Fuel Pump Replacement

[Marc Boucher]

I've been hoping that the solution wasn't a fuel pump replacement.  Not for cost, but I dread the idea of opening a hole in the top of a gas tank and removing and reinstalling an electrically operated device that is submerged in a flammable/explosive liquid.  

1.) This just has a sense of extreme danger about it.  How can this be a safe thing to do?  Electrical wires inside of gasoline...why wouldn't this be a safety risk?

2.) New fuel pumps can be had between $200 and $300 (for example at http://www.audiquattroparts.com/fuel_pumps.htm ). I'm guessing that this is an item that makes more sense to replace with a new pump as opposed to a used pump.  Anyone disagree?

3.) Any way of knowing if your car takes a 44 or 60mm pump short of opening up the hole in the top of the fuel tank?

4.) Are there a variety of OEM's making replacement or rebuilt fuel pumps? Any recommendations on reliability of the various options available for replacement?

Thanks

Marc