on the pipe fittings, which came out quite easily.