I'm doing both at the same time. I have two (obviously unrelated) questions.

For the hutch mod: The directions kind of skimp over how to connect the fuel filter head. I got the part where I run the line they gave me from the tank to the filter head, but they don't really talk about what goes on the other side. Do I take the factory line, cut it, and connect it to the filter? It would make sense to do that, but I also thought the directions would have been clearer about cutting into a factory line. I just don't want to screw up - I'm already stuck in the house without wheels because I'm waiting on a new pickup foot.

For the fifty cent mod: I did the driver's side. It wasn't too bad but it wasn't a lot of fun either. The driver's side looks like a lot less fun with all that stuff in the way. Do I have to move the A/C compressor? What else needs to come off?

 

On passenger side valve cover. No need to remove A/C compressor. For me it was easier to remove the bolts by the heater core/evaporator by using 1/2 drive socket, universal and extension. I couldn't get the 1/4 or 3/8 drive to cooperate. For me the passenger side was way less fun then drivers. LOL
Please let me know how tough it is to re-connect your fill and vent hose after your hutch mod.

 

Not really looking forward to that either.

 

So when I did the hutch, I had the same question. I couldn't figure out what the heck the rubber hose was for. From what I found in searching it looks like you run the rubber hose from tank to pump, bypassing the factory lines completely. Apparently the spring locks allow air into the line when on the suction side. So you run this hose and then cut it where you like and put in your inline filter. I didn't do it as I didn't find this out until after I was done with everything. I also didn't install the pickup foot. Mine had completely fallen apart. I had to clean out the entire tank, it was spotless when I was done. I just ran my metal line almost to the bottom of the tank and it's good. I'm sure many will say what I'm doing is risky and dumb but, it's been fine so far. I'll probably install a prepump filter at some point but I'm not going to install the foot just to have it fall apart again. My 2¢

 

Nah, I think you're fine with just the tube sticking down to the bottom of the tank. That's basically what a hutch mod does.

I got the hutch mod done. I dropped and installed the tank by myself in my driveway and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be.

My only screw-up was after I had just finished putting the tank back in place and zip-tying the last bit of fuel hose. I walked back to my work table, and looked down at the pickup screen that goes in the bottom of the pickup foot. Sure hope I don't need that because I am NOT dropping that tank and re-installing it again.

A few things that I wish I'd known before I started:

- Just order a new pickup foot. If the condition of mine was any indication, yours will be junk.

- Make sure you have the correct PVC cutters handy. I ended up not doing the harpoon mod because I didn't have the correct cutters and I didn't want to litter the inside of my tank with plastic debris.

- Putting the tank back in place was easy. I used a couple of cinder blocks and a lever to work one side up, then the other, until the tank sat high enough to get the floor jack under it (with a piece of wood balanced on the side ridges in the skid plate). I was able to push the jack around until I could balance the entire weight of the tank on the jack pad. Then I just lifted it up a few inches, made the connections, and pushed it right up into place until I could get the bolts started. It really wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it might be.

- Be prepared to replace the filler hose and vent hose. I wasn't and they are not in the best of shape. I'm surprised they don't leak yet.

- The kit I purchased came with everything I needed to replace the fuel line from the tank to the pump inlet.

- Having a vice makes the job a lot easier. The compression fitting is a real PITA to get tight unless you have some way of holding the assembly in one place. I ended up making a tool to hold it in place so I could use both hands on the wrenches to compress the fitting.

- Same thing with the filter head assembly. If you want the fittings tight, then you better have some way of holding the head while you tighten them. I guess you could install the head on the truck and tighten it down after, but I opted to make a holder for the filter head so I didn't have to do it on my back under the truck. If I had a vice handy, both of those steps would have been a lot less work.

- A trick that I found to remove the tank ring is to use a pair of vice-grips on the ridges of the ring and hit the grips with a hammer. That ring comes right off.

- Be good at tightening hose clamps blind with one hand.

Overall, I would give this job about a 4 on the difficulty scale.

 

the pickup line gets the rubber hose attached to the pump... you don't have to cut the stock line at all just leave it dangle.. fyi... get some boiling hot water and put the end of the new rubber hose in it for a few minutes before you try to install the rubber line onto the metal line of the tank... this will let it stretch a little bit as your trying to feed it all the way on too where the tubing starts to bend... use two hose clamps... the stock line is used for the return and it just clicks back on... make sure you use the right line as the pickup line is bigger diameter than the return but the pickup will click onto the return but it will be loose, when you click on the correct line it will be snug and not wiggle much... I accidentally clicked the stock pickup line onto the return.. luckily i realized something wasn't right but it was a PITA to get it back off and switch it. I did this mod pretty recently with the pre-pump filter hutch mod... hope this helps

 

Everything you say is true.

 

I personally wouldn't do the 50 cent mod unless I were having symptoms that justified it... It's a whole lot of work to get them valve covers back on... Why bother unless you have to or unless you gonna go ahead an do a bunch of stuff like glow plugs injectors and if your going too all that trouble why not just do new harnesses... Just my . 02