Hello. I am in the middle of changing the pump on my 2000 and I see a small difference on the new replacement pump.

My old stock pump, on the bottom, has a hole. The new motorcraft replacement pump has that hole, but it is covered with a very very thin see through plastic/rubbery covering.

Seems to me this is a cover for storage only and will blow out when first used but there are no instructions saying to remove it before installing (which is what I feel like doing)

its about the size of a quarter but it is not like tape that would obviously be pulled off. I have factory and Chilton manual and neither mentions this membrane. I am not talking about the filter sock either.

it is so flimsy I cant see it lasting long.

 

Pic? It's probably just a shipping plug

 

thats my guess. I looked at 2 used pumps and they have the spot where it could have been but the film is not there. The hole allows fuel to bypass the first sock but the pump has another sock inside the can so I guess its a bypass valve/hole. there is rubber flap on the other side of the hole tp stop drain back out of the can.