Photos and text courtesy of Art Benstein!

This FAQ file illustrates the removal and replacement of a Regina fuel sender and pump assembly from the fuel tank. However, it also serves as an overview of the process to remove the fuel sender assembly of either Bosch or Regina systems. Some connectors may vary, but many are identical.

New Regina pump with protective sleeve removed compared with AC prepump and Bosch main pump from 83 B23F. I purchased the Regina pump after a short diagnostic session using an ammeter in series with the pump. The ammeter would fluctuate between about 1A and something above 5A. When it sank to 1A the idling car would die. Measuring the fuel pressure at the rail, crudely with a tire gauge, the same effect was seen - sometimes 25-30 lbs, other times about 5 lbs. This exercise is shown on a '92 940 with 142K miles.

Note similarities between the two tank pumps on the left:

Lots of plastic removed to discover sedan's access to tank unit. Could not determine how to remove last piece held fast at rear pass through:

After removing the access cover, note that the tank top is fairly well coated with road grime, but not rusty:

Place a foam pad or rug on the bottom of the trunk for comfort as you lie there. Following the pump outlet from the compression fitting at lower left the flare fitting junction with the steel feed line can be seen near upper right of opening:

Slide the outer ring of quick disconnect toward rear to release using a screwdriver blade. Easier said than done:

Make more access room by first disconnecting filler vent line:

Then disconnect filler hose:

The rubber dust seal slides back from compression fitting allowing you to inject some penetrant oil to help coax the connector loose:

A bit of discoloration on the outlet line indicates corrosion that may have helped bond the fitting to the line:

The fuel return line has a steel spring clamp (see previous photo above). I have shot sparks when pliers slip off those clamps before, so with enough slack in the return line hose, I can cut the rubber hose and save the spring clamp removal for the driveway when the sender is out:

Tap the plastic lock ring loose. The threads are huge, so about two turns and it is off:

Everything is now loose but the electrical connections. Camera shows what the rag missed:

Separating the sender cap from the soft rubber seal underneath; the lip is only about 1/8 thick:

Should have broken this connection prior to releasing all those fumes, but the key is out of the ignition switch:

The filler hose is in the way and must be removed from the filler pipe:

Now the unit can be withdrawn from the tank. Notice the 90 degree CCW turn to bring it out of the tank at the right rear of the access hole:

Pull it clear carefully. The Regina unit doesn't seem quite as fragile as I remember tank pumps on Bosch systems:

Two views of the Regina sending unit. Return line, feed line, and vent (L-R) can be seen joining the cap. The entire bottom end is spring loaded to ensure it meets the bottom of the tank, empty or full, cold or warm.:

Turned over, the gauge sending unit in its sliding housing is rightmost. The double dished stamping covers a small accumulator to smooth pump pulses:

Closeup of the tank seal. The inner edge is indeed bifurcated to give what appears to be an elastic seal to the tank port's ID when the pressure inside exceeds atmospheric:

Removing the old pump and comparing it with the new one:

Soldering the leads onto the new pump:

Reassemble the pump and attach the filter sock at the bottom:

Gasket: Now is a good time to replace the fuel tank gasket if necessary.

Compressing the Sender Unit: The sender unit is spring loaded and collapses in itself about 5-6 inches as it rides up and down (like a telescope) within the larger part of the unit. Install it by keeping it collapsed using a string. Compress the spring in order to install more easily: wedge full up with a match stick with a string attached and run out through the vent pipe. Once installed, the string pulls the wedge free, letting the spring release properly into position.

Installing Into the Tank: Take a good look at the yellowish anti-slosh pan on the bottom of the tank. See the high side plates? You'll need to maneouver the assembly around them. Leaving the rubber seal off, insert the assembly in through the hole in the tank so that the bend in it points more-or-less at 3 o'clock. Push the assembly in some more while rotating it counterclockwise. Make sure you know when it's vertical. You'll need to clear the left-side edge of the anti-slosh pan on the bottom of the fuel tank. In order to achieve that, you don't want to push the assembly all the way into the tank - push it in only as far as you need to rotate it. To properly seat the bottom of the sender on the center of the slosh pan, you need to make the final 10-20 degrees of counterclockwise rotation with the assembly tilted up inside the tank so as to clear the edge of the pan. When the assembly has cleared the edge you'll be able to finally get it to vertical orientation (end of clockwise motion). Then push it in fully (2-3" deeper compared to where it should be right now). Make sure it seats properly.

Seal installation: since the in-tank side of the seal has two concentric lips, it's next to impossible to get it to seat while the seal is on the sender/pump assembly cover. Instead, you have to seat the seal in the opening and push the assembly through. Pull the sender assembly out so that the cover with its rim clears the tank. Spray a bit of WD-40 on the inside and outside of the seal, and onto the seal seating surfaces (cover and tank's rim). All four surfaces (inside/outside of seal and mating plastic surfaces of tank and cover) must be slippery. Don't overdo it -- spray at one point and then smear it nicely all over the seal and mating surfaces. Stretch the seal a tad and pull it over the sender assembly cover. Push the seal about halfway into the rim in the tank. With a rotating rocking motion (rock the sender in the seal slightly), slowly push the sender assembly's cover into the seal, and use it at the same time to fully seat the seal in the tank. After it's fully seated, pull the assembly out about 1/8". Feel the gap between the tank rim and the sender assy cover - make sure that the slight flange on the seal is present all around the cover. If you've pushed the seal improperly so that the flange made its way into the tank, pull the assembly out enough to be able to repeat pushing the seal halfway into the tank and following. With slight rocking, push the assembly back fully into the seal.

Replace the tank lock nut.

I replaced that awkward spring clamp on the return line with a screw clamp:

A view of the spring lock compression fitting on the feed line:

Reassemble the fuel hose connections, reattach the electrical connector, and replace the tank access cover.

Failure mode of the old pump: brush, spring connector, and commutator wear in this AC-made unit at 142k miles:

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