After having to drop my gas tank all I can say is wtf jeep!

The fuel pump is buried deep inside a canister-type housing that is only accessible through the top of the gas tank and my Haynes manual doesn't even have the proper write up! I had to use a freaking 1997 ZJ write up to find it and what a PITA it was to change.

I think the bastards at jeep said to themselves "This is too easy, how hard can we make this process for next years model?" when designing the 97+ gas tanks.

 

They do sell the whole unit you know.
Also jeep is not the only one with the canister just about everything out the has the same set up.

 

The pump is located within the pump assembly so that it is always submerged. This cools the pump itself and allows it to have a steady diet of liquid.

The design is common to virtually all modern FI vehicles.

 

Not sure if it is stock but my 94's fuel pump is vissible on the exterior almost side of the fuel tank and is a 5 min. job to swap out the entire assembly. If you were looking to save a few $ and just replace the cannister pump and not the entire unit that is why it was a pain in the A$$.

 

"my Haynes manual doesn't even have the proper write up!"

No big surprise there, no reason you can't mod it for an external pump / filter setup if that's what you want.